A duvet cover encases and protects a duvet. Like an envelope, it has an opening where the comforter or duvet is inserted. Once placed inside, the opening is closed with buttons or occasionally a zipper. Duvet covers are generally very decorative and are available in a wide selection of colors and styles. The duvet cover takes the place of a top sheet in Europe, and some people in the U.S. also use it this way.

First of all, because linen’s flax fibers are slightly longer than those of cotton and wrapped a little tighter, linen sheets are stronger which means they will last much longer. If softness is a factor for you, you may want to consider cotton, though. Flax fibers are much rougher than cotton resulting in slightly crisper fabric. But the great thing about linen is that it gets softer after each wash, so essentially it gets better with time.