Skip to content
Looking around for a new comforter to make your bed feel softer and cozy? A flannel comforter is a great idea in that case. However, it is hard to know where to start when looking for a new comforter. While it is not an expensive purchase, it is a very important one. Since we spend almost a third of our day in bed, it is likely the item that you are going to use the most in your life, next to your mattress cover and pillow.
In this guide, I am going to help you to find the best possible comforter for you. I will make sure you know all the pros and cons of flannel, so read this guide closely to make sure you have the perfect comforter for your needs.
I am going to start off by explaining what a comforter is exactly, then I am going to go in-depth about flannel comforters especially. After that, I will explain to you how flannel compares with other commonly used fabrics for comforters. Here I will go quite in-depth in the pros and cons are of using the fabric. I will also give you 3 of my best recommendations when it comes to flannel comforters you can buy online.
At the end of the article, I am going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about flannel comforters. These are going to help you to make the best possible decision when buying one of these comforters.
Why is picking the right flannel comforter so important
You spend a lot of time in your bed. If you get to be 80 years old, 30 of those will be spent sleeping and falling asleep. There is no other 2 to 4 square meters where you will spend as much time during your life, so make it count.
In essence, there are 3 important aspects to your bed that is going to determine how well you sleep. Your mattress, your pillow, and your comforter. So getting the comforter right is going to give you an amazing boost to your sleep.
Sleeping is going to help you have more concentration throughout the day, will affect your memory, will help you recover your muscles, and so much more. Getting your 8 hours of quality sleep every day is going to affect the 16 hours you are awake like nothing else.
Besides those obvious health benefits, there are a couple of others. Your comforter needs to be fit for your body. That means if you sweat a lot, you should get a breathable comforter. This is going to help you prevent the smell of sweat from forming and will also stop bacteria and molds from growing. You should also consider possible allergic reactions. Not just the fabric, but also possible bed bugs that might live.
What is a flannel comforter?
Another commonly used word for comforter is a duvet. So when you read the word in this article or if you see it online, it is the exact same thing!
A comforter has 2 distinct parts that are both just as important. The first part of the duvet is the pouch or sack. The other part is the filling or down. I am going to explain what these are in depth. It is very important that you consider these not just individually but as a pair. Then there is the third option, which is the duvet cover. You don’t need to get this, but I strongly advise you you get one to protect your comforter and make it wear and tear less fast. You will also have to wash your comforter less often.
What is flannel?
A flannel is a kind of fabric that is woven with a special technique. This makes the fabric feel soft and smooth. In the past, flannel was made by spinning wool. However, now flannel is most often made out of cotton and polyester.
The pouch
The sack or the pouch is what is going to be the part of the comforter that is made out of Flannel. This will touch you while sleeping if you are not using a cover. So make sure you find a fabric that you like to touch. This also determines a lot of the breathability and the insulation of the body heat of the comforter. It also has some influence on absorption. There is always the option to use a cover if you can’t find a duvet that feels right on your skin, or if you do not want to clean your comforter as often.
The filling
This is an essential part of the comforter. The filling is also named the down, so if you see one and the other, they are exactly the same thing. This is the only part of the guide where I am going to go more in-depth into this. There are a lot of different fillings for duvets. However, two of these are used over 90% of the time.
Geese and duck feathers – This is the down that has been used for centuries. This filling is made out of real geese and duck feathers. This is very soft and works very well for insulating your body heat in the winter. It is also a pretty light material, so even with a very thick duvet, you are not going to feel too much weight on your body.
The downside (no pun intended) of this filling is that it is quite expensive, even more so if you buy an ethically sourced comforter. Another con of this kind of filling is that it is quite hard to clean. You need to make sure that you use the right cleaning products and do not use water that is too warm.
Regular down – Regular down is the most often used down for comforters. It is a synthetic material, that is made out of polyester. These are a lot cheaper than geese and duck feathers. While it does not insulate as well as geese and duck feathers, it still does the job very well.
