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It may seem like a contradiction to want a blanket when it’s a balmy 78 degrees, but the truth is, a lot of us associate blankets with comfort, warmth, and rest... and sleeping under sheets just doesn’t feel the same. To find good options that won’t overheat you, we tracked down textile experts for advice, and — long story short — the best summer blankets to keep you cool are made with breathable, lightweight fabrics like cotton, linen, bamboo, and lyocell.
What Materials Should You Look For?
Massimo Moltrasio of The Gabel Group, a bedding company in Lake Como, Italy recommends all-natural materials to keep cool at night. “Cotton and linens are the ones that can help the body self-regulate its temperature,” he says, which is helpful if you tend to overheat at night. He adds, “My most important advice is to avoid polyester and any other artificial fibers for your linens, towels, and blankets.”
Marci Zaroff, founder of ECOFashion Corp, recommends cotton, along with Tencel lyocell, both of which she says are “naturally soft, highly absorbent and cooling, while offering unparalleled breathability.” She continues, “Lyocell is derived from the cellulose of trees like eucalyptus, is thermal-regulating and moisture wicking, and is a silkier and more durable fiber.”
You may also want to consider bamboo, a soft and eco-sustainable option that stays cool all night long, or — if you sweat — polyester. An exception to the natural materials rule, polyester has superior moisture-wicking properties, an advantage over fabrics like cotton, which absorb sweat and dry slowly. So without further ado, here are 10 amazing summer blankets to keep you cool all season long.
Shop The Best Summer Blankets
In a hurry? These are the best summer blankets to keep you cool.
1. A Bamboo Blanket With A Fan Following: DANGTOP Bamboo Cooling Blanket
2. A Cotton Blanket With A 4.6-Star Overall Rating: Vellux Cotton Woven Blanket
3. A Breathable Thermal-Cotton Blanket That Reviewers Love: Utopia Bedding Cotton Blanket
4. A Tencel Lyocell Quilt With High Design Points: Heather Touch Tencel Lyocell Bedspread
5. An Oversized Cotton Basket-Weave Blanket For All Seasons: Sweet Home Collections Cotton Blanket
6. An Airy Gauze Blanket That’s So Cloud-Like: Welhome Cotton Gauze Blanket
7. A Cotton-Linen Bedspread That Gets Softer Over Time: Welhome Relaxed Linen and Cotton Percale Quilt
8. A Plush Polyester Blanket That Wicks Sweat: Intelligent Design Microlight Plush Blanket
9. A Hypoallergenic Down Blanket That’s Lightweight: DOWNLITE Hypoallergenic Down Blanket
10. A Quilted Cotton Blanket With A Vibrant Pattern: Exclusivo Mezcla Reversible Quilted Throw Blanket
1
A Bamboo Blanket With A Fan Following
Bamboo doesn’t absorb heat, so it’ll stay cool to the touch until the sun comes up, making it a great choice for a summer blanket. This bamboo blanket has earned more than 7,000 five-star ratings, and reviewers rave about its softness and the fact that it’s the perfect weight for warm weather. Still not convinced? Bamboo is an eco-sustainable crop, making this an earth-friendly buy.
What fans say: “Man, the cooling was amazing and it felt incredible on my skin, everything about it is screaming quality. If you sweat easily while sleeping or like it cool in your room, just get it, I can't stop using it.”
Available sizes: 59 x 79 inches, 59 x 79 inches, 79 x 91 inches, 90 x 108 inches | Available colors: 10
2
A Cotton Blanket With A 4.6-Star Overall Rating
Both Moltrasio and Zaroff recommend cotton as a good summer sleeping fabric, and this option has earned an impressive 4.3-star overall rating. Made from 100% cotton, this lightweight summer blanket has a few major superpowers: it offers tons of breathability to keep the air circulating around you while you sleep, and it’s extra-durable, so it’ll stand up to lots of use. What’s more, reviewers are pleased with its softness, and the subtle chevron pattern adds a nice design touch to any bed.
What fans say: “I get SO hot at night and cannot sleep well if I am hot, but I can't sleep without something covering me. This blanket is the perfect solution to a problem like mine.”
Available sizes: full/queen | Available colors: 1
3
A Breathable Thermal-Cotton Blanket That Reviewers Love
This breathable summer blanket is made from 100% ring-spun, breathable cotton — so you can feel good about leaving one on the couch, another one on the bed, and a third one on the patio (because you never know where you'll need a summer throw blanket). It's available in twin, queen, and king sizes, so you can use it on your bed or just have something extra-big and cozy for the couch. What’s more, it’s garnered more than 4,000 five-star reviews and a 4.6-star overall rating.
What fans say: “I live in Florida and was looking for something very lightweight to put on my bed over my sheets that would keep me warm enough but not be hot – this blanket is the perfect weight it provides a little bit of warmth in addition to your bedsheets but it's breathable enough that you don't get hot or sweat underneath it [...]”
Available sizes: throw, twin, full/queen, king | Available colors: 12
4
A Tencel Lyocell Quilt With High Design Points
Zaroff recommends Tencel lyocell, a silky and durable material derived from tree cellulose that’s naturally soft and cooling. But this jacquard bedspread made from lyocell isn’t just about functionality — it has tons of design cred, too. The gray quilt pictured here features intricate embroidery in a light lemon yellow, but you can also choose an option in teal and beige, or teal and faded red.
