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Best Linen Duvet Cover
The best linen duvet cover is the one that meets your personal sleep and budget needs. While pricier than other fabrics, linen offers breathability and moisture-wicking properties. A linen duvet cover also gives your bed a distinctive, luxurious look and feel.
Duvet covers provide a protective layer for duvets and comforters and are available in a wide range of materials, including cotton, flannel, synthetic materials, silk, and linen. Linen has a distinctive look and offers a unique texture. While the bedding often has a coarse feel when new, it gets softer with each washing.
Linen is more breathable than cotton and other materials, making it an excellent choice for hot sleepers. Linen bedding also tends to cost more than other fabrics, but it’s extremely durable. Sleepers should expect to enjoy a linen duvet cover for many years.
We’ll review our top choices for linen duvet covers on the market today.
In-Depth Reviews
Best Overall
Quince European Linen Duvet Cover
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The Quince European Linen Duvet Cover features the characteristics of a quality linen product at an approachable price-point. Our testers found the breathable yet insulating cover made it a good fit for hot sleepers and those wanting a year-round option.
Price
$225
Linen carries a higher price-point than other bedding fabrics. The Quince European Linen Duvet Cover offers the luxury and quality of similar products at a more affordable price-point.
The duvet cover is made of European linen that’s OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified to be free of harmful chemicals. Our testers found the duvet cover was breathable, moisture-wicking, and cool to the touch. It’s a good choice for hot sleepers, yet appropriate for year-round sleeping.
Sleepers have 17 colors to choose from, including three striped patterns, and interior ties and button closures help keep the comforter secure. While garment washing produces a soft and comfortable duvet cover upon opening, subsequent washings will make it even softer.
Quince recommends that you machine-wash the duvet cover in cold water on the gentle or delicate cycle. Sleepers should hang dry, or put it in the dryer on low and remove promptly to avoid wrinkles. For a smoother look, Quince advises you to use a steamer or hot iron.
The Quince European Linen Duvet Cover comes in twin, full/queen, and king/California king sizes. Each purchase includes a 365-day sleep trial and free shipping.
The Brooklinen Linen Duvet Cover offers everything linen is famous for, like its light, airy feel. Add stone-washed softness and you’re set for a good night’s sleep all year long.
Price
$295
While it’s known for its breathability and temperature regulation, some sleepers find that linen can sometimes feel too coarse. The Brooklinen Linen Duvet Cover is stone-washed, which gives it a softer feel when new. Like all linen, it will become even softer overtime. Our testers found the duvet cover holds up well with washing and use, meaning sleepers should be able to enjoy it for many years.
Brooklinen offers this duvet cover in five essential colors and nine limited edition colors. The comforter stays in place with two inside ties at each corner and a button closure.
The duvet cover is machine washable at home. Brooklinen suggests washing with cold water on the gentle cycle, tumble drying on low, and removing the duvet cover promptly. If you prefer a smoother finish, you can iron the duvet cover on low heat.
The duvet cover is available in twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king. You can return it within 365 days if it doesn’t meet your needs. Returns are free for U.S. customers, and the product comes with a one-year warranty.
Most Comfortable
Parachute Linen Duvet Cover
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With a silky smoothness right out of the package, the Parachute Linen Duvet cover will make you want to stay in bed all day long. It’s the luxury of linen that you can see and feel.
Price
$320
Linen typically has a coarse feel when new but softens as it’s washed and used. The Parachute Linen Duvet Cover, however, features a smooth and silky feel when new.
The European linen is garment-washed for a luxurious, soft texture that feels smooth against the skin. It’s airy yet insulating, helping to keep sleepers at a comfortable temperature year-round.
With 11 colors to choose from, sleepers have multiple options for their bedroom decor. An OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification indicates the duvet cover is free of harmful chemicals. Inner ties in each corner keep the comforter from shifting, and a button closure keeps it inside the cover.
Parachute recommends machine-washing in warm water on the gentle cycle using a mild laundry detergent. Sleepers should tumble dry or line dry the linen duvet cover on low.
The Parachute Linen Duvet Cover is available in twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king sizes. Parachute has stores in 13 states and the District of Columbia, allowing for curbside pickup if you live near a brick-and-mortar location. Shoppers enjoy free returns within 60 days of purchase and have the option to return without packaging or paperwork at Happy Returns Bar locations.