I love regular down for the fact that it is extremely easy to clean. You can just throw it in the washing machine and use just about any kind of cleaning product for it. Of course, you will need to take into account the fabric that your comforter is made out of. Synthetic fibers are known to keep their shape very well, so that is a plus if you buy a thin comforter.
A cover?
A lot of people do not use a cover for flannel comforters. The flannel is pretty soft, so it isn’t really that necessary. If you use a polyester comforter, it is a good idea to use a cover, since it stops the comforter from getting stained, and you will not need to wash it that often. If you love the feeling of flannel, you can of course just get yourself a flannel cover!
What are the pros and cons of a flannel duvet?
Feeling
Flannel is known for how soft it is. A lot of people love this fabric and prefer it to regular comforter fabrics like regular cotton and polyester. It is a good pick for people who do not enjoy the silky feeling of satin, but still want something that feels very soft on the skin.
Breathable
Flannel is about as breathable as cotton. So it is pretty useful for when you sweat a bit more during hot days. This helps you to prevent a sticky feeling of sweat on your skin, and it also prevents you from developing sweat odors. However, the insulation of the flannel is quite high, so you will be pretty warm.
Durable
Flannel is a very durable material. Most materials that are so soft – like satin – can wear and tear quite fast. However, if you pick a flannel from polyester or high-quality wool and cotton, it easily lasts for many years.
Insulation
Flannels are really good at insulating your body heat. You do not need a thick flannel comforter to enjoy its warmth. They are great for the winter and the early spring and late autumn months. In the summer, this material might be a bit too warm.
Cleaning
Flannel is a pretty easy fabric to take care of. They don’t wrinkle easily and you can just put them in the washing machine. This really helps you save a lot of time both in the long run and in the short term. Flannel needs to be washed quite often, so keep this in mind.
Price
Flannel is pretty affordable. While high-quality wool flannel is not cheap, it isn’t expensive if you take into account the price of similar fabrics like satin. Cotton and polyester flannel is more expensive than regular cotton and polyester comforters, but not by a massive margin. So you won’t break the bank if you want a good flannel duvet.
Flannel vs cotton
Feeling
Cotton feels a bit coarser than flannel. If you wash your cotton in the washing machine it does get softer after a while. Of course, it will never have the same soft feeling like regular flannel comforters have.
Breathable
Cotton breathes pretty well. However, if it is woven in a flannel fabric it does increase the breathability somewhat. The difference is not that noticeable. You will need to take into account that flannel insulates your body a lot more. So you will be warmer and sweat more under a flannel comforter, in the end, it evens out.
Durable
A regular cotton comforter is a bit more durable than one made out of flannel. Flannel is durable, but it does come apart a bit faster than cotton. So you will need to take this into account when buying a comforter made out of flannel. If you take great care of your comforter, a cotton one will last for about 20 years. A flannel one will last about 15. So the difference is not that much.
Insulation
While cotton is great in the winter, flannel has a bit of an edge over it when it comes to insulating body heat. You will need a different comforter for the summer, as it will be a bit too hot. Cotton is a bit less insulating, but still a very nice fabric to use in the winter.
Cleaning
You will not need to use any special products or dry clean your flannel. However, you will need to have to make sure you don’t wash in on the highest setting. This will make the flannel wear and tear faster. You are going to need to make sure you don’t use any bleach as this will affect the colors.
Price
Cotton is a bit more affordable than flannel. However, the difference is not that much that it is going to save you a large amount of money if you pick cotton over flannel. High-grade organic cotton is about the same price as a regular flannel comforter.
Flannel vs Polyester
Feeling
Polyester has a much rougher feeling than flannel. It is a good idea to use a cover for your polyester comforters. Flannel is a soft fabric that remains soft, and polyester is rough and stays rough. So the difference is night and day.
Breathable
Polyester being a synthetic fiber is not breathable at all. It is one of the worst fabrics in that aspect. So you will need to take this into account. Flannel is a much better fabric when it comes down to being breathable. This makes it a much better fabric for the summer.
Durable
Polyester is very durable. It can easily stay good for over 20 years. You will be able to enjoy your polyester duvet much longer than one of flannel. Flannel is durable too but it stays good for about 15 years at the most.
