How to choose a blanket on the filler?

The comfort of a night's sleep depends largely on the fillers for blankets. In addition to traditional fluff, cotton and wool, a variety of artificial and synthetic fillers appeared on the market, which are not inferior in their properties, and sometimes even superior to natural ones. How to understand this diversity and choose what suits you? After all, everyone in this area has their own preferences, someone loves that the blanket is weightless, and someone loves it to be felt on the body. In addition, everyone has different requirements for comfort during sleep, some like to take shelter warmer, others have a rather light blanket.

When choosing a filler for a blanket, the main requirements for the material are environmental friendliness and safety. It should not release harmful substances into the air, should not easily ignite. In addition, his duty is to pass air and moisture well, but at the same time retain heat, creating a special microclimate for a sleeping person. Many materials, both natural and man-made, meet these conditions, but each of them has its own characteristics, its own advantages and disadvantages.

Types of blanket fillers

All used fillers can be divided into three groups:

• Natural
• Synthetic

Each group has the most popular materials, which we consider in more detail.

Blankets from a natural filler of an animal origin

Natural materials enjoy a long-standing and deserved love, perhaps everyone has memories from childhood about a grandmother's warm and cozy duvet, or a tough but such warm "camel". What are the advantages and disadvantages of natural raw materials for the production of blankets?

Pooh

Bird fluff is perhaps one of the oldest fillers for bedding. Of course, today it is not at all that fluff that our grandmothers stuffed their featherbeds with. It is subjected to special treatment, trying to improve the positive qualities and level the negative ones. But, nevertheless, this material does have flaws.

Pros:

• High teploreguliruyuschuyu ability, duvets - one of the warmest;
• High air permeability;
• Ability to form a stable microclimate under a blanket;
• The ability to quickly recover form;
• Low caking;
• Pooh does not accumulate static electricity;
• Long service life (about two decades)

Minuses:

• Down is a breeding ground for a dust mite, which is a strong allergen;
• Poor moisture vapor, easily damp, can absorb water to almost half its own weight;
• It is difficult to care for a fluffy blanket, it must be subjected to special treatment against ticks;
• High price.

Sheep wool

The blanket made of natural filler "sheep wool" is still considered healing. Indeed, if you apply raw hair to the body for a long time, the lanolin contained on it can penetrate the skin and have a positive effect on the health of the joints and skin. However, now the raw wool does not enter production, and the usefulness of direct contact with the skin of such material is doubtful. However, the warming properties of wool are quite high, which in itself can have a healing effect in some cases.

Pros:

• It evaporates moisture perfectly, as a result, a zone of so-called "dry heat" is created under the blanket, which is very useful for the body;
• Does not accumulate static electricity;
• Budget price

Minuses:

• Great weight;
• Ability to be staked;
• Care problems: only cleaning is allowed; blankets should not be washed;
• Short service life (does not exceed five years);
• The ability to cause allergies (dust mites, animal wax).

Camel hair

When choosing a filler for a blanket, you should pay attention to camel wool, which is popular in eastern countries. By its properties it surpasses sheep.

Pros:

• Well evaporates moisture, creates a "dry heat", healing with joint pain and colds, do not sweat under such a blanket;
• Poor conducts heat, thus being one of the warmest fillers;
• It has excellent air exchange;
• Does not accumulate static electricity;
• It has a small weight, comparable to the weight of products from down;
• Virtually no caking, as camel hair has elasticity;
• Service life is higher than that of fluff - up to 30 years.

Minuses:

• As well as fluff, it serves as a breeding ground for dust mites, which cause severe allergies in some people;
• The blanket can create a feeling of "tingling" (if it is made from the wool of young animals, then there will be no such effect);
• High price.

Silk

Silk fibers are obtained from silkworm caterpillar cocoons. Not only the fibers themselves are used, but also the not completely unwound cocoons.

Pros:

• It does not cause allergies, as dust mites do not live in it, this silk is different from all other fillers obtained from animals;
• It has antibacterial properties;
• Good air and moisture exchange with the environment;
• Anti-static;
• Durability;
• Blankets made of natural filler, obtained from silk fibers, can be washed, but this is not often necessary - there is enough ventilation.

Minuses:

• They do not retain heat well enough and are ideal for summer, but in winter it can be cold under a silk blanket;
• Very high price.

Blankets from natural filler of plant origin

Cotton

The most inexpensive of all natural materials, cotton has rather low consumer properties. But, nevertheless, it can be a good budget alternative if it does not provide for a long service life.

