Duvets vs. Quilts vs. Coverlets: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to dressing your bed, just like clothing, it’s best to dress in layers. Layering your bedding allows you to sleep at a satisfactory temperature year-round, keeps you cozy and comfortable, and brings life and color into your bedroom. But with so many different layers like throw blankets, quilts, blankets, coverlets, duvet covers, bedspreads, and comforters, it can be tricky to know where to start and what bedding meets your needs.

Three of the most basic, yet versatile top-of-bed layers you’ll find are Duvets, Quilts, and Coverlets. But what’s the difference and how do you know which one is right for you?

What is a Duvet?

A duvet is often used as the top layer on your bed to help keep you warm while giving your bedroom some added “personality.” Many people confuse duvets with comforters, but they are slightly different. Duvets come in two parts—the duvet insert and duvet cover—while a comforter is a solo piece of bedding. Duvets are more versatile due to their ability to swap out covers for the changing seasons, and they can typically provide more warmth than comforters due to their special insulating properties.

Now let’s take a closer look at the two parts of a duvet, the insert and the cover. A duvet insert, as the name suggests, is inserted into the cover as an inner layer for added warmth. The insert can be filled either with natural fill, such as cotton or wool, or synthetic blends like down alternatives. Because of the variety of fills available, there are many options when it comes to the warmth, weight, and feel of the duvet insert. We offer three types of duvet inserts in our collection, a lightweight option with our Cooling Duvet Insert that is perfect for spring and fall, and two midweight options: the Dr. Weil All Seasons Wool Duvet Insert that can be used year-round, and our Soft Touch Duvet Insert that’s ideal for fall and winter. 

When it comes to the duvet cover, this is the piece that will be on top of your bed, so these are more focused on comfort and style. Duvet covers can be swapped out for different seasons based on your warmth and design preferences. Many of our Duvet Covers come in reversible designs for even more stylish options. Duvet covers can also come with additional benefits like cooling features or a softer feel.  

What is a Quilt?

A quilt is a common bedding layer that can also be used as a decorative art piece due to its unique design elements. Quilting has been around for centuries, dating as far back as Ancient Egypt, and was originally used as insulating clothing or to tell a story that could be passed down through generations.

Beyond its rich history, what makes a quilt unique is the way it is put together. Quilts are often made of three layers—a top piece of fabric, a fill, and a bottom piece of fabric—that are sewn together. This creates an insulating effect that allows quilts to provide more warmth than other bedding layers. It also offers a wide range of styles through its variety of fabrics and stitching techniques.

For example, our Dr. Weil Heritage Quilt has a top and bottom layer made of 100% natural Fairtrade cotton for an irresistibly soft hand feel and filled with 100% polyester for extra-cozy coverage, perfect for fall and winter usage. Because it has a top and bottom layer, we’ve designed it to be reversible with light earth tones on one side and a natural undyed fabric on the other. It’s also true-to-size, meaning it fits your bed size perfectly so that you can use it as a primary cover or as a top layer.  

What is a Coverlet?

You may not have heard the term “coverlet” before, but chances are, you’ve either seen one or even used one regularly. A coverlet isn’t quite a blanket or a quilt but can often be used in a similar way as either a top layer, decorative piece, or on its own. Coverlets are typically made from a single piece of fabric that is sewn together using a French technique called matelassé. This allows it to have a “quilted” look while offering a lighter option for layering. 

Because they are only made from a single piece of fabric, coverlets are typically lighter and more breathable than quilts. This makes them ideal for layering on top of your sheets for added warmth in cooler seasons or used on their own in the warmer months.

Like quilts, coverlets are very versatile and can come in a wide range of styles. We offer three premium options for coverlets, all made from 100% natural cotton. Our Everyday Cotton Coverlet is the lightest of the three, offering breathable coverage that works well as an extra spring or summer layer. It is beautifully designed and textured using a pick-stitching technique.

Both our Dr. Weil Wave Coverlet and Dr. Weil Ridgeback Coverlet are made with Fairtrade-certified cotton and provide mid- to heavyweight coverage. We’ve sourced expert bedding artisans in Portugal to help create these coverlets, as Portugal is known for being one of the world leaders in quality bedding fibers and designs. The Wave Coverlet is stitched with a playful wavy pattern and responsibly dyed with EarthColors® for a natural look. It is slightly warmer, making it ideal for fall and winter. The Ridgeback Coverlet is slightly lighter, so it can be used year-round and is woven with alternating textures and garment washed for added softness.

How to Layer Your Bedding

When it comes to dressing and layering your bed, there’s not a perfect equation to the “perfect bed.” It all comes down to personal style, comfort, and temperature preferences. Here are a few important things to consider:  

Sharing a Bed

If you share your bed with a partner, you know the struggles firsthand of fighting over the sheets. By adding separate layers, it’s easier to ensure that you’ll both stay covered during the night. Additionally, if you and your partner sleep at different temperatures, choosing your own top layers that are the right coverage and temperature for each of you can help you both stay comfortable. 

Seasonal Needs

It’s no secret that with the changing seasons comes the need to swap out your bedding to achieve a comfortable temperature. Adding, removing, or changing the layers on your bed can be a simple way to ensure you’re sleeping at the right temperature year-round.

During the warmer months in summer, some people prefer to just sleep with their sheets. But if you’re looking for an extra layer of comfort and coverage, our Cooling Duvet Insert paired with our reversible Cooling Duvet Cover can be a nice addition to your bedding. If you prefer something simpler or more versatile, the Everyday Cotton Coverlet can also provide a lightweight layer for warmer months.

The transitional seasons like fall and spring are a great time to utilize those year-round, midweight layers. Our Dr. Weil Ridgeback Coverlet provides just the right amount of warmth, softness, and breathability. Another great option for a year-round top-of-bed layer is our Dr. Weil All Seasons Wool Duvet Insert paired with a reversible Dr. Weil Sonoran Duvet Cover.

Our Dr. Weil Wave Coverlet and Dr. Weil Heritage Quilt are the perfect options for a warm and cozy layer for winter. As our warmest layers, you can use them on their own, as a layer on top of your sheets, or if you tend to sleep cold, as a middle layer under a duvet for extra warmth.

Grams per Square Meter (GSM)

An important term to familiarize yourself with when looking at top-of-bed layers is a product’s Grams per Square Meter, or GSM. A product’s GSM comes from its weight and thickness, so typically, the higher a fabric’s GSM, the thicker and warmer it will be.

While a product’s GSM can be helpful, it’s also important to keep in mind that each individual product’s fibers can also play a part in the amount of warmth it provides. For example, because a duvet has insulating properties, its GSM may be lower, but it can still provide extra warmth that more breathable products like coverlets may not have. 

We’ve created the following charts as helpful starting points to find the best layers for your sleep needs:

Looking for more layering inspiration? Learn more about How to Layer Your Bed for Winter.  

Mix, Match, & Save on Cozy Layers

Prepare for the changing seasons and refresh your bedding for ultimate comfort. Shop all of your favorite layers and save up to 40% off when you Mix, Match, & Save.

Shop now to find bedding essentials that work beautifully together and are thoughtfully crafted with your care, comfort, and sleep wellness in mind.