When the temperature drops at night, reach for a blanket to provide an extra layer of cozy warmth to your bed. The blanket is often ignored- it's your most common satin pillowcase or popular black duvet cover set that serves as the star of the bed while your sheets provide the soft caress your skin craves, but it's the blanket, sandwiched between the two, that creates an extra pocket of air to keep you warm.
When it comes to buying a blanket, you may think there's not much to do with it-just choose your favorite color and the right size for your mattress. While choosing the right blanket is fairly simple, there's more to it than that.
Choosing the right fabric
This is where it gets a little tricky. There are many common blanket fabrics - each has benefits, so choose the one that best suits your needs.
Cotton: Cotton cable knit blanket stand up to repeated washing and are ideal for allergy sufferers. Depending on how it's woven, cotton can be light enough to use as a summer blanket or heavy enough for winter warmth. For those who prefer a greener lifestyle, there are even organic cotton blankets.
Wool: Wool is heavy, warm, and provides excellent insulation while allowing moisture to evaporate. If you want a very heavy, warm blanket, this is a good choice, but some people are allergic to wool.
Down: Similar to a duvet, but thinner and lighter, down blankets have a layer of down or a synthetic alternative sandwiched between layers of fabric. These blankets are light but very warm. If you are allergic to feathers, be sure to choose a synthetic alternative.
Cashmere: Luxuriously soft cashmere blankets are warm and silky, but also very expensive.
Synthetic fibers: There are many different synthetic fibers used in blankets: acrylic, polyester, and microfiber are common. Synthetic blankets are warm, but usually attract a lot of static electricity and tend to cling to hair, dust, and lose threads. Cheap synthetics are also prone to pilling and fraying. On the plus side, these blankets are usually very inexpensive.
Fleece: Comfortable, extra warm, but not too heavy fleece and superfine fleece blankets are especially popular with children. Fleece fabrics excel at wicking away moisture - another benefit when used in children's beds.
In addition to different fabrics, blankets are also available in different weaves that provide different levels of warmth and weight. The higher the blanket gram weight, the thicker the blanket will be. Winter blankets with a gram weight below 300g are a bit thin to the touch. The first feeling of the blanket is that it is soft, warm, thick, smooth, and plump. The main reason why it has such a feel is still related to the raw material and process.
Heat: Often found in cotton blankets, heat is woven loosely to allow for easy air circulation. These lightweight blankets are perfect for summer use.
Knit: Cozy knit blankets are heavy and warm. You will usually find them made of wool or synthetic materials.
Quilted: Down blankets are often quilted to keep down or down alternatives from moving around inside the blanket.
Traditional: Typical blankets are very tightly woven, creating excellent insulation for body heat.
