Beaver
Organic cotton flannel bed linen for chilly nights
Soft, slightly fluffy to the touch and pleasantly warm: our organic cotton flannel bed linen will keep you cosy through chilly autumn and winter nights. Discover bed linen in muted, soothing colours and choose from classic bed linen sets, practical reversible bed linen and matching fitted sheets.
All our flanneled cotton ranges are made from organic cotton and are GOTS-certified, as you can see in the product information. Our GOTS-certified products are subject to defined human rights and social criteria. These include environmental standards, as well as safe working conditions, reasonable working hours, a ban on child labour and forced labour, and the right to freedom of association. We have also been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation since 2005 and, through audits, training and regular reviews, we work to identify risks at an early stage and drive improvements forward together.
This is how flannel bedding's soft feel is created
When you touch flannel bed linen, you don’t feel a smooth surface, but a fine, fluffy pile. This is created by the special finishing process applied to the cotton fabric.
- Raising the pile: After weaving, the fine cotton fibres on the surface of the fabric are raised. The fibres that now stand out form the soft pile, and the surface no longer feels smooth but slightly fluffy.
- Properties: Between the raised fibres are small air pockets that can slow down the loss of your body heat. As a result, Biber bed linen often feels warmer than comparable, smooth cotton fabrics.
- Raw material: ‘Biber’ refers to the way the fabric is processed, not the fibre used. All our ‘Biber’ ranges are made from organic cotton and are GOTS-certified. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) sets out environmental and social criteria for the processing of textiles made from organic fibres. These include guidelines on the use of certain substances as well as minimum social standards.
Flannel bed linen in autumn and winter: when it’s right for the season
Flannel is particularly popular as warm bed linen for winter, as its brushed surface means the fabric retains your body heat for longer than comparable smooth cotton fabrics. However, whether you feel comfortable in it depends less on the season than on your personal sensitivity to heat. If you find flannel too warm in general or on milder nights, you’ll also find GOTS-certified bed linen with a smooth surface in our range, for example made from satin or percale.
When choosing your bed linen, it’s also worth bearing in mind that the material and construction of your duvet also determine how warm it gets under the covers. If you tend to feel the cold at night, it’s best not to rely solely on warm bed linen, but to also consider a warmer duvet.
An overview of Beaver, flannel, percale and renforcé
When looking for cotton bed linen, you’ll often come across terms such as beaver, flannel, percale or renforcé. These are cotton fabrics that differ in their weave or finish, and therefore feel different against your skin. The cotton we use for our bed linen always comes from certified organic cultivation. If you’re looking for high-quality bed linen, it’s therefore worth paying attention not only to the raw material used but also to the finish. To help you navigate your choice more easily, we’ve put together an overview of the various organic cotton fabrics and show you which seasons each type of duvet cover is particularly well suited to.
| Fabric | Surface | Goes well with | Handle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver | brushed, with a fine pile | Autumn and winter nights | soft and cosy |
| Flannel | brushed, usually finer and lighter than beaver | Autumn and winter | soft and supple |
| Perkal | smooth and tightly woven | warmer nights and people who prefer it to be less warm | smooth and fresh |
| Renforcé | smooth, medium-fine weave | year-round use | smooth and non-slip |
| Satin | smooth and tightly woven, with a silky sheen | suitable for year-round use and for those with refined tastes | smooth and cool |
| Muslin | loose and finely woven, slightly crinkled | warm nights and people who like it breezy | light and soft |
| Seersucker | A crimped texture created by wavy stripes | very warm summer nights | airy and lightly textured |
Sets, reversible designs and fitted sheets: the Beaver range
Did you know that you can do more than just dress your pillows and duvet in cosy Beaver bed linen? In our range, you’ll also find fitted sheets to create a cosy bed all round. Here’s a brief overview of our Beaver range.
- Bed linen sets: Our sets consist of matching duvet covers and pillowcases. You can choose from both classic plain colours and patterned designs in muted, understated colours, which create a calm aesthetic in the bedroom.
- Reversible bed linen: This bed linen combines two different designs, such as a plain side and a striped side. You can switch between the two as you please or combine them: if you fold over the top edge of the duvet, the reverse side becomes visible as a design accent.
- Fitted sheets: Our fitted sheets made from brushed organic cotton are available in three different sizes and are designed for mattresses up to approx. 28 cm high. Before making your selection, it’s best to check that the product size matches the dimensions of your mattress.
- Size selection: Our duvet covers are available in the standard sizes 135 × 200 cm, 155 × 220 cm, 200 × 200 cm and 200 × 220 cm. For pillowcases, you can choose between 40 × 80 cm and 80 × 80 cm. When making your selection, simply use the dimensions of your bedding as a guide.
Washing, drying, storing: everyday care
As a cotton fabric, Biber is generally quite easy to care for. Many covers can be washed at 60 °C and are also suitable for the tumble dryer. However, fastenings and seams also play a role in the washing process. It is therefore worth checking the care label or our product page for more detailed information.
- Preparation: Before you start, turn the duvet covers inside out and fasten any zips or buttons. This reduces friction on the outer surface and also prevents small items of laundry from getting trapped inside the covers.
- Washing: When setting your washing machine, it’s best to follow the washing temperature specified on the care label. You’ll sometimes find information on the washing programme there too. We also recommend washing your bed linen with items of a similar colour and fabric type.
- Drying: You can check the care label to see whether your Biber bed linen is suitable for the tumble dryer and which drying setting to use. Alternatively, you can air-dry your bed linen gently.
- Storing: If you only use your Biber bed linen as winter bed linen, you can store it away during the summer months. It is important that the duvet covers are completely dry before storing. Make sure that your storage area is also dry and well-ventilated.
Quick question: Flannel bed linen in everyday life
Am I more likely to sweat under flannel bed linen?
It depends a bit on what you’re comparing flannel bed linen to, but: yes, flannel generally feels quite warm. This is mainly due to the brushed surface of the cotton fabric. At the same time, cotton absorbs moisture well, so flannel doesn’t feel ‘sweaty’ simply because of its fluffy surface. However, if you tend to get a bit too warm at night and sweat more as a result, a smooth, lightweight fabric like that of our percale bed linen might be more comfortable.
Should I wash flannel bed linen before using it for the first time?
Yes, it’s best to wash new flannel bed linen before using it for the first time. This removes any manufacturing residues from the fabric and loose fibres from the brushed surface. You can find the recommended washing temperature and whether the bed linen is suitable for the tumble dryer on the care label or in the material information on our product page.
Why does flannel develop bobbles and fluff?
When Beaver fabric is brushed, fine cotton fibres are loosened from the fabric and end up sticking out from the surface. This gives friction more surface area to act upon: individual fibres may come loose and become visible as fluff, or clump together to form small knots. To reduce friction in the washing machine, it’s best to turn flannel bed linen inside out, fasten any zips and wash it with fabrics of a similar texture where possible.
How often should I change my bed linen in winter?
It’s not so much the season that matters as your personal sense of cleanliness. Generally speaking, changing it every one to two weeks is a good rule of thumb, even in winter. However, if you sweat heavily, sleep naked or have pets sleeping in bed with you, it may be worth changing it more frequently.