The tog value that appears on feather and down filled product labels is an indication as to the measure of warmth or insulating value, technically called ‘thermal resistance’. The term is in common usage in the textile industry as the unit of thermal resistance of all fabrics and clothing, not just duvets. It is derived from the metric unit commonly used internationally for all types of insulating materials.

The tog value of quilts is, of course, measured on a tog-meter. The name was taken from the common slang for clothes.

Down quilts are warm because they trap heat radiating from the body. The higher your metabolic rate the more heat your body generates. Tog is simply a measure of how efficiently the duvet retains body-generated heat. The higher the tog, the more heat is retained. When choosing a quilt, many people think the higher the tog, the higher the quality of the quilt. This is not true. Also, many people think that the higher the tog, the heavier the quilt. Nor is this true. A high quality natural down quilt will be much lighter than a synthetic one of the same tog value.

Your choice of TOG should be governed by bedroom temperature, how warm you like to be and how much heat your body generates in a typical centrally heated house. Other factors such as sex, age and physical condition, will also help you to determine your needs. Since good quality down traps and reflects the heat that your body generates, it is important to know that everyone is unique when it comes to selecting an appropriate TOG rated product.


Please note: Tog is being superseded by new European regulations, for natural filled quilts only. Under the new European Norms (EN 12934), quilts will be labelled according to the % content of down and feather. Togs values will be dropped from sewn on labels in the near future and replaced by the EN 12934 ‘comfort temperature range’.

Temperature Comfort Ratings

There has been much controversy around the world, throughout the years, as to methods of how to accurately calculate a reliable and suitable ‘Temperature Comfort Rating’ for bedding. TOG was introduced in an effort to satisfy this need. However, when dealing with the various types of down and feather fills, the TOG-meter’s assessment is confusing and lacks accuracy.

A person’s ultimate comfort is achieved by providing a thermal balance that will allow the body to rest comfortably for an 8-hour period. Today, after multiple studies from around the world, the key factors that are taken into consideration when calculating this ‘Comfort Rating’ include; environmental conditions, metabolism, sex, age, fitness and lifestyle. Although these are factors that often vary from individual to individual, the Temperature Comfort Rating has been calculated with the ‘average person’ in mind and is therefore intended for use as a guideline in selecting a duvet that is more suitable for your personal comfort.

Environmental conditions: The bedroom temperature is a fundamental factor in evaluating your primary needs. If the room’s humidity levels are high, the thermal capacities of down will dwindle.

Metabolism: The higher the metabolic rate, the greater the heat output. Down traps and reflects this heat depending on the construction and design of the duvet.

Sex: On average, women are generally colder than men by approximately 5 degrees centigrade.

Age: The older a person is, the colder they are. This is simply due to the slowing down of metabolism which is age related.

Fitness: A heavier person has more natural insulation than a thin person.

Lifestyle: A person leading a busy lifestyle will burn more calories than the average person. Their metabolism is usually higher than the less active person. As a direct result of this, the more active person can tolerate cooler temperatures more comfortably.

Am I really allergic to feather and down? What about my Asthma?

Chances are that you’re NOT allergic to feather and down itself. But you DO probably suffer from an allergy of the natural oils and bacterial components found in these fills that have not been cleansed properly. Perhaps you may even suffer from some of the chemicals commonly used in efforts to eradicate this problem. NOW, allergy and asthma sufferers DO NOT have to deprive themselves of the luxury and comfort of feather and down filled products. The result of our unique cleaning process ensures a top-hygienic product safe for people suffering from allergies and asthma. Only the highest of standards are practiced by our manufacturing facility and are certified Oeko-Tex 100 and 1000 compliant.


What about house Dust Mites?

Beds of a Feather Ltd. only sells NOMITE® certified quilts and pillows. The NOMITE® certification assures that bedding articles displaying the mark fit for house dust mite allergy sufferers. Because down and feather filled products offer excellent thermal and climatic conditions (a rapid warming up while one is sleeping, rapid decrease in the bed’s humidity if the room is aired regularly) this provides a poor habitat for the house dust mite that relies on high humidity to life. Your additional protection is the tight weave of the down-proof fabric, which works as a barrier preventing the house dust mites from penetrating the fabric. So people suffering from the dust mite allergy may fully enjoy the warmth and comfort of our down and/or feather filled duvets and pillows.