Softest
Avec Goods Linen Align Duvet Cover
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The Linen Align Duvet Cover from Avec Goods uses a luxuriously soft linen-viscose blend, resulting in a fabric that’s gentler on the skin than pure linen. Since both materials excel at cooling, this cover is also a great match for hot sleepers.
Price
$199
Pure linen has its devoted followers, but many people find this fabric a bit too coarse for comfort. Avec Goods’ Linen Align Duvet Cover is made from a blend of 90% viscose derived from bamboo and 10% linen. You get a hint of crispness, but overall the material is exceptionally soft and smooth — its feel is much more akin to that of cotton or Tencel.
The cover is part of Avec Goods’ patented 2-in-1 bedding system along with the brand’s corresponding top sheet. Both components can be zipped together, which is a handy solution if you constantly find your sheet and duvet cover getting tangled up in bed. These items are designed to be used together. As a standalone duvet cover, the Linen Align may not be as practical.
Linen and viscose are also breathable textiles with moisture-wicking properties, so the duvet cover should help you stay cool and dry throughout the year. The L-shaped closure is equipped with a durable YKK zipper, and you can secure your comforter or duvet with inner ties to help ensure even distribution and a full shape.
Four color palettes are available. You can also choose from twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king sizes, all of which are oversized to ensure ample coverage. You can wash and dry the duvet cover and top sheet in your household machines, but should separate them before doing so.
The Linen Align Duvet Cover is competitively priced and standard ground shipping is free for all orders in the U.S. Returns and exchanges are accepted within days of the delivery date. Please note all returns incur a processing fee deducted from the product refund.
Best Temperature Regulating
Buffy Linen Duvet Cover
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The Buffy Linen Duvet Cover is made of hemp and features a light and airy feel. Our testers found this duvet cover particularly suited hot sleepers and warm climates.
Price
$239
Sleepers who live in a warm environment or tend to sleep hot should find the Buffy Linen Duvet Cover keeps them at a comfortable temperature throughout the night. Buffy uses linen made from hemp to create a breathable, airy fabric that helps prevent overheating. Long-staple fibers make hemp linen stronger than the more common flax linen.
This duvet cover is available in seven colors. Buffy uses a water-saving dye process and natural dyes that are resistant to UV light fading, mold, and mildew. Buffy’s closure buttons are made of corozo nut, which is more durable and sustainable than plastic. Corner ties keep the comforter in place.
Buffy suggests machine-washing the duvet cover in cold water and line or tumble drying. Sleepers can leave the sheets wrinkly for a traditional linen look or use a hot iron to smooth them out.
The Buffy Linen Duvet Cover is available in full/queen and king/California king sizes. Buffy offers a unique seven-night free trial, as long as you provide a credit card number. After purchasing, you also have 100 nights to see it’s the right duvet cover for you.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our testing team has decades of combined experience testing sleep products and consists of a wide range of sleeper types to ensure that product recommendations reflect a diverse set of needs and preferences.
When testing linen duvet covers, we paid special attention to how they performed in categories such as durability, temperature regulation, comfort feel, ease of cleaning.
What Is Linen?
Linen is a natural fabric made from flax plants. Linen manufacturers take the fibers from the plant and spin them into yarn that can then be woven into bedding.
Linen bedding is known for its temperature regulation and durability. Linen performs exceptionally well in warmer climates because the fibers are naturally moisture-wicking and breathable. Linen has a more textured feel than other bedding materials, and although it may start out stiffer, it typically softens over time.
In some bedding, linen is blended with cotton or rayon. Blends may have less breathability than pure linen, but they can be softer and typically come with a lower price tag.
Benefits of Using a Linen Duvet Cover
Because linen is naturally breathable, a linen duvet cover can work well for people who like the fluffy feel of a duvet but want to avoid overheating at night. Linen may also appeal to sleepers who want durable bedding that is made with natural materials.
- Highly breathable: Flax fibers are hollow, which allows air to move through linen fabrics. Airflow facilitates strong temperature regulation since heat does not get trapped against the skin. Linen also excels at wicking moisture, since strong airflow helps moisture evaporate after it is absorbed. For these reasons, linen is a great choice for hotter climates or summer months.
- Softens over time: Although some people think of linen as stiff or scratchy, it usually softens over time as the fabric gets washed. Some linen also comes pre-washed to make it softer from day one.
