Bamboo Bedding 200x220 – For the Double Duvet

Short answer: 200x220 is the size for the double duvet, the one two people share. It is a large piece of fabric, which is why both the closure at the end and the washing matter more than with a single set, where there is far less to manage.

When you share a duvet

Some couples sleep best under one duvet, others wake from each other's movements. If you share, 200x220 is the standard size. If you sleep with one duvet each in a double bed, you buy two single sets rather than one double.

Measure the duvet first

Lay the duvet out flat on the floor and measure from seam to seam. Double duvets come in more sizes than single ones, and 200x200 and 220x220 are just as common, so guessing here rarely ends well.

See the range

The sets sit under bamboo bedding, where colours and qualities are gathered together. If you are buying for several beds in the house, the same series is simplest, so everything can be washed and changed at the same time.

The sheet for the double bed

A double bed is typically 180x200 centimetres, and sometimes it is two mattresses side by side. See bamboo fitted sheets and buy two single ones rather than one large, if the mattresses can be separated.

The closure at the end

The larger the cover, the more the duvet moves inside it. Buttons or a zip at the end are not a detail at this size; they decide whether the duvet lies as it should or gathers in one corner.

Washing a large set

A 200x220 cover fills an ordinary machine on its own. Wash it by itself and do not stuff the sheet and pillowcases in with it. An overfilled machine does not rinse the detergent out, and the fabric goes stiff instead of soft.

How it dries

A large cover takes a long time to dry if it hangs folded. Hang it over two lines or over the edge of an airer so air can get in. Otherwise the middle stays damp for hours and can start to smell.

Why the material matters more

With two people under one duvet there is more warmth and more moisture to move away. Bamboo viscose holds less moisture than cotton, and that is clearest when two people sleep close and one sleeps warmer than the other.

How often to change it

A set shared by two people gets dirty twice as fast as a single set. Change it weekly rather than fortnightly, and keep two sets so there is always a clean one while the other is in the machine. See also bamboo and temperature regulation and bamboo versus percale cotton.