Should You Get a Cotton Comforter?

One way to enjoy the best night’s sleep is to use the right mattress, the right pillows, and the right sheets and bedding. Studies show that when you sleep well, you have more energy, you feel more focused, and you can live your best life. Does that mean you should get a cotton comforter? Maybe yes, or maybe no.

Honestly, selecting your ideal bed linens like a cotton comforter, duvet cover, cotton sheets, goose down, and such is a personal preference. However, what you don’t know about a cotton comforter may prevent you from trying this bedding. What if you aren’t getting your best night’s sleep and living your best life because you’ve yet to try cotton comforters?

You’ll never know if you don’t learn about cotton comforters, sheets, duvet covers, and linens. The following will offer facts, statistics, and meaningful information about cotton comforters, so you can be an informed consumer about cotton bedding and how it stands up to other types of bedding.

Should you get a cotton comforter?

The Benefits

The best way to find out if you should get a cotton comforter is to evaluate the benefits against any downsides of cotton bedding.

These are the common traits associated with cotton comforters, sheets, and other cotton bedding that are the most beneficial.

Breathability

Cotton is a natural, pure raw plant material that is woven into a lightweight, breathable fabric used for clothing, bed linens like cotton comforters, and other products. How is this beneficial? Each night, as you sleep, your body temperature fluctuates. If you’ve ever woke up feeling sticky from being too hot, you will appreciate a cotton comforter and sheet sets that are breathable.

Cotton fabric has a trait that allows it to absorb your body heat as you sleep through the night, keeping you cool and comfortable enough to sleep without disruptions. Most people sweat at least some while they sleep.

Sweating is the body’s way of detoxing or cooling itself down as body heat changes during the night. According to How Stuff Works, people commonly generate around 16 to 24 ounces of sweat at night. More than that might be due to a medical condition.

Durability

100 percent cotton comforters and cotton sheets are durable, for longevity. Once you buy a cotton comforter, you will have it for years if you keep it clean and maintained. You can save a lot of money by investing in inexpensive, natural cotton bedding.

A cotton comforter along with cotton sheets and pillowcases not only lasts longer, but unlike a polyester comforter and polyester blend linens, the cotton fabric won’t pill, pull, or irritate your skin. The fabric pulls, pills, and other damages can make sleeping a challenge since you will feel uncomfortable.

According to SFGATE Home Guides online, polyester fibers trap heat and moisture and create static electricity, which could make your nights sweatier and less comfortable. Therefore, a cotton comforter is a better choice.

Gentle On Skin

If you have ever hopped into a bed with clean, fresh, cotton sheets, you should know the feeling that it inspires. They smell fresh, feel clean and soft, and overall, cotton sheets and a cotton comforter feel just right to put it in Goldilocks’ words.

If you have sensitive skin or a skin disorder, a cotton comforter is a better alternative than polyester or any synthetic linens. Also, if you have allergies that make your skin breakout, cotton is hypoallergenic by nature, so it’s not likely to cause a breakout, itchiness, rashes, or skin irritations. While there may be some exceptions to this, overall, a cotton comforter will not trigger allergies.

Low Maintenance Care

Some bedsheets, comforters, and other linens require a great deal of maintenance to ensure quality and longevity. However, because cotton comforters and linen are so durable. that they require less maintenance than most other bed linens.

If you read the label on your cotton comforter or sheet set, you will notice that cotton fabric is machine washable. You can wash them in cool or warm water without any problems. One thing you should not do is mix your other non-cotton linens with your cotton comforter or sheets.

Cost-Effective

If you’re living on a tight budget, you’ll be glad to know that a cotton comforter should fit into that budget. Even Egyptian cotton is affordable for most people. Even though some cotton comforters come with a higher price tag, the value makes cotton bedding cost-effective.

Would you prefer to spend $30 for a polyester comforter and bedding set that might last for a year or two, or purchase a cotton comforter and bedding set for $150 that is likely to last a lifetime? How many polyester bedding sets will you buy over the course of 10 years?

If you buy a new polyester comforter set every two years, you will spend at least $150 on polyester comforters when you could have bought one quality cotton comforter set for the same price that will last you much longer. It’s all about perspective and value.

