duvet that doesn't need a cover

[pincie44]

Hey Mums, I have been working on producing a duvet that doesn't need a cover. It has a microfibre filling and Egyptian cotton outer and you just put the whole thing in the washing machine, dry it (either hang it up or tumble it), and then put it straight back on the bed.

I am so passionate about my product that I am now blind to any problems. Does anyone have any obvious things that they think could be a drawback please?

And also, are there any bloggers that you follow that you think would be good for me to approach for getting it out there? I am a mum, but with grown up boys so a bit out of touch with the younger generation.

Thanks everyone - any advice gratefully received.

OP I wouldn't consider this for my king size bed but I would possibly consider it for my kids single beds.

Yes MardyGrave, I can answer that.

It saves me a job I dislike and does save me time.

And I hate ironing.

I don't need multiple covers - I can never remember which size duvets I have on different beds, so now I don't need to even think about it.

It is lovely to sleep under. And I know it's thoroughly clean.

My mother is elderly and finds it hard to hold up a duvet and do the whole cover change thing, so it has simplified her life.

I'm sure there are more..

If we're imagining the same thing, they're really common in the States and even here they're moving towards duvet covers. Anything bigger than a full sized quilt, I have to take to the launderette, even with a massive washing machine.

Here, people have at least a sheet and often a quilted blanket thing between them and the actual quilt, so they can wash the sheets and not have to have the quilt itself washed as much. I find them pretty gross, tbh.

PLUS! When you get bored of your duvet cover (which I do all the time), it's cheaper to buy a new one than it is to replace the entire quilt.

Yes, it is just like a comforter but, strangely, our whole bedding system here in the UK is different. We don't use the sheet flat as well as a duvet.

So, the US way of saving time was introducing the sheet thing. Mine is to just do away with the process of cover changing.

and to address the getting bored issue - I'm afraid this won't overcome that.

I think the person interested in mine will be someone like myself, who only really likes one style of bedding. I invest quite highly in my bedding and expect to have it for many years.

One thing I don't know is how many are like you - and how many are like me!

I can see the positiveness of not having to change the cover definitely. My most hated task!

I can see the benefit for someone who struggles with changing a duvet, I hadn't considered that.

Im interested to read your points but I think beyond helping someone who can't change a duvet cover that is where it ends for me, maybe I'm misunderstanding the "filling" but can't see it taking two hours on the line in winter. If it is quick to dry then the cleanliness element is interesting, do wash my duvets a few times a year and it takes forever.

But in this house i think it would make far more work to wash all those duvets every week than it does to iron a cover and shove it on a duvet.

I also spend a fortune on bedding, just have a variety and have handmade modern quilts on the bed for an extra layer if needed, which makes the bed look more "hotel style" I can just about get a king sized hand made quilt (super warm but very thin, and what I see as a comforter) into my large washing machine, be interested as I'm now intrigued how big is your machine and have you put a kingsize one in?

Last nosy question for now does this crease?

I've been laying in bed thinking about it!

I wish you luck with it! I'm actually reasonably intrigued by it now :)

lol, glad you're intrigued. I too am now in bed...under my nuvet!

so..I only make singles (for now). When I first started this, I didn't realise that I had a small drum, it was only 5kg. And I did all my early testing with that. And it worked.

The average drum size now purchased is 8kg..so I went and bought an 8. So, obvs, that still works. So, all is good with singles, for washing.

re drying - I don't mean to line dry outside. I personally just hang mine up in my laundry room. My friend puts hers on a radiator.

And re the creasing...it is made of stonewashed cotton, so it just has a soft, textured finish to it, which is absolutely not for those who love crisp, ironed beds - but my research shows that there are many who can't be bothered to iron. So, for them, it is ideal.

I used to love my bedlinen ironed too - but I am happy to forego that to have a clean bed, more often, because it is no longer a chore that I dread. I actually put a throw on it every day, which covers up the fact that I have 2 singles on the bed. I didn't do that for that reason - I bought it because it was pink and fluffy!

Oh and just on the other point...when I start making the kingsize, I think it will be made with a thinner filling.

My current ones still have a good 'flump' to them but, to enable me to go outwards, I have to go downwards in loft.

It will be interesting in testing, to see how people cope with this. It is more of a psychological issue than a warmth issue funnily enough. And is an issue that many have overcome with their coats (and ski wear) where thickness no longer equates to warmth.

So, will have to see with that.

I can't see the point OP. As US posters have pointed out, the product sounds identical to comforters. Having to get the duvet washed and dried would be a pain - you'd need two duvets in order to be able to remake the bed or you would have to get it dry before going to bed. Would you need to run two loads through the washing machine in order to get the sheet and pillowcases washed too?

I can see why you think it is a good idea, but it doesn't stack up. If you took that idea to Dragons' Den I don't think you would get anyone to invest.

Why not invent a much easier to put on duvet cover? In fact in less than ten seconds, I have!