- Durable: Flax fibers are thick and strong, which makes linen a very durable fabric for bedding. A linen duvet cover can be thick without feeling heavy, and it’s more resistant to wear and tear than many other bedding fabrics.
- Environmentally friendly: Linen is an environmentally friendly material because the flax plant is naturally pest-resistant and requires fewer pesticides during production. It also requires little irrigation and can often rely on natural rainfall during cultivation.
Duvet vs. Comforter
While some people lump duvets and comforters together, there are actually important differences between them. A comforter is meant to be used alone as a top layer of bedding, while a duvet is designed to be used with a cover.
The duvet cover acts as a protective layer for the duvet insert, which can help increase the lifespan of the duvet. Duvet covers come in many colors and materials, providing more choice and design flexibility when using a duvet.
Duvets can be warmer than comforters, depending on the fill and materials you choose. This makes them ideal for colder climates or for use during winter months.
How to Choose a Linen Duvet Cover
When shopping for a linen duvet cover, some factors you’ll want to consider are the weight and feel of the fabric, ease of maintenance, price, visual appeal, and size.
Feel
Although it has a slightly rough texture, linen is lightweight and typically grows softer as you use it. That said, it’s important to avoid low-quality linen duvet covers that feel itchy against the skin. If you prefer a softer feel, linen blended with cotton may be a better option than 100% linen.
Price
A high-quality linen duvet cover woven from 100% flax fibers can be expensive, but the longevity and durability of linen may justify the price for some shoppers. If linen bedding falls outside of your budget, a linen duvet cover blended with cotton or rayon can offer many of the benefits of linen at a lower price-point.
Size
It’s important to purchase the correct size when shopping for linen duvet covers. If your duvet cover is too big, the duvet insert may bunch up. Excess fabric also means that parts of the cover will flop around without providing any warmth from the insert. If the cover is too small, the duvet insert will fit poorly and produce a lumpy surface.
Weight
While linen is relatively lightweight, it has a heavier drape than some other materials. When choosing a linen duvet cover, a heavier option will generally be more durable but may also cost more money and take longer to break in.
Design
Linen duvet covers are typically available in solid colors that bring out the material’s natural look. Depending on your preferences, you can find duvet covers with either button or zipper closures. Buttons are nice visual accents, while a zipper closure is quick and easy.
Ease of Care
Linen duvet covers are usually machine-washable, but some covers are more delicate and require hand-washing. If you value the ease of machine-washing, be sure to check the care instructions before making your purchase. Proper care is important for preventing wear and tear in linen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Linen is a high-quality bedding fabric but it also carries a higher price tag. We’ll explore some of the most common questions about linen duvet covers to help you decide if they are a good fit for you.
Thanks to the breathable and cooling properties of linen, people who live in warmer climates or who tend to sleep hot will want to consider linen when shopping for a new duvet cover. The natural look of the fabric is also a great choice for people who enjoy a more relaxed, neutral look in their bedroom.
There are a few drawbacks to linen duvet covers, such as the higher cost and lack of pattern options. Linen is also prone to wrinkling, which may be a deterrent for some shoppers.
Linen duvet covers can cost anywhere from $100 to several hundred dollars, depending on the size and quality of the material. Duvet covers made from linen blended with cotton or other fibers tend to be less expensive than bedding made entirely from linen.
Linen duvet covers are known for their durability. You’ll likely start noticing signs of wear after two or three years, but linen bedding can last for up to a decade. Lighter weight linen may start to break down faster than mid-to-heavy weight linen ones, so pay attention to the linen quality if longevity is important to you.
The biggest difference between a duvet and a comforter is that a comforter is designed to be used without any kind of cover. The shell of the comforter may have a solid color or pattern that is meant to be showcased on top of your bed. In contrast, a duvet usually has a plain white exterior and is typically placed inside of a duvet cover. Duvet covers protect the duvet from dust and damage and are available in a range of colors and patterns.
Check the label of your linen duvet cover for care instructions, but most linen bedding can be machine-washed using a mild detergent. Avoid bleaching linen because harsh chemicals can break down its fibers. Some linen bedding can be put in the dryer, but some manufacturers recommend air drying only.
Washing your new linen bedding before the first use will help soften the material. Afterward, regular washing is recommended if you use the bedding daily. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to safely and effectively wash your linen duvet cover.
Still have questions?
Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market.
Send an email to [email protected] with your questions and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Lauren is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with extensive experience researching and testing a wide variety of sleep products.
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