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Misc. corrections

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Added information regarding comforter packaging Aignam 14:51, 13 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

This is not entirely correct - comforters are NOT typically used without a sheet. Schippy 22:54, 3 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

No, they are not the same. Comforters are generally used in combination with other blankets, and sheets and generally only truly used in the winter to guard against the cold. Duvets are used year-round and by themselves. 69.92.188.48 09:33, 30 September 2007 (UTC) Cera[reply]

This doesn't fit in with several other comments that say that Duvets are thicker and much warmer than comforters or other bedding. If that is the case, then a Duvet would not be used year round. 07:20, 16 December 2015 (UTC)

Also they often have decorative patterns vs sheets and cover the top and sides of the bed to make it look nicer 72.15.95.101 (talk) 20:36, 5 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Im from china,im quite confused of these different difinations; i didnt mean to discuss these cofusions; i just have a suggestion: would wiki list all the common use of them on the top, and seperately,show the discussion in another column; then we are clear of the regular use in different place. i think its more important for people,the discussion is for professional gay who make research on them!!

In my experience, what you refer to as a Duvet is called a "down comforter" in order to distinguish it from comforters made of other materials. They can be used with or without a cover. Typical American bedding usually includes a top sheet which would be placed between the sleeper and any comforter thus a Duvet cover is not always purchased. The Wikipedia article on Bedding states that "Duvet: A soft flat bag traditionally filled with down or feathers, or a combination of both, and used like a blanket. Typically not as thin as a comforter, but may be called a 'down comforter'." What seems to be the case here is that the same terminology is used by the public, advertisers and merchants for different things, at least in the U.S. Still if the word "down" is not included in the advert, then it is likely that the filling is synthetic (polyfill, fiberfill, "down-alternative") because it is cheaper. Ileanadu (talk) 07:20, 16 December 2015 (UTC)[reply]


Same as duvet or not?

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The words 'comforter' and 'duvet' seem to have different meanings in different parts of the world. The two respective articles here on wikipedia need to clear up the confusion between the words and meanings.

As things currently stand, the two articles seem to describe the same thing. I am from the UK and to me, a duvet is a big cotton rectangular sack, filled with synthetic material, put inside a decorative duvet cover. It is the only thing under which I sleep - no other sheets. To me a 'comforter' is a bit like a duvet, but much thinner, and it is something people in other parts of the world use on top of other sheets for added warmth.

What are other people's understandings of the two words? How can the two articles be fixed to rectify the confusion that currently exists? Abc30 04:33, 26 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]


I'm from the US. A comforter is, to me, what Abc described above as a duvet. To me, the duvet _is_ the cover for the comforter. 75.108.24.77 —Preceding comment was added at 19:23, 13 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Mate, what is all this palava? Comforters and duvet are just overseas talk for a DOONA - and dictionaries wouldn't muck about separating the three. Why does WIKI? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.173.145.107 (talk) 14:27, 15 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]
I'm from the U.S., and a "comforter" is a heavy blanket-like bedcovering placed on top of regular sheets, and occasionally on top of a regular blanket as well. It typically is filled with some sort of batting, although better ones are filled with down. It's different from a "quilt" because it lacks all the stitching. (Although I'd cede in an argument that maybe a quilt is a type of comforter, or a comforter a type of quilt, given broad enough definitions of both.)
A "duvet", on the other hand, is basically like a comforter EXCEPT that the outside is generally a plain fabric, and it's meant to go inside a "duvet cover". Since the duvet cover is removable and easily washable, you can sleep directly under it, unlike a comforter, which you'd only put on top of sheets. Although the "duvet" and "duvet cover" are technically separate things, the whole business when assembled just gets called a "duvet." Duvets are definitely not the norm in the U.S., just in case anybody is wondering; although they seem to be getting more popular, you'll be very unlikely to find a duvet without a top-sheet in a U.S. hotel, since people would doubtless wonder why their top-sheet was missing.
Bottom line: Duvets and comforters are *not* the same thing; although they're similar, they're used differently.-Kadin2048 (talk) 22:55, 29 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Quite right Kadin2048! They are not the same. Here in Canada we call a duvet a thick, warm, down filled bedding that has a covering on it (duvet cover). A comforter in the US seems to be a pre-enclosed covering whereby you do not need to purchase a separate covering.Urbanriot (talk) 04:29, 9 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Merger proposal

