Duvet cover size guide: which size to choose

size guide duvet covers · sizes · 7 min read

duvet cover size guide

A duvet cover has one particularity that hardly anyone takes into account: you do not choose it by looking at the mattress, but at the inner that goes inside. With that idea clear, getting the size right takes a minute.

by Aitana Llorens · happyfriday · 1 October 2026
Unmade bed with a plain cotton duvet cover, sheets and pillows in happyfriday sea green, next to a window with sheer curtains and afternoon light a duvet inner that fits its duvet cover

Changing your duvet cover is the quickest way to give the bedroom a new look: the inner stays, the print changes. But for the change to work, the cover has to fit what goes inside. If it is too small, it is hard to close and the inner creases; if it is too big, the inner shifts and bunches up on one side. In this guide we go through duvet cover sizes, how to know what size duvet cover I need and what to do in the cases that raise the most questions.

key points

what you will take away

  • 1Why the cover is chosen by the size of the duvet inner and not by the mattress.
  • 2How to measure your inner at home in two steps.
  • 3How to read duvet cover sizes so you can compare without mixing up width and length.
  • 4What to do if your bed is 135 cm, if you use two inners or if you want a more generous drop.
the basic idea

the cover dresses the inner, not the mattress

It is the origin of most wrong sizes. It makes sense to think "my bed is 150, I will buy a 150 cover", but the duvet cover does not touch the mattress: it wraps the duvet inner. That is why its size has to match the inner, which is already wider than the bed so that it drops over the sides.

Put another way: the work of calculating the drop is already done when you choose the inner. The cover only has to go with it. If your inner measures 240 × 220 cm, your cover is the 240 × 220 cm one, whatever mattress lies underneath.

First the inner, then the cover. In that order, the size falls into place.

And if you do not have an inner yet

Then start with it. Choose its size according to the width of your bed and its weight according to the temperature of your bedroom; in our guide to choosing the perfect duvet you have it step by step. Once the inner is decided, the cover is immediate.

at home, no fuss

how to measure your duvet inner

If you do not remember the size of your inner, a tape measure and two minutes are all you need.

1

Lay it out flat

On the bed or on the floor, well stretched out and without creases. Measuring the inner inside a cover gives a smaller figure than the real one.

2

Measure seam to seam

First the width and then the length, across the centre and from edge to edge. Round to the nearest multiple of 10 and look for that figure in the table.

If the measurement falls between two sizes, go for the nearest one above: a few centimetres of room let you close the cover without forcing the inner and spread its volume better.

Hand holding a tape measure stretched across the width of a white quilted duvet inner on the bed
Side to side, across the centre. With the inner well stretched out on the bed, the tape gives the real measurement at a glance.
where to check the sizes

the table: cover, inner and bed

With the size of your inner to hand, the last step is to find the cover that matches. You have all the available sizes, with their corresponding bed, in the duvet covers collection, and the sizes of each inner in the duvet inners collection. If you want to see every piece for the bedroom at a glance, we bring them together in our size guide.

When comparing them, always look at the centimetres and not only at the name of the size or the bed. Two covers designed for the same bed can have different lengths, and it is the length that decides whether the duvet covers you up to your shoulders.

cases that raise questions

three common slip-ups when choosing a size

1 · The duvet size for a 135 cm bed

The duvet size for a 135 cm bed is the same as for a 140 cm one: inner and cover of 220 × 220 cm. It is a size often confused with the 150 one, but that is 20 cm of difference in width, enough for the cover to be loose and the inner to shift about inside.

2 · Two-piece inners

If you use a 4 Seasons inner, made up of two pieces that join together, the cover is chosen by the size of the set, which is the same as that of each piece. You do not need a bigger cover: the two layers joined fit in the same size and the cover closes just the same.

3 · Wanting more drop by changing only the cover

A cover bigger than the inner does not give more drop: it gives empty fabric at the edges. If you want the duvet to drop more over the sides, what has to go up is the size of the inner, and with it that of the cover. For 180 and 200 cm beds, the 260 × 240 cm option is the one that offers that extra.

made in spain

the print changes, the inner stays

We design our duvet covers in our studio in Cocentaina, and they are printed and made up in workshops in Spain. We print the design directly onto the fabric, without screens, which lets us reproduce prints with many colours, gradients and fine details. With the size chosen well, refreshing the bedroom is as simple as changing the cover.

made
in spain
digital
printing

now you have your size

Look at the size of your inner, find it in the table and choose the cover that matches. If you are torn between two, the nearest one above. And if you want more drop, go up a size in the inner, not only in the cover.

discover our duvet covers →
frequently asked questions

frequently asked questions

How do I measure my duvet inner at home?
Lay it out flat, without its cover and without creases, and measure the width and the length across the centre, seam to seam. Round to the nearest multiple of 10 and compare that figure with the size of the cover.
How do you read duvet cover sizes?
Always as width × length. On a 240 × 220 cm cover, the 240 cm run from one side of the bed to the other and the 220 cm from the headboard to the foot. If you are comparing sizes from different shops, check that they use the same order.
Does the same cover work for a 190 cm and a 200 cm long mattress?
Yes. The length of the duvet cover does not depend on the length of the mattress, because the duvet rests on top and does not wrap it. What decides the length is the height of whoever sleeps in it and how far up they like to be covered.
Which cover do I use with a 4 Seasons inner?
The same size as the inner. The two pieces that make up the 4 Seasons have the same size, so joined together they fit in a cover of that size with no need to go bigger.
Can I buy a bigger cover so the duvet drops more?
It does not give the expected result: a cover bigger than the inner leaves empty fabric at the edges, but no more drop. For the duvet to drop more over the sides you need to go up a size in the inner, and with it in the cover.
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