Microfibre quilts and duvets are highly popular in hotels and motels, and for very good reason - they offer the soft, warm feel of traditional goose or duck feather and down bed linen, while being much easier to clean and more economical.

Hotel and motel message boards commonly have guests asking where they can get the comfortable “down” quilt or duvet they enjoyed during their stay, only to be told they’re actually microfibre. With microfibre duvets being so soft and plump, it’s no wonder they’re frequently mistaken for down.

What’s Microfibre Like?

Now microfibre is not polyester - microfibre is the best synthetic alternative to down, it’s softer than polyester and drapes the body more naturally and comfortably. Polyester fill is the cheapest option, but not necessarily the better experience for your guests.

Microfibre quilts and duvets are also good because they don’t trigger allergies, the way down quilts can. Additionally, they can be laundered at temperatures of 60ᵒC, which is the level needed to kill mites.

Some people have “heard” that microfibre quilts are colder, less comfortable, or have that “polyester feel” to them. This is a common misconception: For all practical purposes, the vast majority of people can’t tell the difference. They’re every bit as comfortable and warm as down quilts when the correct weight for the season is used, and they last approximately as long as natural material quilts and duvets (about ten years). This is even with the microfibre being machine washed and tumble dried, which of course you can’t do with down or feather bed linen.

There are Summer and Winter weight microfibre duvets so be sure to purchase what’s appropriate to your climate and season. The bed is frequently the single most important consideration in a guest’s experience so getting the linen right is a great way to get those personal recommendations from guests to their friends and associates.