Pros:

• It does not create a favorable environment for the development of dust mites, does not cause allergies;
• Poor conducts heat, so that the blankets of cotton fibers are quite warm, under them can be hot, and easy to sweat;
• Price availability.

Minuses:

• Poor moisture, can hold up to 40% in itself;
• Their cotton blankets are very heavy;
• The material quickly compressed and loses its properties, respectively, the blanket is not for long.

To mitigate negative properties, synthetic fibers are added to cotton, blankets with such combined fillers are lighter, longer lasting and more comfortable for the body.

Linen

Flax and hemp are plants that, like cotton, have a fibrous structure, so you can make both fabrics and fillers for bedding. Fillers for blankets linen and hemp can be used in any season - they create their own microclimate for a sleeping person, thanks to which it is always comfortable under them - it is not hot in summer and not cold in winter.

Pros:

• Dust mites and other allergy pathogens do not live in these fibers;
• They have good vapor and air permeability;
• The fibers of these plants have antimicrobial properties that prevent the development of pathogens in bedding;
• Thermal conductivity is quite high;
• Easy to clean - they can be washed, while products dry quickly;
• One of the most durable materials in the group of natural.

Minuses:

• Very high price.

Bamboo

Not so long ago, blanket fillers made from bamboo fibers appeared on the market. Bamboo is a plant that does not have fibrous parts, therefore it is impossible to obtain fibers suitable for use in the manufacture of bedding from it. To obtain bamboo fiber, the wood of the plant stems is treated in a special way, and then the fiber is pulled out of it.

Pros:

• Does not cause allergies;
• It has antibacterial properties;
• Good breathable;
• Does not absorb odor;
• Does not accumulate static electricity;
• Blankets are lightweight;
• Products can be washed in a washing machine.

Minuses:

• They have a fairly high thermal conductivity, so the blankets are rather “cool”, more suitable for summer and off-season;
• Short service life - no more than two years (when adding artificial fiber, the service life increases);
• Almost does not absorb moisture.

Eucalyptus

Fiber is obtained from the stalks of this plant by processing cellulose. It has the name Tenzel, or Lyocell. Sometimes synthetic fibers are added to eucalyptus fibers to reduce prices.

Pros:

• Does not cause allergies;
• It has antimicrobial properties;
• It has low thermal conductivity, due to which it is one of the warmest materials derived from plant fibers;
• It has elasticity, due to which it keeps its shape for a long time and does not cake;
• It has good moisture and breathability;
• It has good antistatic properties;
• Machine washable;
• Quite a long service life - up to 10 years.

Minuses:

• The most expensive of vegetable fillers.

Blankets with synthetic filler

Synthetic materials for filling pillows and blankets are obtained from synthetic raw materials. But this does not mean that they are not suitable for their purposes, often the other way around - people manage to create what nature failed: an ideal filler option. Blankets with artificial filler of synthetic fibers have good consumer qualities.

Thinsulate (swan's down)

This material was created as a replacement for swan down. He has all his virtues, although he has his drawbacks. Suitable for summer and autumn months, as in summer it is easy to overheat under it, and in winter it can be cold.

Pros:

• Does not cause allergies;
• Does not emit harmful substances into the air;
• Poor conducts heat, due to which the blankets are very warm;
• Very lightweight;
• It does not crumple, does not become clogged, keeps its original shape well;
• Can be washed in the car.

Minuses:

• Accumulates static electricity;
• It has low vapor and air permeability.

Polyester fiber

Most modern synthetic fillers are produced from this material: holofiber, eco-fiber, comfort, microfiber and others. Blankets made of artificial filler "polyester fiber" are similar in their properties.

Pros:

• Do not cause allergies;
• Do not emit harmful substances;
• Not tracked for a long time;
• Well kept warm;
• Weighs relatively little;
• Washable, drying time is short;
• Serve at least 10 years.

Minuses:

• Low vapor and air permeability, poor moisture absorption;
• Accumulation of static charge.

How to choose a blanket on the filler: tips

In the end, it all depends on personal preferences in the field of comfort, as well as on the state of health. Those who like a blanket warmer prefer down and wool as a filler. However, it is worth remembering that they are not suitable for allergies. For those who suffer from allergies, vegetable fiber blankets can be a suitable alternative, while for different seasons you should buy different blankets: in the summer it is more comfortable to shelter bamboo or silk, in the winter - linen, cotton or eucalyptus.

Blankets made of artificial filler derived from synthetic fibers, in almost all their qualities are superior to products with natural filler. They have only one minus - they miss badly moisture vapor, which means that at the slightest overheating the body will begin to sweat. To avoid this, the thickness of these blankets must be changed from season to season.