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The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section. A summary of the conclusions reached follows.
One would think that four years would be enough time, but apparently it is not. The result is no consensus to merge--kelapstick(bainuu) 09:16, 2 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Duvet and comforter are not the same. Comforters are much thinner, and customarily used with other sheets and blankets. One definition of duvet is a much thicker affair than the comforter (generally about triple the thickness of a comforter in my experience) which is used all on its own. The other definition of "duvet" is more properly known as a "duvet cover," and is a shell one can put over a duvet or a comforter to protect it. These two items are different and distinct no matter which regional meaning of the word "duvet" you use, and I believe they should not be merged. Rob T Firefly 22:52, 3 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I am of the same opinion, I am an American living in France and duvet's are completely different, a duvet can not be used independant of its cover therfore it is a system entirely different; furthermore, a duvet is much thicker and warmer than a comforter. With a duvet there is no need for other blankets because the heat it traps is largely sufficient and more more efficient than a heap of blankets.90.36.49.191 (talk) 07:21, 9 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I think everyone agrees that there are two concepts here — though you missed the point that although "duvet" cannot mean "comforter", "comforter" can, as 75.108.24.77 described above, mean "duvet": for example my local Macy's advertises its duvets as "comforters" (comforters are also, unhelpfully, sold as "comforters"). Some questions which are still open to discussion are:
  • Do we actually need two articles just because there are two different things? Sometimes a combined article, clarifying the distinction, is better. [My vote: probably we do.]
  • What title should each article have that will lead to minimal reverts/warring/confusion? [My vote: duvet and comforter]
  • Writing an introductory paragraph for each explaining the confusion over nomenclature and pointing the reader to the other page if necessary. [I guess this means saying at the beginning of Comforter that [in the US] the word can also refer to a duvet].
  • How does the article Quilt fit into all this? —Blotwell 04:14, 19 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

They are the same thing. Its subjective. I think it is an American thing to call duvet's "comforter". It could be merged and then additional points made in the header. Do what you want though, I didn't write either article, so I guess you're the boss. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.72.54.162 (talk) 13:00, 22 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

  • I think we can consider the matter now closed. Beeblebrox (talk) 05:41, 15 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
  • Do any non-americans think this article needs to be separate from duvet? When I read the article, I understand it to be a duvet, to the extent that it talks about a comforter to be covered with a *duvet* cover! I am a UK resident and have never heard the term comforter before, but think they should be one article with a section describing the distinction between the two terms. Neither article is particularly long. Thelem (talk) 01:19, 16 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Comforters are typically packaged in a set that also includes a bed skirt, pillow shams, and sometimes pillows. Subjective, unnecessary. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.189.242.250 (talk) 13:08, 3 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comforters, in America, are basically fluffy blankets filled with down or synthetic material. They are a single unit. A Duvet on the other hand is a coverlet that is filled with a comforter (or could be a blanket, but generally not) that is usually plain and come in a variety of weights. The comforter can be taken out in summer and you are left with the coverlet as a light blanket. The coverlet can be thrown into the wash and easily cleaned....a comforter cannot be. The world over uses Duvets and some replace their top sheets with them to make life easier. A quilt and a comforter are basically the same thing with the comforter being much more fluffy than a quilt. —User:rhankey 13 Aug 2010 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.176.223 (talk) 12:48, 13 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Fascinating, but the picture of a comforter looks suspiciously like a duvet to me. I never really knew what a comforter was before today, when I went looking for a duvet in Thailand and I came across this comforter that I am about to try out. I would also like to point out that being Norwegian we only have duvets, but we have thick ones to be used in the winter and thinner ones to be used in the summer. We only have one name for it which is "dyne", which Australians adopted from Sweden as "Doona", which happens to be the same as a duvet. My vote is to merge the article. I still don't see the difference between a duvet and a comforter, other than the comforter is a duvet you do not put a cover on, and you put it on top of a duvet..? It's like saying sliced apples aren't apples..! —Fiwel (talk) 22:27, 10 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

