Your Handy Bedding Glossary (Explaining Coverlets, Comforters & More)

Coverlets, comforters, duvets - these are all essentially blankets, right? Something you cover yourself with at night so you don’t get cold? Well, yes, and no. See, when you work in the bed- and bedding industry every day (like we do over here at Bed King), you are privy to all the nuances that differentiate these items from one another. 

This is why an in-store assistant at a bed store like Bed King is fairly likely to bring up a variety of bedding terms you may not use in your everyday life. On the other hand, you might well be a bedding maven who knows it all! Some people are really into their bed coverings, after all.

Whatever the case may be, here is a handy little bedding term glossary that puts a definition to the terms we tend to use around our store: 

Bottom Sheets VS Flat Sheets

If you are a Millennial or a member of Gen Z, you probably don’t have more than one sheet in the mix at home. However, folks from older generations like to have two sheets on their bed. The one closest on top of the mattress is called the bottom sheet. 

A top sheet goes on top of the bottom sheet, beneath the comforter, duvet or quilt (more about these a little later). In warm countries like South Africa, many people will remove the top layer of bedding in summer, and only sleep beneath the top sheet because it is so warm at night. 

Flat Sheets VS Fitted Sheets

These days, a bottom sheet can either be a flat sheet (which you fold and tuck in at the corners yourself), or a fitted sheet, which has an elasticated edge that fits over the edges of the mattress. However, a top sheet is always a flat sheet, since you need to get beneath it when you get in the bed. 

Blanket VS Coverlet VS Comforter VS Duvet

Let's start with the basics. A blanket, in its basic form, is something that is added to a bed to add warmth to the sleeping space. A coverlet is a decorative element that covers the rest of the bedding, does not touch the floor and (normally) does not cover the pillows. A quilt is a type of coverlet, as are foot runners at the bottom of beds. 

A comforter is a cover that is stuffed with down or synthetic fibres, and sewn shut on all four sides - i.e. the inner and the cover is one unit. A duvet, on the other hand, is an inner that requires a duvet cover before it is used, and is often more 'fluffy' or voluminous. 

Now you know! Check back soon for more insider insights from the Bed King team. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Facebook page and Instagram profile to stay up to date with great deals, special offers and more!

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