The Facts

• A comforter is a bed covering consisting of a rectangular fabric bag filled with some form of soft, insulating material. The fabric, filling and size of the comforter varies. Comforters were originally filled with down, or the soft and fluffy feathers of a goose, but now feature synthetic and natural fiber fillings as well. Comforters tend to be warmer and heavier than single-layer woven blankets.
  
  

Types of Fabric

• The options for the outer fabric of the comforter are numerous. Cotton, damask, silk, satin and linen remain the most common. Materials like cotton and silk dye easily, and comforters made from these fabrics come in any color to match your current decor. Comforter covers, also known as duvet covers, let you update the look of an older comforter by wrapping it in a new fabric.
  
  

Types of Filling

• The classic comforter contains the under layer of feathers of the goose called down. Soft down feathers insulate the goose from cold water and make a comforter soft and lightweight but very warm. People who are allergic to down use comforters filled with polyester batting, which is soft and cooler for summer use. Silk scraps, cotton batting and wool stuffing provide different weights and warming abilities when used in comforters.
  
  

Considerations

• Beds come in four main sizes, ranging from twin to king. Comforters come in the same size options but are slightly larger than the actual bed dimensions to overlap the edge of the bed. Use two smaller comforters if you share a bed with your spouse and don't want to wrestle over a single cover in your sleep.