Linen feels cool, creases freely and softens with washing. Buy it if you're happy with rumpled bedding. Expecting it to stay pressed will keep you busy. Bamboo viscose feels slippery and cool. The plant gets the marketing attention, but you sleep against processed viscose, so buy it for that feel. Polyester and polycotton are cheaper, non-iron options that hold more warmth against your skin. I keep those for a child's bed or the spare room.
Panda's listing describes Panda Kids bamboo bedding as bamboo viscose in a satin weave. For cots and children's beds, the range includes fitted sheets and duvet covers. Its size chart gives the kids duvet cover as 120 x 150cm. Several owners describe it as soft, silky and gentle on a child's skin. One thinks it looks cheap for the money.
The cover should match the duvet's measurements
Ignore the bed size when choosing the cover, even if that feels oddly disobedient in the bedding aisle. These are usual UK retail sizes, but makers vary, so match the duvet's measurements.
| Bed | Mattress width | Usual UK duvet and cover size |
|---|
| Single | 90cm | 135 x 200cm |
| Double | 135cm | 200 x 200cm |
| King | 150cm | 225 x 220cm |
| Super king | 180cm | 260 x 220cm |
A small cover compresses the filling. An oversized cover leaves cold, empty fabric at the edges. Some people choose a larger duvet for more drape, as long as its cover matches. Cot and children's measurements vary by maker, so compare both dimensions.
At 3am, you'll notice the closures and corner ties
Inside corner ties help prevent that morning discovery: most of the duvet has collected in one corner while you've slept under its empty cover. It hasn't gone far, admittedly, but you've had very little benefit from it.
Poppers close quickly, so check that they fasten firmly. Buttons take longer to close and need secure stitching. Zips give a continuous closure, with a covered zip end preferable against your skin. For quality, I'd look at secure seams and well-attached fastenings before being impressed by a brand name.
An owner of the children's set says its inside straps keep the duvet in place because the fabric is so smooth. Check your duvet has matching attachment points too. When changing the cover, spread the duvet evenly and secure each matching corner before closing it.
Check the care label before buying
Choose a cover whose washing and drying instructions suit your routine. If hot washing matters to you, check that the label allows it rather than assuming every cotton cover can take the same treatment. There is also NHS washing advice linked from our duvets guide.
Cotton and linen can shrink slightly in a hot wash, and wrestling a shrunken cover onto a duvet won't improve laundry day. Follow the maker's instructions for washing and tumble drying, and dry the cover fully before putting it away. Mattress protectors have their own care labels and their own page.
