Duvet Tog: A Buying Guide

You only need to have one bad night’s sleep to know how important slumber is. And with so many variables, sleep can be a tough nut to crack. A good place to start is getting the right duvet because not all bedding is created equal.

When choosing a duvet there is lots to consider. There’s the size, of course, the materials it’s made of, what it’s filled with, and the tog (in other words how warm it is). Choosing the tog number isn’t just about how warm you want to be at any given time, it’s also about how warm your room is, what your sleeping type is and much more. Read on for our handy guide to duvet tog.

What does tog mean and where does the name come from? 

The tog of a duvet measures how well it insulates heat. In other words, how warm it is. The higher the tog number, the warmer the duvet - with 1 being the coolest and 15 being the warmest.

Tog is actually an acronym, which stands for “thermal overall grade”.

The term tog is used across all duvets whether they are filled with feathers, down or synthetic materials. It’s a guide to how warm they are, not how thick and heavy they are. A 4 tog wool duvet for example won’t weigh or feel the same as a 4 tog synthetic duvet.

What togs are usually on offer?

The different togs on offer will vary depending on the brand you buy from but you can find anything between 1 (a very cool and lightweight duvet) to 15 (the warmest duvet available).

With a lot of tog choice on offer, you could be forgiven for thinking you should buy a different duvet for every season but as long as your duvet is well made and breathable you’ll be able to use it across a number of temperatures. Below we’ll look into how to choose the right one for you.

Which tog should I choose?

Before you rush off to buy your duvet, there are a few questions you should ask yourself. Answering these should help guide you towards the right duvet for you and your home.

How draughty or well insulated is your house? If your house is quite draughty, you have tall ceilings or single glazing windows in your bedroom then you might need a warmer duvet, especially in winter. But, if your house is very well insulated, you have double glazing or like to keep the heating on through the night then you might not need as warm a duvet.

Similarly, if you like to sleep with your window open well into winter, you might want to go for a warmer duvet, say 10 - 15 tog.

Are you a hot or cold sleeper? Some people just naturally run hot. If you often find yourself kicking off the duvet in the night it may be too warm for you. You might be better off with a lower tog and a blanket on top that you can kick off as you warm up. But, if you like your duvet fully tucked around your body for fear of feeling the cold, a higher tog could really help.

Do you want a multi-use year-round duvet, or one for winter and another for summer? In a temperate climate, you won’t need the same amount of duvet warmth in all seasons. You could make your duvet warmer in winter simply by adding a wool blanket or quilt on top. Or you may want to buy two duvets and swap them out for winter and summer.

Again this is affected by how draughty your house is. A well-insulated house may not be as affected by the temperature outside, so you won’t get quite as cold in the winter or quite as hot in the summer. If your room is in the eaves it will heat up very quickly in summer meaning you’ll need a much lighter tog in the warmer months than a first-floor room set within thick stone walls. In the latter room, you could get away with a year-round duvet, somewhere around 10.5 tog depending on your preference.

Do you like the feeling of a thicker, cosier duvet? A duvet’s tog is more about the warmth than the weight but it will have some effect on how heavy it is. A 4.5 tog feather duvet definitely won’t weigh as much as a 12 tog feather duvet. So think about how you like to feel when in bed. Some people swear by a weighted blanket, while others like to feel light and airy when they sleep. 

Do you like sleeping with a blanket on top of your duvet? It may be an aesthetic choice to put a blanket or wool throw over your duvet or you may just need another layer. Either way, consider how you prefer to sleep when buying your duvet. If you go for a really warm tog you won’t be needing that blanket very much at all!

Will my duvet lose warmth over time? 

Over time cheaper duvets can lose their fill. You might notice your duvet going flatter, bunching in areas or feathers poking out. It may lose its ability to hold air and insulate against the cold.

Make sure you buy a good quality duvet that is built to last. Check that the outer material (or shell) is strong and tightly woven to lessen the loss of stuffing. As long as your duvet is good quality it should last you a very long time.

Choosing the actual number tog that will work for you is a very personal thing, dependent on all the above variables. If you’re not sure where to start, think about the duvet you currently sleep under. Is it too hot, too cold? Then check the tog guide on the label. That should give you an idea of if you want to go up or down.

Rise & Fall duvets 

At Rise & Fall we pride ourselves on making products that are built to last, with all-natural, sustainable materials. That’s why we only offer two duvet types. A wool duvet and a recycled down duvet.

Wool Duvet

Our wool duvet comes in 4.5 tog and 10.5 tog so you can switch out your duvet in the summer months. 

​​Being filled with wool, it’s naturally hypo-allergenic, and temperature regulating. The shell is made with organic cotton so the whole thing is 100% biodegradable. It’s a great natural alternative for anyone allergic to down and it’s incredibly comfortable to sleep in. Curious about how a wool duvet works? Read our wool duvet guide.

Down duvet

Our down duvet is made with 100% origin controlled, recycled down. It comes in 10.5 tog for cosy nights and is wrapped in a soft cotton shell. It’s temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and 100% biodegradable. Our recycled down is de-dusted and sterilised using the latest technologies to keep any dust mites at bay.

It’s a cosy duvet or medium softness, great for cold sleepers without being too heavy.

Now you know all about the right duvet tog for you, check out our pillow guide, pillowcase guide and our bed linen guide.