What fans say: “I've never found a blanket that actually cooled like a good quality sheet, but this one is the perfect blend of soft comfort without the heat. Great for hot sleepers who still want the sense of security that comes with being covered up. Added bonus that it's also beautiful.”
Available sizes: full/queen | Available colors: 3
5
An Oversized Cotton Basket-Weave Blanket For All Seasons
This 100% cotton blanket is perfect for all seasons — and it comes in 22 sweet shades like pearl blue and lemon. It's lightweight, breathable, and boasts a classic basket-weave design. With so many color options, you can buy a few for your sofa, bench and bed. Reviewers also love that this blanket is a bit oversized, allowing for a nice overhang on either side of the bed.
What fans say: “I chose this blanket mainly for the gorgeous yellow color, but I love everything about it! It's SO soft, thick, well made and generously sized. I have it on a king mattress set and it has plenty of overhang, more than my comforter or most of my quilts have. I've washed and dried it several times and it fluffs right up with no noticeable shrinkage, minimal shedding in the lint trap (after a couple of washes) and only a few stray threads.”
Available sizes: full/queen, king | Available colors: 22
Experts:
Massimo Moltrasio, head of style and product department at The Gabel Group
Marci Zaroff, founder and CEO of ECOFashion Corp
6
An Airy Gauze Blanket That’s So Cloud-Like
Moltrasio is a fan of percale cotton, and this gauze blanket combines that luxe, crisp material with the most lightweight, airy weave imaginable. Made with three layers of 100% cotton gauze, the washed, crinkly fabric has a lived-in feel that will practically beckon you to naps. The reverse side is made with cotton percale. The blanket’s interior is filled with polyester, which may help wick away sweat on particularly hot nights. It also comes in dreamy colors like powder blue and storm cloud gray.
What fans say: “I absolutely love this blanket! And I am very picky with blankets. This is probably the fourth one I’ve purchased from Amazon in the past year. I find myself going to bed earlier because I cannot wait to get into bed with my new blanket.”
Available sizes: full/queen, king | Available colors: 12
7
A Cotton-Linen Bedspread That Gets Softer Over Time
This lightweight bedspread combines Moltrasio’s two recommendations for summer sleeping: cotton percale and linen. The cotton-linen quilt features a knife-edge hem for a sleeker, pared-down look, and a thin layer of polyester helps wick moisture. Like all linen, it gets softer with every wash, so this is an investment that’ll pay off in the long run, and it’s available in muted colors like pink, rose, and indigo.
What fans say: “This quilt is amazing. I’m very picky on bed linens and this quilt is actually perfect [...] I keep my house somewhat cold in the summer and this quilt kept me comfortable all night, not too cold not too warm.”
Available sizes: full/queen, king | Available colors: 14
8
A Plush Polyester Blanket That Wicks Sweat
If you're normally a sweaty sleeper, this plush polyester blanket might just be your answer; it's soft and can easily be layered when the night is cooler than expected, but on its own adds a sufficient covering to keep you warm throughout the night — but never so warm that you wake up sweating and sticking to the sheets.
What fans say: “This is the blanket I have been searching for, literally. I have been looking for a soft, lightweight blanket to use during the Summer months. This is it. I’ve tried at least six others blankets from cotton, flannel, microfiber, etc. All were too heavy. This is thin but not cheap thin. It is nice and fluffy and soft and keeps the chill away at night with the A/C running.”
Available sizes: twin/twin XL, full/queen, king | Available colors: 9
9
A Hypoallergenic Down Blanket That’s Lightweight
A hypoallergenic down comforter that has sewn-through construction means the down filling won't shift around as you move, so you won’t have to rearrange in the middle of the night. And if you worry you’ll overheat with this option — don’t. While down is super fluffy and insulating, it’s also naturally light and breathable, so you’ll stay comfortable while you sleep. Plus, the cover is made from cotton for even more breathability and cooling power. Choose from two shades: ivory and white.
What fans say: “Have been searching for a down blanket that is similar to what they have in the nicer hotels and this is it! And it's much more affordable than going to the hotel web sites and buying it there. Great weight, very well made. Love the satin trim, it really finishes it off nicely.”
Available sizes: queen, king | Available colors: 2
10
A Quilted Cotton Blanket With A Vibrant Pattern
This charming quilted throw blanket offers the best of both worlds: The shell is made of 100% cotton so it's soft and breathable, while the filling features a blend of cotton and polyester, so it's moisture-wicking, too. It comes in the traditional throw size of 50 by 60 inches — which is great for keeping at the foot of your bed and then pulling up when you get cool — but it's also available in twin, blanket (60 by 80 inches), and king sizes in case you prefer a full-bed option.
What fans say: “I was looking for a ‘breathable’ comforter for the summer time and decided to try a quilt for the first time. I always thought quilts would be scratchy and uncomfortable but I was so wrong! I washed and dried per instructions before sleeping in it and had one of the best nights sleep! I was the perfect temperature and didn’t over heat, and the material is so soft after washing [...]”
Available sizes: throw, blanket, twin, king | Available colors: 1
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