These are common where I am in Asia. We have a few. They are very good. But we won't be using them so much when we move back to the UK. Firstly they are too thin to cope with the English climate - the tog is far too low for even Autumn and a thicker one would be totally impractical to wash. With a duvet cover I can wash more than one bed cover at a time. With these duvets I have to do many more loads. They also take up a ridiculous amount of space - of course people are going to want more than one if they use them daily!

These were called Eiderdowns when l was little.

I would never wash a duvet at home, even one that went in the washer. What's the point of a washable duvet? I like my nice crisp cotton duvet covers. And my duvet cover is a 13.5 tog. A 6 is too cold for a northern winter.

Just worked out that my old winter duvet was a 13.5 too. Was 4.5 in summer, 9 in Autumn and spring and both pinned together for the winter. 6 is far, far too low for the majority of the year.

We all have wool duvets here which give a really good night's sleep. No over heating or feeling cold.
So wouldn't be for us.
Also it would be a major hassle washing 3 duvets weekly. Sounds like more housework to me.

Laredoute sell zip up duvet covers too- the zip goes along two sides so much easier to put on if you have trouble.
I love changing duvets

I would be interested in this, because I have to have a duvet cover, plus a duvet protector on the duvet to keep it clean. I love having a freshly washed duvet, but that only happens about once a year.

Unfortunately, my 9kg washing machine broke and I now have a 4.5 one, so I don't think I'd be able to wash your product easily.

I would be interested but we have a super king size bed and it takes 3 wash loads to do the bedding (4 pillow cases, 4 pillow protectors, flat sheet, fitted sheet, mattress protector and duvet cover). How small could it squash to get into the washing machine?

I think it might be of interest to hotels and B&Bs as it would save time to change the duvet, is more hygienic to wash the whole bedding and they're not worried about changing the look of a room.

why not get rid of the duvet completely, and go back to sheets and blankets? Sheets can be washed as per usual and then the blankets only need doing a few times. It's what most people up until the 80s did and was much less bother.

Ugh l would never go to a hotel or BandB if they used these. I would never be sure they had actually been washed. You can tell with sheets and pillowcases, but much trickier with a duvet.

6 tog is far too low for the Uk where most people don't run their heating overnight (I assume). Whenever I have stayed in homes in north america they do have the heating on through the night so have much lighter bed clothes. The thought of putting a damp duvet on a bed to dry is just horrible. When someone has left a damp towel on our bed it definitely does not dry upwards exclusively. I don't need more loads of washing so I don't see the point of this. You would never be able to produce a wide enough range of colours and patterns to cover everyone's taste either.

My mother is elderly and finds it hard to hold up a duvet and do the whole cover change thing - yet she can get your product into the washing machine and wrestle with its increased weight to get it onto the line/radiator???

I just cannot see the point.

I have read all your comments and I am still letf with the fundamental question - why?

particularly, why for an adult bed?

I had one of these on dcs bed when they were tiny, they slept in sleeping bags and had a thin quilt to tuck over the top when it was cold (and they were old enough) It went in the wash whole and then in the tumble dryer.

But as for full size - why? I can't see any benefit at all.

problems for me:

1. drying time - I have 3 kids and plenty of washing, I really don't need 3 duvets hanging around drying, I don't have the space and I don't want them hanging outside of the utility room as it encourages damp in the house, and I don't want to pay for them to tumble dry. At the moment, the 3 duvet covers coudl go int he tumble dryer together for about 30 minutes and be dry. The comparison with 3 duvets is daft.
2. quick changes - if a child is sick/wets the bed, I would need to have a spare one of these to hand. At the moment I can usually get away with changing the cover, at least until morning. A few hours drying doesn't cut it when dealing with multiple wet sheets, or a wet cover every night.
3. My kingsize duvet is a 4 season one, so it has 2 parts 4 tog and 9 tog. We use both together in the winter, and the lighter ones in the summer. Neither of them fit in my standard size machine. So yours wouldn't either, and no, 6 tog would not be enough for us in our house.
4. patterns and designs. My kids love choosing their duvet ocvers, they love changing to a different one, and as they grow a new duvet cover is a quick way to refresh/update their room. My cover is chosen to mathc my curtain and fit with my bedroom decor. If I had to replace the whole duvet to change the pattern it would be expensive and unworkable. And I doubt you would have the variety and choice I can get now.

I just cannot see the positives, apart from the pain of changing covers,a nd really that is not an issue for me.

I can't see it working

A ) our super king size sheet fills 9kg washing machine alone. How would a superking duvet fit?

B) 6tog is freezing. We use a winter weight wool (13+ tog), plus a quilted bed spread ( which is basically what your duvet is). And we have heating on all night. A thin bedspread alone would be freezing

C) wouldn't like synthetics

D) it must take longer to dry. In our heated house, our duvet cover alone takes all day hung up to dry. Anything thicker has to be longer

E) not very hygienic. We wash all bedding at 60 weekly, 90 If anyone has been ill.