Insulation
Polyester insulates the body heat very well. However, it is not as comfortable due to it not being breathable. Flannel is also very good at trapping your body heat and keeping you warm in the winter. Flannel is a lot more breathable, so you will have a better time during hot days.
Cleaning
Polyester is very easy to clean. You can just throw it in the washing machine and be done with it. You can wash it on the highest setting with just about any cleaning product. Flannel is easy to clean too, however, it is not as easy as polyester. You can not wash it on the same settings, however. Here’s our complete guide on how to wash a comforter.
Price
Polyester is much cheaper than flannel. So if you are on a budget, polyester will be a better choice. However, for something that you will use for thousands of hours, the difference is not a lot in my opinion.
Flannel vs Satin
Feeling
Flannel comes pretty close to the softness of satin. However, in my experience satin is a bit softer and has this nice silky feeling to it that makes it feel even better on the skin. Some people do prefer the feeling of flannel since the silky feeling of satin feels weird to them on the skin.
Breathable
Satin and flannel have about the same breathable properties. They are not very breathable, so you are better off not using them if you sweat a lot. Satin is maybe a bit better in this regard since it is not as insulating as flannel.
Durable
Flannel is much more durable than satin is. Even when taking great care of your satin comforter it is only going to last for about 10 to 12 years. A flannel comforter will stay as good as perfect for 15 years or more.
Insulation
Satin is perfect for the summer. It is very light and does not trap heat. That makes it a great option for the summer. If you want to have a soft comforter for the winter, then flannel is a great option. It traps heat much better than satin.
Cleaning
Satin is really hard to clean. It can not be washed in the washing machine, and you will need to clean it by hand. Often, satin needs to be dry-cleaned. That is a major difference compared to flannel. So you will need to make sure you take this into account when deciding between the two.
Price
Flannel is cheaper than satin. If you buy a silk satin comforter of high-quality you will need to spend easily twice as much as for a high-quality flannel one. So the price difference is obvious. If you have a large budget, you can buy satin for in the summer and flannel for in in the winter. That way you have a soft comforter year-round.
My Top 3: The Best Flannel Comforter Ideas
Eddie Bauer Home 100% Cotton Flannel
Pros
- Feels very soft and keeps your body warmth nicely trapped, feels perfect for the winter
- Has nice colors that do not stand out too much and fit easily into any decor
- Very easy to take care of, you can machine wash it and use cleaning products
Cons
- Is not as durable as I want it to be, the seam comes apart too easy
- The filling is not evenly distributed, so it feels kind of annoying to sleep under if you are at a part where the blanket is thin
Kenneth Cole New York Sussex Flannel Collection
Pros
- The fabric feels very soft for a cotton flannel comforter and has a good filling distribution
- The price is pretty low for a flannel comforter and the quality is very decent
- The polyester filling is great to insulate the body heat during the winter
Cons
- The comforter is hard to take care of, can only be washed in cold water with a low setting
- It is too warm in the summer and hot spring and autumn days
Stone & Beam Rustic Buffalo Check Flannel Duvet
Pros
- Has a very nice rustic style that looks amazing in some bedrooms
- Feels very soft and the flannel is very breathable
- Perfect to use in the winter and very cold spring and autumn days
- Very easy to take care of, you can just throw it into the washing machine
Cons
- After washing it, the mirror becomes less soft and not as pleasant
- A bit too warm for the summer months of the year due to the filling and insulating properties of the flannel
- Compared to cotton and polyester, it is a great fabric for people that love a soft feeling and is definitely worth considering.
Final Thoughts about Flannel Comforters
Flannel is a great fabric for a comforter. This is going to be pretty warm and cozy in the winter. It might be a bit too warm during the summer and some days of the autumn and spring, so you might want to consider getting a satin comforter.
Flannel is easy to take care of since you can just wash it in the washing machine. The fabric is pretty durable, and you will enjoy the comforter for many years if you take care of it. It isn’t a very expensive fabric, either.