Duvet Togs Explained

There’s often nothing better than snuggling down in bed under your duvet after a long day. However, few people realise how crucial the right duvet can be for a good night’s sleep.

Experts recommend changing your duvet in line with the season, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can lead to rushed purchases, wasted money and some restless nights.

With so many duvets on the market these days, it can be difficult to know which one to buy. There are a number of things to consider; materials, filling, size and most importantly, tog rating.

To help you make the right decision, we have put together a little guide on duvet togs – what they are and why they’re so crucial to your sleep.

How do Togs Work?

A tog is the measurement of thermal insulation that a product gives you. Commonly associated with the thickness of duvets, tog ratings give you a rough guide as to how warm your duvet will keep you. Generally speaking, the higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet.

We can only class tog ratings as an estimate because they are calculated on a flat surface in a lab. This doesn’t correctly simulate a duvet draping over a person in bed. It also doesn’t take into account other people in the bed with you or outdoor and room temperatures.

Have you ever bought a cheap duvet and felt chilly in bed? This is probably because cheaper materials often have low tog ratings, so they don’t insulate as well as more luxurious materials such as silk. Therefore, in order to have a good night’s shut eye, it is first important to understand which tog rating you are looking for to best find a duvet to suit your sleep.

Which Tog Rating is right for me?

Tog ratings in the UK commonly range from 4 to 13 but can go all the way up to 20 for ultra-heavy duvets to suit the coldest of sleepers, or right down to 1. Since duvets are an investment, it’s important that you choose the right one so you can get the most out of your sleep.

There are four main things to consider when choosing your next duvet: material, filling, size and the tog rating.

Silk duvets tick all these boxes and have recently emerged as a popular choice. Not only are they kind to skin, but if they are well looked after, they can last for 15-20 years. Most importantly, they have natural temperature regulating properties meaning they keep you toasty even on the coldest of nights.

Here are our tog recommendations for different times of year to help you decide which could be the best option for you.

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Summer

There’s no worse feeling than spending the summer months kicking off the duvet in the middle of the night because you’re too hot, only to then feel too cold without a cover. This is where a summer duvet comes into play. A duvet from as light as 1 tog is the preferred option for the warmer months but a lightweight 4.5 tog duvet would be our choice.

Winter

In the winter months (or the majority of the year in the UK) the nights can get especially chilly. If the temperature of your room drops overnight, then it’s a good idea to choose a 13.5 tog duvet. For those who don’t want to buy separate duvets for different seasons, a combination duvet could be a good option. This is a duvet that can be split into a 9 and 4 tog to be used in the warmer months.

Year-Round

This is ideal for someone who is sensitive to changing temperatures or ordinarily prefers to swap out their duvet in Spring and Autumn. For couples sharing a bed, it could be smart to opt for a 10.5 tog duvet all year round, as the extra person already adds that bit of extra warmth. An all-seasons duvet is also good for those who don’t want to invest in multiple duvets.

What about the kids?

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For children, a lower tog is recommended, as they aren’t able to regulate body temperature as well as adults. This means that they tend to get hotter, faster at night.

Because of the higher risk of overheating, we recommend 4 tog duvets for infants in cots and children under 5. However, for children 5 and over, a higher 8 tog duvet would be suitable.

These togs are generally too low for adults but as kids take up less room in their beds, their duvet is able to wrap around them and trap more air around their bodies.

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Now that you know which tog to pick for your next duvet, it’s time to complete your bedding with  a silk pillowcase and duvet cover. We’ve also got some helpful tips & tricks on our blog to help you choose these!