Where did word ‘Doona’ Originate From?
If you’re Australian, you’ll be well aware that we often refer to our bed coverings as doonas rather than quilts or duvets, the terms used by most English-speakers. The term is supposed to have originated in the Melbourne area, but how did the traditional Australian wool quilt or doona get this name? Read on to find out and then you can make up your own mind. A Quilt with Viking Origins? It’s widely though that the word doona is a derivative of the old Norse word ‘dunn’ which refers to feather down. While this association seems to ring true, it still doesn’t explain why Australians use the word and why other English-speaking nations don’t. And of course, as the traditional doona can be both either a wool quilt or a feather filled quilt, it’s not quite a perfect explanation. Should we Thank the Germans? Some think that the word ‘doona’ originated from the trademark of a German bedding company called ‘Feduna’. However, there is nothing to back this up. Could it Have Come from Ikea? We know that the Vikings came from Scandinavia and so does the mighty Ikea. They’ve been responsible for introducing the Billy bookcase to the world, so could it be possible that they also brought the idea of a wool doona to the masses? While it sounds plausible, and sources such as Wikipedia suggest that it is so, we’re still not convinced as it’s not a well-known word outside of Australia. So, even though they may have introduced the word ‘doona’ to their Australia customers, we’re not sure that it originally came from Ikea. An Australian Answer By delving deeper, we find the word doona can be attributed to a company that originates right here in Australia. The word was patented by an old Australian company called Kimpton Feather Mills from Victoria who produced feather filled bedding. But that still doesn’t really explain where the word came from. Perhaps one of the workers was of Scandinavia origin? What’s in a Name? Whether you call it a doona, a duvet, a quilt or an eiderdown, it seems that the popularity of this ubiquitous piece of bedding shows no sign of waning. There are many options available to buy today, ranging from those with natural filling such as wool, feathers, down and silk through to those filled with modern synthetic materials such as polyester. Which one you choose is down to preference and budget, but one thing is certain – when you try a wool doona you’ll find that it offers a superior sleep experience that just cannot be beaten.