Duvet: The Origin

Although there is no known town or city of origin for this luxury bed linen, the duvet most likely came from rural Europe. The word itself is French, but some think that the French actually acquired the word from the Norse. The word "dunn" is the Norse word for down, such as the down used in the duvet, and is believed to have been subtly modified by various dialects over the centuries until it became duvet. The Australians typically refer to a duvet as a "doona", referencing an IKEA product that was made popular in the 1960's. Prior to this, the term most often used in Australia was "continental quilt". The Australians, like the Americans, have a tendency to lump most luxury bed linens, such as quilts, comforters, and duvets all in to one term, even though they are quite different.