Why Are Duvet Covers So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

Duvet covers can completely replace the need for blankets on your bed.

Its weight and length can help you stay warm while you sleep.

They also bring a dash of sophistication to your bedroom.

Buying a duvet, however, isn’t always affordable.

You may wonder why duvets have become so expensive.

 

Why Are Duvet Covers So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

The average price of a duvet cover is around $30 to $130 with some even going for $300 or more.

Duvet covers are expensive because of the materials used to make them, the different benefits they offer, the costs associated with producing those benefits, and their long-lasting nature.

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.

 

1. High Thread Count

 

One of the biggest reasons duvet covers are expensive is that some of them have high thread counts.

Thread count refers to the number of threads in a given fabric square.

Essentially, the more threads that the fabric has, the denser the fabric is.

As a result, the fabric tends to feel soft.

The higher the thread count is, the softer the fabric is.

In many cases, having a high thread count also usually means the fabric is high-quality, but that isn’t always the case.

The type of thread used can determine the fabric’s quality.

The expertise of the person who sewed it can also determine its quality.

However, when something like a duvet cover has a high thread count, it usually comes at an expensive price.

That’s because the cost of producing the cover is high.

It requires a lot of threads or material to make the cover.

If it didn’t have a high thread count, it wouldn’t be as expensive to make since it wouldn’t use as many materials.

Since the cost of producing the duvet cover is high, the manufacturer sells the product at a higher price to offset the cost.

Duvet covers are expensive because they usually have high thread counts which are more expensive to manufacture.

 

2. Lengthy Production Time

 

Producing a duvet cover also takes time.

Duvet covers are usually quite large since they have to cover the duvet, itself.

Depending on how large the duvet is, the cover may need to be even larger than standard sizes.

This ends up making the production of duvet covers quite long.

It can take a few hours to produce one duvet cover.

Even in factories that use sewing machines for the majority of the production cycle, it can take a while for those machines to thread everything together.

When a product takes a long time to make, it ends up being more expensive.

That’s because more costs end up going into the product.

Besides the material cost, there’s the labor cost to consider.

Since the manufacturers likely still have some human laborers as part of the process, they need wages.

The longer it takes to produce something, the more wages they’re earning.

Energy is another cost that becomes more expensive the longer it takes to produce something.

Since the costs are higher, the company has to charge a high enough price to cover those costs.

Duvet covers are expensive because the time it takes to produce one is long.

 

3. Down-Filled Duvets

 

A duvet cover is often sold with the duvet, itself.

It ensures that the duvet and duvet cover match.

That’s important if you want your bedding to follow a particular aesthetic.

It’s also important to ensure that the duvet fits inside the duvet cover.

However, including the duvet in the product package can make the cover itself more expensive.

That’s because some duvets use down as their filling.

Down, goose down in particular, is a popular, albeit expensive, type of material used to fill duvets.

It comes from the under plumage of geese and ducks.

Sometimes other waterfowl also provide the under plumage.

Down is a popular type of filling because it does a great job of providing warmth as well as a soft texture.

It can feel gentle against your body as if you were sleeping on a cloud.

The problem with down is that it’s an expensive material.

Since it comes from ducks and geese, suppliers have to collect it slowly over time.

They also need to ensure their waterfowl are in good health to provide the under plumage.

If they become unhealthy, they might not produce high-quality down.

Duvet producers then need to spend a good amount of money to acquire the down.

They pass that cost on to the consumers.

When you buy a duvet cover that comes with a duvet filled with down, you’re probably going to see an expensive price tag.

Duvet covers are expensive when they come packaged with duvets filled with high-quality down.

 

4. High-Quality Stitching

 

The stitching of the duvet cover may also play a factor in its price.

Stitching plays an integral part in the quality of any type of cover, let alone a duvet cover.

When the stitching isn’t performed well, the cover can start to fall apart.

It becomes difficult for it to encase whatever it is inside it.

The stitching can also determine how comfortable the cover is.

For example, if the stitching is simply exposed, the cover might feel rough to the touch.

The sharp threads can ruin an otherwise pleasant cover.

On the other hand, if the stitching uses a technique that covers the stitches or folds them into the fabric, the cover might be mostly smooth.

That might make for a more pleasant experience.

Ultimately, the technique and skill of the stitching can add an extra cost to the duvet cover’s price.

A company might need to hire sewing experts to produce the sort of effect that they want for their duvet covers.

Since they’re taking on higher labor costs, they’re going to have more expensive prices on their products.

Duvet covers are expensive because of their stitching.

