Blankets: Our Guide

When it gets really cold, blankets made of highly-insulating fibres are a welcome accessory, and alpaca and cashmere are especially strong contenders. Alpaca wool is warmer than sheep and lambswool thanks to its hollow fibres which are effective at trapping heat. This fibre is shorn from the alpacas native to the Peruvian highlands, where temperatures drop to below zero. Very fine and soft, alpaca wool has a lustrous quality that feels silky against the skin, while still remaining durable and lightweight – making this a hard-working fibre for the home.

Cashmere wool is shorn from the very light, downy fur underneath the chins of cashmere goats native to Mongolia. Super smooth, incredibly fine and with a velvety finish, it’s the ultimate luxury material. Cashmere is very lightweight, but around eight times warmer than other wools: for complete warmth and comfort, there is nothing better than cashmere wool.

Cotton is a popular choice for lightweight blankets because the yarns are smooth and have very little in the way of fuzz or pile. Because it isn’t fluffy like wool, cotton blankets are perfect for those looking for a light cover when it’s not too cold, since it won’t trap heat in the same way that a wool pile will. Cotton is very breathable too, its smooth finish making it hard to trap dust, and so is a smart option for allergy sufferers. Since cotton is one of the only fibres that isn’t derived from animals, cotton blankets are vegan-friendly – so make good gifts for people who like their products strictly animal-fibre free.