You may find that organic cotton comforters and bedding are a bit more expensive, but that’s to be expected. Nest Bedding is a brand that offers organic cotton pillows, sheets, duvet covers, mattress protectors, blankets, and comforters, as well as mattresses and toppers.

Cotton Comforters We Like

How do you wash and dry a cotton comforter?

First, follow the care and cleaning label instructions before you wash your cotton comforter. The fill material will make a difference in how you wash your comforter. The different fillers used in cotton comforters may include polyester fill, cotton batting, goose down, and other fillers.

Washing your cotton comforter and other linens separate from non-textiles prevents mistakes in temperature and settings. You will also avoid washing machine overload, which comes with its own issues.

Once you wash your cotton comforter and bedding, you simply tumble dry, preferably at a low temperature to preserve the quality of the fabric. If you prefer to, you may also lay out your cotton comforter flat to dry, reducing the risk of wrinkles.

You may also use dryer balls to tumble dry your cotton comforter if you want to fluff it a bit, though be careful about the kind of dryer balls you use. You may want to avoid using the spiked kind.

Cotton comforters don’t require any special detergent, though if your sheets are colorful, you might want to avoid detergents with bleach or bleach alternatives to prevent fading. Overall, the care and maintenance of a cotton comforter save you money and time.

If you read things online about how difficult caring for cotton fabric items is, that’s a myth. Cotton is an easy, low-maintenance, fabric that will last a long time. Just be sure to follow the care instructions on the label.

While you can dry clean your cotton comforter, cotton comforters don’t usually require dry cleaning unless notated on the care label. For example, if it requires dry cleaning, it may have a filler that cannot get wet.

What are the types of cotton used for making bedding?

Cotton is the most popular type of fabric used for making cotton comforters and bedding because of its natural properties and benefits discussed previously. There are a few different types of cotton that involve the weave used for the fabric and the cotton fibers. Here are the most popular types of cotton fabric.

While many of these are used mostly for making cotton sheets, some are also used in the making of cotton comforters.

Percale, which is tightly woven using a plain weave. It offers a thread count of at least 180 and higher. It also provides a cooling texture.

MicroCotton®, a trademarked brand of cotton, was created in India and offers superior fine cotton thread woven with long-staple cotton fibers. This construction makes this cotton fiber super absorbent and soft.

Supima®, another trademarked brand of very fine cotton, uses 100 percent American Pima cotton which is highly desired for cotton comforter construction as well as for sheets. You can look at a few stats about Supima® cotton at Feyre Home.

Flannel, used mostly in the cold months, is a fluffy type of cotton, which means it’s combed with a soft nap to help retain body heat when it’s cold. A cotton comforter and sheet set offer cozy and soft warmth.

Combed cotton, which as its name implies, is combed to eliminate the short cotton fibers when in manufacturing, making this a very smooth cotton fabric.

Pima cotton is a type of cotton best known for its natural sheen and softness. Its fibers are medium to extra-long, making them perfect for cotton sheets.

Egyptian cotton is the most luxurious of cotton fabric types. If you are looking for super-soft, high-quality cotton bedding, this is the one you want. You will pay a bit more for it, but it will keep you comfortable for many years. This kind of cotton is grown in North Africa, where the climate is dry and warm. Egyptian cotton is a type of cotton that makes extra-long fibers, which is why it’s so soft and smooth compared to other cotton fabrics.

Upland cotton comes from America and is the most common type of cotton grown across the globe. The fibers of this type of cotton are not as long as Egyptian or Pima cotton fibers, therefore it’s also not as soft. The next time you buy cotton sheets, look at the label. If the type of cotton is not named, you are likely looking at Upland cotton.

You don’t need to know which type of cotton is used for making your cotton comforter, but now you know there are different cotton types for cotton bedding.

According to Sleep Foundation online, when you wash cotton sheets, they continually get more supple and softer with each washing. You may include a fabric softener to further soften your cotton comforter and sheets. 

What kind of accessories can be used with a cotton comforter?

