How Warm Are Bamboo Quilts? Not All Quilts Are Made the Same
Winter time in Australia can often be a catch 22 when it comes to staying warm while you slumber.
Do you keep the heater or reverse cycle air con on to compensate for a lack of warm bedding? Or, do you look for warm bedding while potentially running the risk of over-heating throughout the night and waking up in a pile of your own sweat?
Staying warm in winter doesn't need to be a choice between exorbitant electricity costs and excessive sweating.
A bamboo quilt is the perfect folly to such a conundrum. Read on to learn why.
How warm are bamboo quilts?
How long is a piece of string?
In all seriousness though, if you're struggling to stay warm and cosy during the colder months, a bamboo quilt is a fantastic solution.
Let us explain.
Bamboo quilts regulate body temperature for optimal warmth
Yep, you read that correctly.
Bedding made from natural fibre bamboo provides natural thermo-regulation properties that are great for regulating body temperature throughout the night.
As a result, bamboo quilts are great at trapping body heat to combat the winter chills and keep you warm.
Additionally, if you're like us and prefer to sleep without the sensation of your chest caving in, bamboo is also ultra light, meaning you get to enjoy the warmth that a heavier quilt offers without the drawbacks.
It's the best of both worlds - a quilt that provides temperature regulation for warmth alongside a light and fluffy feel for comfort.
Bamboo quilts are also extremely breathable
Remember the catch 22 at the start of this journal? Well this is where bamboo quilts really separate themselves from the pack.
Yes, there are a host of other materials that provide warmth but many of them lack the suitable level of breathability to make them a worthy choice for hot sleepers.
If you're a hot sleeper, you don't need us to tell you how frustrating it is to go from cold to hot and then too hot back to something reasonable.
Bamboo bedding is incredibly breathable with moisture-wicking capabilities, meaning you can sleep warm and cosy, without over-heating and proceeding to sweat everywhere. Furthermore, the moisture that does permeate throughout the night quickly evaporates leaving your quilt dry and you comfortable.
And you know what else? For the allergy sufferers out there, because there's less moisture, you'll also experience less build up of dust mites and other bacteria that can exacerbate allergies.
What type of quilt is the warmest?
Generally speaking, the higher the quality of material, the better it will be at retaining and trapping heat. Additionally, natural, highly breathable materials offer a more stable and warm sleeping experience.
In saying that, there are couple of measurements used to quantify a quilt's ability to retain and trap heat.
TOG
The Thermal Overall Grade (TOG).
Theoretically speaking, the higher the TOG of a quilt, the better it is at retaining heat. See below for general recommendations according to time of year.
- 3.0 - 4.5 TOG - Recommended for summer quilt use
- 7.5 - 10.5 TOG - Recommended as a year-round quilt
- 12.0 - 13.5 TOG - Recommended for winter quilts
GSM
What does GSM mean for quilts you ask?
GSM stands for grams per square metre. Essentially, it's the amount of fill that a quilt contains per square metre which equates to the quilt's overall weight.
Just like TOG, the higher the GSM score of the quilt, the warmer it will keep you. See below for general recommendations according to time of year.
- 150-250 GSM - Recommended for summer quilt use
- 250-400 GSM - Recommended for mid-seasonal and winter quilt use
- 400-500 GSM - Recommended for very cold winter quilt use
Please note that these are guidelines more so than specifics as they tend to vary across material and manufacturer, and that's not to forget personal preference and individual sleeping patterns.
At the risk of stating the obvious, you probably want an all-around quilt that has the ability to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.
The only question is, does such a thing exist?
Are bamboo quilts good for summer?
Now that we've enlightened you to the fact a bamboo quilt will keep you nice and cosy during winter and in colder climates, what about staying cool during summer or if you live in warmer climates?
Well, bamboo is still a go, because, you guessed it, bamboo's innate ability to regulate temperature and facilitate breathability makes it a great option all year round!
Moreover, bamboo's ability to wick moisture away means your quilt stays dry and breathable all night long without accumulating any excess moisture.
Oh, and did we mention they're eco friendly too?!
Summary
Are you in the market for a new quilt?
Warm climates can make for tricky sleeping conditions during summer but with a bamboo quilt you can enjoy those cool house feels all summer long!
So what are you waiting for, ditch the hot sweaty nights and treat yourself to some much earned R&R, because you deserve it.
Oh, and temperature control is just one reason bamboo quilts are so good. If you want to learn more check out all six of them!
Sources
- https://www.autofiber.com/blogs/microfiber-university/what-is-gsm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tog_(unit)