Buying guide for Best hypoallergenic comforters
Do you or your family suffer from allergies? Bedding attracts allergens like dust, mold, mites, bed bugs, pet hair, and dander. If you don’t want to spend the night itching, sneezing, and wheezing, consider investing in a hypoallergenic comforter. This type of bedding can help remove allergens from your sleeping space and dramatically reduce their negative impact on your slumber.
A hypoallergenic comforter, also known as a duvet, bed blanket, or continental quilt, is a type of bedding crafted from two equal lengths of covering or hypoallergenic fabric sewn together and generously filled with insulative materials such as organic silk, organic wool, organic hemp, or organic cotton. Hypoallergenic comforters are made without the questionable materials and chemicals found in conventional bedding, offering a natural alternative to bedding made with synthetic materials that can provoke allergies.
Key considerations
Allergens and insomnia
You might be allergic to dust mites, feathers, mold, or mildew. You might have multiple chemical sensitivities (MCD) and require bedding with absolutely no trace of harmful chemicals. Or, you might simply be looking for a warm comforter that is not too heavy or bulky and can be used in all seasons. Your best choice is a hypoallergenic comforter.
Pollen
Allergy-inducing pollen can affect your sleep quality, especially in the spring. Floating through the air, tree and plant pollen settles on hair and clothing and migrates indoors, where it can bother you.
While it is difficult to eliminate pollen and other allergens from your home environment, there are things you can do to prevent having to sleep in it.
- Do not sit or lie on your bed in clothing previously worn outdoors.
- Take a refreshing shower before bedtime, and don fresh nightclothes or pajamas daily. A shower removes pollen, dead skin cells, and atmospheric pollutants clinging to skin and hair that can provoke an allergic reaction.
Dust mites
Dust mites are microscopic creatures that multiply faster than rabbits. More than two million dust mites can be found in an unprotected mattress, and it takes less than 90 days for bedding to become this infested. After a year, the mattress can weigh up to 8 pounds more than it did before the infestation.
How does this happen? Our skin cells shed as we sleep, and dust mites feast on these dead cells. They leave their odorous detritus to collect in porous environments such as pillows, sheets, blankets, your mattress, comforters, and quilts. Changing to hypoallergenic bedding significantly reduces your exposure to dust mites.
Materials
Warmth
When looking for a comforter, customers can choose from hypoallergenic down-filled comforters or ones stuffed with organic wool for ultimate warmth. A breathable down alternative polyester fiberfill is a better choice if you seek a blanket with medium warmth. If a lightweight blanket for warmer weather is what you need, try a silk-filled comforter.
Comfort
The outer portion of the blanket affects your comfort level, as this is the part that touches your skin. While some synthetic materials are hypoallergenic and fine for use as the outer fabric of a comforter, they can be quite warm and “clingy,” as little airflow is allowed by the fabric. This makes for an uncomfortable sleep.
Organic cotton breathes, and it’s naturally hypoallergenic. It’s also easy to wash and dry, as it can withstand the high heat required to eradicate dust mites. Organic cotton is a chemical-free, irritant-free, and a pleasingly natural alternative to synthetic fibers.
"Keep pets out of the bedroom to reduce the amount of allergy-rendering dander in your sleeping area."
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Features
Size: Comforter sizes correspond with bed sizes. The most common sizes are twin, full, queen, king, and California king. A significant difference exists between the dimensions of a twin comforter and a king comforter. A twin comforter, designed to allow for draping over the side of the bed, is approximately 64 inches wide and 87 inches long. A king comforter is approximately 101 inches wide and 90 inches long.
Filling: The loft of the filling determines the warmth of the quilt. Hypoallergenic comforters are available in 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 fill power for optimum warmth and loft.
Thread count: When selecting a comforter, look for one made not only from hypoallergenic materials like organic cotton or organic bamboo but also one with a high thread count (400 or higher) to provide a barrier against allergens.
Stitching: Comforters are machine- or hand-stitched to secure the filler to the fabric. When getting a hypoallergenic comforter, look for baffle-box stitching that helps keep the filling evenly distributed throughout the comforter.
Hypoallergenic comforter prices
Manufacturer, size, brand, and the quality of the materials and workmanship all affect the price. Crib-size hypoallergenic comforters intended for infants are the least-expensive options. California king comforters generally cost the most.
Inexpensive: In the lower price range, hypoallergenic queen comforters sell for $25 to $35. These blankets provide a lightweight covering that may be suitable for warmer climates. Because there is probably less filling, these comforters aren’t as warm as some pricier blankets.
Mid-rang: You will find the bulk of comforters between $50 and $190. Most consumers should be able to find something they are happy with in this price range.
High-end: If you want something extra-special — perhaps a comforter that is crafted from luxurious organic silk or organic merino wool — expect to pay more than $200. In fact, these high-end hypoallergenic comforters can cost anywhere from $250 to $1,500.
Tips
- Remember your duvet. Make sure your hypoallergenic comforter and duvet cover are sized to fit with each other properly.
- Seek a tight weave to keep out bugs. Pure and natural organic cotton fabric is tightly woven so that anything more substantial than 5 microns cannot penetrate the material.
FAQ
Q. Is there a direct relationship between allergy symptoms and sleep?
A. Persons with allergies often have difficulty obtaining an uninterrupted night’s sleep. They may experience frequent insomnia, fatigue, and sleep deprivation. Nasal congestion also puts persons with allergies at risk for snoring and sleep apnea.
Q. What is the warmest organic filling used in the manufacture of hypoallergenic comforters?
A. Organic wool is the warmest filling. Organic wool is naturally hypoallergenic, anti-microbial, and resistant to mold, mildew, and dust mites. Wool is quick to dry and an excellent regulator of temperature, offering a comfortable sleep in both cold and warm climates.
Q. How do I know if the comforter I am considering is hypoallergenic?
A. Read the label. Look for a warm comforter that is truly hypoallergenic: organic, undyed, unbleached, free of chemicals, and environmentally friendly.