In the U.S., the most common form of comforter is a thick, puffy, synthetic-filled bed covering that has a design or pattern on it, meant to substitute for a blanket and be used with sheets, not with a comforter cover. That said, I think a lot of people in the U.S. call a white, down-filled duvet that requires a cover a "comforter" here as well. I think maybe in Europe and elsewhere the down-filled white duvet that needs a cover is the only offering in this category, while in the U.S. the category is much more broad. But personally, because the down-filled duvet seems to me to be a subset of the U.S. term "comforter," I think the categories could be merged -- the problem lies in what to title the merged article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.7.28.179 (talk) 05:12, 12 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Those who think the two topics should be merged, don't really comprehend the differences between a comforter and a duvet. Just like a flat sheet and a fitted sheet are two distinctly different items (even though sometimes a flat sheet is also used on the bottom instead of a fitted sheet), just because a comforter and duvet are used for warmth, they are distinctly different as others have said. And no, a duvet is not a subset of a U.S. comforter. So, no the categories should not be merged. In fact, merging the categories causes readers to even less comprehend the differences between the two. Definitely cross-reference but not merge. Rather than people thinking the two are the same thing or so similar, if they learned more about the specifics of each then they'd understand better how different the two are and might not think it appropriate to merge the two.

Comforter - single autonomous article, stitched together. Duvet - two pieces, a pocketed item filled with down and a removeable cover.

Comforter - always placed on top of other bedding, usually both a sheet and a blanket. Duvet - traditionally used by itself directly on top of the person. Some in the US will use a single sheet under it.

Comforter - fairly warm, but is fine as additional cover. Duvet - very warm, would be too hot if used on top of blankets. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gagalone (talk • contribs) 06:53, 5 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Less American, more international?

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Article needs to be more international in its application of "comforter". Aussies tend to inherit british meanings and afaik, "comforter" means a well-padded bed topper (doesn't reach the floor e.g.) for extra warmth over sheets and blankets. Looks like some areas of the US see it that way too, so it's regional. Like a quilt, it doesn't have another cover over it, but is stitched into one thing & goes on top of everything else. It's usually more plump than a quilt, so in all, it's different. Mac dictionary calls it a thicker quilt and doesn't have "doona" - unfortunately. Wiki has Duvet article & dictionary says it's filled with down or feathers or synthetic substitutes & used without blankets & doona is an australianism. So fyi, there ya go. Manytexts (talk) 02:25, 11 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The underlying point is that nobody in the UK knows what a comforter is, and there is no longer a direct equivalent. British top bedding used to consist of a sheet, one or more blankets, and an 'eiderdown' or 'bedspread' which was a coloured or decorated thick blanket. Around 1970 people started to use what was then called a 'continental quilt' (duvet) and within a decade these had become almost universal, because they are less work and easier to have sex under. The US doesn't seem to have undergone this cultural shift and still uses a mixture of sheets, blankets and quilts, one type of which is called a 'comforter'. The comment by Manytexts above suggests that Australia is the same, at least to an extent. Doona is just the Australian word for duvet. --Ef80 (talk) 20:12, 25 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

In the UK (back in the 50s & 60s) an eiderdown was basically a comforter as described in this article (although it's presumably a derivative of the duvet, with its eider down filling) used on top of sheets and blankets, but you almost never come across them now as we all have duvets. Mikenorton (talk) 07:51, 20 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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