 

5. Moisture-Wicking Properties

 

In an effort to stand out from the competition, some companies have looked into producing duvet covers with added benefits.

One of those benefits is moisture-wicking properties.

This benefit is particularly helpful for those who suffer from night sweats or get hot while they sleep.

An unpleasant experience you might find yourself in when you wake is having your sheets covered in sweat.

You might be lying in a pool of sweat.

Not only can it make you uncomfortable, but it might smell and degrade your sheets faster.

The benefit of using a duvet cover with moisture-wicking properties is that it reduces how much you sweat.

You’ll wake up feeling more comfortable and your sheets won’t fall apart so quickly either.

Of course, the ability for duvet covers to wick away moisture means a bit more manufacturing goes into it.

For example, the company has to use certain materials that give the effect.

Those materials tend to be more expensive than standard cotton.

Moisture-wicking duvet covers are also marketable.

It’s a niche product that some people are going to be willing to pay extra for to enjoy its benefits.

Duvet covers are expensive because of the costs associated with making moisture-wicking duvet covers.

 

6. Allergy-Free Duvets

 

Another duvet cover with an added benefit is one that is allergy-free.

Hypoallergenic duvet covers typically use materials that aren’t made from natural or animal products.

Since people tend to have allergies to natural or animal products, they can usually only find relief by using synthetic materials.

Others might find relief by using a certain type of natural or animal product or another.

Some duvet cover companies will make covers specifically designed to avoid an allergic response.

Those who are allergic to down, for example, will find relief with a duvet cover and duvet that uses synthetic filler.

They’ll finally be able to sleep at night without waking up in hives.

While the material cost may not be as expensive as down, allergy-free duvet covers provide a benefit to a niche audience.

As such, people tend to be willing to pay more money to enjoy a type of bedding that doesn’t make them break out in hives.

Duvet covers are expensive when they market themselves as allergy-free.

 

7. Cotton Prices

 

Some duvet covers use cotton as their main material.

The problem with cotton is that it can sometimes be quite expensive.

When cotton prices increase, anything made with cotton also tends to become more expensive.

A large part of the reason behind high cotton prices is it’s facing a shortage.

Drought has been making it difficult for farmers to grow cotton.

They’re producing lower yields during a time when cotton is in high demand.

China, in particular, has seen an increase in demand for cotton.

With supply low and demand high, cotton prices have soared.

This makes duvet covers expensive because duvet companies also need to source their cotton.

They’re facing high prices like everyone else.

Since it’s costing them more money to produce their duvet covers, they have to sell at higher prices.

Duvet covers are expensive because of the high cost of cotton.

 

8. Eco-Friendly Materials

 

While cotton is a popular type of material used in producing duvet covers, it isn’t the only material.

Some companies have turned toward more ecologically friendly materials than just cotton.

Bamboo, for example, is one eco-friendly alternative that some companies use.

However, bamboo is still quite expensive to source since it isn’t as popular or mass-produced as cotton.

The fact that bamboo is also more ecologically friendly also allows companies to charge a bit more for it.

The company knows that some customers are going to be willing to pay more money for a product that uses eco-friendly materials.

Duvet covers are expensive when they use eco-friendly materials like bamboo.

 

9. Long-Lasting

 

One of the benefits of duvet covers is that they can last a long time.

In particular, they’re great at protecting the duvet, which means the duvet also lasts longer.

High-quality duvet covers also tend to last longer than low-quality duvet covers.

Low-quality duvet covers might start to deteriorate with time as the threads become loose.

However, because duvet covers generally last for a while, people aren’t buying them a lot.

Unless they’re buying new duvets to match their bedroom’s new aesthetic, most people only buy duvet covers when their old one is starting to fall apart.

This means that duvet companies need to make as much money as possible off the initial sale.

They can’t rely on rapid repeat sales from the same customer.

Duvet covers are expensive because they last a long time, prompting the manufacturer to sell high to earn as much revenue as possible.

 

10. Rare Or Limited Prints

 

A final reason duvet covers are expensive is that some feature rare or limited prints.

While some people will stick with solid-colored duvet covers, others want their duvet covers to have a bit more personality.

The problem with printed duvet covers is that they’re more expensive to make.

Companies have to put more work into the cover.

Since labor costs, in particular, tend to be a bit higher with printed duvet covers, the price is more expensive.

Some companies also only sell particular prints for a limited time.

This makes duvet covers expensive because it means that particular cover is scarce.

That also drives up the price.

Duvet covers are expensive when they use limited or rare prints.