Quilt Buying Guide: GSM and Other Factors to Consider

Quilt Buying Guide: GSM and Other Factors to Consider

If you are looking to buy a quilt for your bed then chances are that the first thing that you consider is the aesthetic appeal. This is completely understandable, as you don’t want a quilt that clashes with your room.

However, there are a whole lot of other aspects to consider such as the difference between a quilt, duvet and doona, your material filling, the quilts purpose and learning exactly what the GSM is and how it will have an effect on what you buy.

We’ll get started with the GSM of quilts: You may have seen 500GSM wool quilt or 700GSM wool quilt on the label of some of the products you are looking at, but have no idea what it means.

GSM is short for Grams per Square Metre and it is indicative to the weight of a quilt filling (so the number of grams of filling per square metre of a quilt - the warmer it will be).

Considering the above, here how to better understand what GSM is will best suit your needs:   

240 GSM relatively light and is best for Summer 350 GSM is medium in filling weight and best for Autumn and Spring 500+ GSM is heavy and warm, therefore it’s the best for Winter So a 500GSM wool quilt or 700GSM wool quilt is best suited for cold winter nights and 240GSM will be better for warmer climates and so forth.

Quilt’s warmth based on its height/thickness and this is called its Loft. A Light Loft is the equivalent to 300GSM, a High Loft is the equivalent to approximately 450GSM and a Super Loft is the equivalent to 500+GSM. The type of fill will also determine how warm or cool a quilt is and these are your options:

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Microfibre: Microfibre quilts are made from synthetic material and They are machine washable and hypoallergenic.

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Sheep/Alpaca Wool: Wool quilts are natural and eco-friendly. They are softer than most fillings, have excellent temperature regulation capabilities and can also be hypoallergenic.

They should be dry cleaned.

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Down/feather: These need to be dry cleaned and their softness, makes them best for cold climates.

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Cotton: Cotton is great for people that struggle with allergies. They are lightweight, relatively thin and cool.

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Bamboo and Tencel: Bamboo and tencel are new eco-friendly fillings made from bamboo, and eucalyptus fibre. They are both warm and light - tencel in particular is great for people with allergies like asthma.

are light and warm.

breathability and warmth

Is there a difference between a quilt, a duvet and a doona?

It can be a little overwhelming to know exactly what you are looking for when there is so much terminology used to describe it. In actual fact, all of these things are the same - they simply have origins and are used more prominently according to cultures.

Duvet is originally French and is used mainly by Americans, quilt is a British word, and a Doona is simply the same thing but is trademarked by the Australian manufacturer, The Tontine Group.

These are just some of the things that will help you when you are looking for your next quilt - remember to try keep your bedding choices as eco-friendly as possible.