Blankets & Throws

Blankets & Throws

There’s so much to love about this humble living room accessory. Whether you use your blanket or throw to cover the end of the bed as an extra layer on a cold winter’s night, or you drape a sofa throw over your sofa to always be cosy on movie nights, blankets and throws are an accessory that your living room or bedroom is simply incomplete without.

Cosy and soft throw blankets for the living room

Don’t underestimate the value of having a few throw blankets around the house. Give your living room the cosy treatment with one (or two) cosy and soft blankets on an armchair or sofa. Throws and blankets are simply wonderful to have when it’s cold out, or on lazy Sunday afternoons to cuddle up under with your favourite book. Choose a cosy blanket or sofa throw in soft wool for winter, or lighter cotton for summer.

Warm blankets and throws for the bedroom

Especially for the guest room, a cosy blanket is a useful addition to the home, because it doubles both as bedding, and a bed throw for the daytime. Plus, it helps your visitors feel cosy and at home. Throws double as bedspreads so they can use their room for relaxing during the day, or for when they need some down time.

During the night, having an extra warm blanket handy can help ward off the chills in wintertime, doubling as an extra layer for your bedding… especially if you’ve got a large knitted blanket.

Cotton, cashmere and wool blankets

In whichever room you’re going to use your blanket, there is a lot to be said for choosing ones that are made from high-quality natural fabrics. The fabrics that are available are vast, and vary greatly in feeling (some are smoother or fluffier than others), style (chunky knit or smooth, fine weave, tassels or fringing), and price (a luxury blanket made from 100% cashmere will naturally cost more than a blanket made from 100% cotton). Deciding on the right throw blanket for you means understanding how often and where you’ll use it, who’s likely to use it, and how much you want to spend.

Pink, white and grey sofa blankets - pick your favourite colour

The great thing, though, is that natural fibres are just as easily dyed and styled as synthetic fibres, so whether you want a grey throw blanket for your sofa, a natural white blanket for the bed, something more neutral to match a monochromatic or black and white interior or a bright green, yellow, or pink number, you can certainly find it in a natural material. You can even go for eye-catching patterns, such as a herringbone blanket or an elegantly patterned throw.

Natural, fair trade, ethical throw blankets

Choosing a throw blanket from natural materials is important for maintaining a healthy and fresh feeling home. It isn’t widely known, but man-made fabrics actually attract dust and provide a fertile breeding ground for nasty bacteria, dust mites, and other unwanted house guests.

Plus, natural fibres are better for the environment than plastic ones (because that’s exactly what polyester, nylon, and viscose are), so you’re contributing to a healthy environment both inside and outside you front door by choosing eco-friendly and sustainable materials for your blankets.

Luxury cashmere blankets

If you’re looking for luxury throws and blankets that you can drape over your shoulders while lounging around on the couch, or over your legs when reclining on your bed, look no further than a cashmere design. Soft cashmere blankets feel absolutely luxurious – sumptuous, silky soft, and are incredibly warm, too. A cashmere throw is comparatively extremely warm for its weight, and so like with alpaca, they are perfect to use as oversized scarves and shawls.

These luxury blankets and throws are more delicate than what wool and alpaca styles are, so they are less appropriate for young children. They require dry cleaning, but it must be said that with the right care, a cashmere blanket is a life-long investment, and will serve to keep you toasty-warm, winter after winter. Because cashmere is rare, luxurious and labour-intensive, it is the most expensive of these fibres so they are good for special gifts or treats.

How to wash blankets and throws

Caring for blankets and throws depends heavily on the materials they're made of. Generally it's wise to stick to the specific care instructions of the product.

However, if you've lost the instructions or aren't sure, here's a rule of thumb: don't wash wool blankets and throws in the washing machine (this includes lambswool, alpaca wool, merino wool and cashmere) and don't iron them. Wool blankets must be taken to a professional dry cleaner to prevent damage to the fine natural fibres. Cotton blankets and throws can be machine washed, but at a maximum temperature of 40°C.

Buy blankets and throws online in the UK

All of URBANARA’s blankets and throws collections are made with timelessness in mind, meaning that our range is unique and high-quality, but will never become dated with passing fads. A classic herringbone blanket, for example, will always look at home in more traditional interiors.

As we only use the highest-quality materials too, you can know for sure our blankets will pass the test of time, and with proper care, remain beautiful for many years to come.

If for whatever reason your blanket isn’t quite what you thought it would be, you have 100 days to send it back, for free, no questions asked.