Cotton comforters are versatile enough to add a few accessories to them. When you buy cotton comforters, you are making an investment in your sleep habits. Most people do so to get a restful, relaxing night’s sleep. 

Since cotton comforters are so durable that they have a very long lifespan, you may want to look into duvet covers to change things up a little. You can put on a new duvet cover for each season, or whenever the mood strikes you.

When you find duvet covers on sale, you can save a lot of money over buying a new cotton comforter. You can simply dress your existing cotton goose down comforter instead. Duvet covers may also help prevent dust mites from causing problems with allergies. 

Keep in mind that you can also use a duvet insert to drape over your bed when you wash your comforter, or to put over your comforter for protection. Duvet inserts can be filled with synthetic fiber, wool, or organic cotton. 

Cotton duvets also come in a variety of types, which includes baffle box construction, which means there are pockets or squares separated by sewn-in stitches. This is what makes an organic cotton fill duvet so fluffy and soft. 

If you choose to purchase a comforter set, they should come with one or two shams, if you don’t want to buy a sham set separately.

Cotton Comforters We Like

What are the sizes of cotton comforters?

Whether you decide to go with a cotton fabric goose down or down alternative comforter, the sizes include Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King size mattresses. Therefore, you can use cotton comforters on toddler beds, bunk beds, guest room beds, or for whatever bedroom you wish.

If you’re buying a cotton comforter for a toddler or child, a twin comforter should fit on a toddler bed. 

As an alternative to cotton comforters, you may prefer a cotton fabric quilt. Quilts are usually low-maintenance and easy to wash. You can easily use your washing machine to clean them. 

What’s the difference between a bamboo comforter and a cotton comforter?

Here are a few differences between bamboo and cotton comforters, since both can be organic and sustainable. 

Bamboo is durable and holds onto dye better than cotton, but cotton is an overall durable fabric that gets softer the more you wash it. That is one reason people still prefer cotton.

While bamboo bedding is soft and smooth, the different types of cotton offer various levels of softness and smoothness. The weave and the cotton fabric will determine the texture. While Percale is the least soft of all cotton types, it softens up after some washings.

Bamboo offers some level of breathability, but cotton still has bamboo fabric beat with its dynamic breathability and moisture-wicking nature.

Both bamboo and cotton sheets are easy to care for and machine washable, but since cotton becomes more supple and softer with each washing, it takes the win.

There are only subtle differences between cotton and bamboo fabric bedding. Although, the differences could be important enough to make a difference to you.

Are cotton fabric comforters better than polyester and synthetic comforters?

The initial answer to this question is yes, but since everyone has different needs for bedding and comforters, this is a question only you can answer. To help you with that, here are a few things you should know.

Since it’s essential to choose the ideal comforter and bedding that will best allow you to sleep sweet, you need to know the different properties of polyester and cotton fabric.

Cotton is a natural fiber that is moisture-wicking and breathable. Polyester is a synthetic fiber that is not absorbent and traps heat and moisture, which is not suitable for sleep.

Both polyester and cotton are durable fabrics, but cotton tends to shrink a bit when washed, though it does get softer. 

Polyester can retain its shape and appearance for years, but it’s prone to pilling and it doesn’t get softer with washing or use. 

Polyester fabric bedding is wrinkle-resistant and an easy to care for fabric. Consequently, it absorbs oils easily, so it stains easily. These stains are not easy to remove. Polyester also attracts static electricity, which makes it attract more clingy dust and dirt. 

Cotton may wrinkle more easily, but stains are easier to remove from cotton bedding, and it doesn’t attract static electricity like synthetic fabric.

These differences should be enough to help you make a wise decision. Unless you’re allergic to cotton, it’s the better fabric of the two for bedding. 

Conclusion

No matter what, seek out the best down comforter made from cotton fabric that match your needs. After all, choosing a comforter and other bedding is about personal tastes and preferences. 

Now that you have ample information about cotton comforters, cotton duvets, and other cotton bedding, you can make an informed decision about your buying preferences. So, should you get a cotton comforter?  If you want one, for whatever reason, you should. If you don’t, that’s totally between you and your budget and personal tastes. 

If you think a cotton comforter will help you sleep better, by all means, you should invest in your sleep.