Switzerland, in Basel to be precise. The pillows have zippers too.

Duvet, doovay, doo. I learned a few things reading this thread. I've a (USA) down comforter which is inside the duvet cover I made, coordinates with my curtains. It is envelop style, the top is two pieces with covered buttons. And a featherbed. I live in Texas so I may be "over" downed for my climate, but the featherbed did the trick to keep me from getting cold in the winter.

Just wish I had someone to do the fluffing for me.

In the summer I sleep on top of the down duvet and put a sheet on top of me, works great.

I'm glad someone started this because it answers a lot of questions.
Oddly no one mentioned that some people are allergic to duck or goose feathers/or down.
As for people who sleep with blankets, quilts and comforters (I have all three on my bed), we live in Alaska and my husband demands to have the window open at night. However, I was raised in eastern Oregon and grew up feeling the security from the weight of blankets at night.
I enjoyed the duvet at Sheen Falls Lodge in Ireland. Even though it was a 5* hotel, I DID wonder how often they washed the cover. So, thanks for lots of answers.

The duvet answers to the top sheet as it is covered with a slip on type of sheet.
So it must be washed also.

Hopingtotravel, I use feather-proof cases to protect against allergies, with the duvet cover over them, same as on pillows.

We use down and feather duvets and duvet covers, except for one allergic child who uses a puffy polyester &quot;duvet.&quot; No sheets, the duvet is collectively both sheet and comforter. They are all washed and (alas) ironed weekly. In summer we fold the duvets (decoratively) at the foot of the beds and use sheets and thin cotton blankets instead. Occasionally in summer, when someone who does not actually <i>pay</i> the electric bill nonetheless plunges the thermostat to 59 degrees, we use the duvet, too.

Before this topic is &quot;put to bed&quot; I thought I'd mention that a silk comforter / duvet / poofy thing may be the best thing since sliced bread, so to speak. We got one in China (wrong board, I know) and they came in varying weights. Our light weight silk comforter is perfect for the months in between the really cold and really warm weather and it's light as a cloud.

Sweet dreams!

Thank you MissPrism. How strange we all are! I do wholy agree with you about sheets and duvets (we probably call them downies, but the words are wholly interchangeable).

Eiderdown, of course, comes from the Eider duck which had the softest feathers for the purpose.

&quot;how do you get down from an elephant?&quot;

&quot;You don't. You get down from a duck!&quot; (boom, boom)

I have a friend who works for Scottish Natural Heritage (a bit like your Parks people) and she's only ever lived in fairly remote places.

She moved with her 3 year old daughter from Orkney, where there are a lot of Eider, to Islay, where there are few.

The daughter went to nursery where she was eventually asked &quot;What noise do the ducks make?&quot;, a question clearly inviting the answer &quot;quack quack&quot;. But no, the little girl said &quot;oo...ooo; oo...ooo&quot; with the appropriate rising inflection, much to the consternation of the teacher!

I think that eider ducks sound like little old ladies exchanging scandal.
&quot;Ooh, she didn't did she?&quot;, &quot;Oooh!!

Nikki, thanks. I didn't know they made feather-proof cases.