Quilts, Duvets & Doonas

Quilts

A quilt, doona and duvet all mean the same thing: a soft rectangular case filled with wool, down or synthetic fibre that sits on top as your warmest layer. Adairs rates each quilt Cool, Warm, Very Warm or Extra Warm based on its fill and loft, so cotton and bamboo quilts sit at the cool end while Australian wool and memory fibre run warmest. Choose your fill by how warm you sleep rather than the season alone, and size up from your mattress if you want extra overhang.

How to Choose a Quilt

Match Fill to Your Sleep Temperature, Not Just the Season

Cotton and Bamboo quilts are light with low loft, best for warm sleepers or humid climates. Duck down and goose down trap heat without much weight, rated Warm to Very Warm. Australian wool and memory fibre run heaviest and warmest, built for genuinely cold bedrooms.

Understand Loft Before You Buy

Loft is the thickness of the quilt once it's filled, and a higher loft generally looks more substantial on the bed. Down quilts achieve high loft with very little weight, while wool achieves warmth with more weight and lower loft. A high loft quilt isn't automatically warmer, check the warmth rating separately.

Size Up for a More Generous Drape

Quilts run Single through Super King to match mattress sizes, but sizing up gives extra overhang so the quilt doesn't pull away on a doona-hogging side of the bed. A King quilt on a Queen mattress is a common upgrade for couples.

Quilt Fill Comparison

Best for hot sleepers and humid climates: Cool-rated quilts. Cotton and Cool Wool (a wool-cotton blend) quilts are light with low loft, so they don't trap excess heat through summer.

Best for allergy sufferers: Bamboo quilts. Bamboo fibres are naturally hypoallergenic and breathable, useful if wool or down leaves you congested overnight.

Best for genuinely cold bedrooms: Extra Warm wool or memory fibre. These run heaviest in the range, with high loft in the case of memory fibre and dense fill in the case of wool, built for winter nights in unheated rooms.

Best for a lofty, lightweight feel: goose down. Goose down quilts reach Very Warm ratings with a light, high-loft fill, so you get warmth without the weight of wool.

Quilts FAQs

What's the difference between a quilt, doona and duvet? They're different words for the same thing, a soft filled case that sits on top of your bed. Australians typically say quilt or doona, New Zealanders say duvet. In the US, a quilt sometimes refers to a patchwork blanket, but in Australia a quilt is always filled with down, wool or synthetic fibre.

Is bamboo good for allergy sufferers? Yes, bamboo fibres are naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial, which helps if you tend to wake up congested after sleeping under wool or down. Bamboo is also temperature-regulating, so it works across most of the year rather than one season.

Should I size up my quilt? It's common to size up, a King quilt on a Queen mattress gives a more generous drape and stops the quilt pulling away if you share the bed. Sizing up matters more with lighter, lower-loft fills that have less natural overhang.

What's the warmest quilt fill: wool or down? Both can reach the top of the warmth scale, but they get there differently. Wool is heavier and denser, giving consistent warmth with more weight on the bed. Down and goose down trap the same heat with far less weight, so choose down if you want warmth without the heaviness of wool.

How do I wash a wool or down quilt? Most wool and down quilts need dry cleaning or a specialist wash rather than a home machine, check the care label before washing at home. Synthetic and memory fibre fills are usually machine washable on a gentle cycle, which is worth factoring in if you want a lower-maintenance option. 

Complete the Bed

Pair your quilt with a quilt cover to dress it, add mattress protectors and toppers underneath, and check out bamboo bedding or Flannelette sheets if you're building a full winter bed. Join Linen Lovers for member pricing and free standard shipping Australia-wide on your whole order.