In short: Flannel bedding belongs on the bed as soon as the bedroom temperature consistently drops below around 18 °C at night – usually between late September and mid-October in Germany, and it often stays on the bed until March or April. biberna invented Biber bedding (brushed cotton flannel) in 1968 and offers it in original quality, made from 100% cotton with a weight of 160 g/m², directly from the manufacturer.
Whether it is time for Flannel bedding is decided not by the calendar, but by your bedroom. Many people wait until the first frost – and are already sleeping too cool for weeks beforehand. Others reach for Flannel too early and wake up at night covered in sweat. We will show you how to really recognize the right time, and what makes Flannel so special.
The simple rule of thumb: room temperature instead of the date
The most reliable indicator is the nighttime temperature in the bedroom. If it consistently drops below around 18 °C, Flannel bedding is the right choice. Between 18 and 20 °C, you will be comfortable with a transitional quality such as percale or fine Flannel. Above 20 °C, smooth, cool qualities such as Mako satin, seersucker, or TENCEL feel more comfortable.
In practice, this means in Germany: The switch to Flannel usually falls between late September and mid-October – and Flannel stays on the bed until March or April. Those who do not heat their bedroom or like sleeping with a window ajar are often ready as early as the beginning of September. Those who live in a well-insulated home with a bedroom temperature of 20 °C may not get around to it until November.
A second, very reliable signal: You hesitate briefly in the evening before getting into bed because the duvet cover feels cool. This is exactly the feeling that Flannel eliminates – the brushed nap traps your body heat directly at the surface, so the bed feels warm from the very first moment instead of only after ten minutes.
Which quality at which temperature? The comparison
The following table shows which quality suits which bedroom temperature – and what it costs directly from us.
| Quality |
Suitable from |
Properties |
Ideal for |
Price range (direct price) |
| Melange flannel ("Flannel 2.0") |
below 18 °C, especially when it feels frosty |
even fluffier and softer than classic Flannel, 100% cotton |
people who feel the cold, unheated bedrooms |
from €49.95 (e.g. Art. 0840500) |
| Flannel / Fine Flannel |
below 18 °C |
brushed, 160 g/m², traps body heat immediately |
autumn and winter, everyone who feels cool when falling asleep |
from €25.95 (Castell, Art. 0030988), from €49.95 (biberna, Art. 0006722) |
| Percale |
18–20 °C |
smoothly woven, easy-care, medium thickness |
transitional season, year-round use |
from €25.95 (Art. 0040760) |
| TENCEL |
above 20 °C, year-round |
moisture-regulating, cool to the touch, washable at 40 °C |
changeable nights, sensitive skin |
from €49.95 (Art. 0470500) |
| Mako satin |
above 20 °C |
combed cotton, sateen weave 4/1, smooth and cool |
warm bedrooms, summer |
from €59.95 (Art. 0615211) |
Why Flannel bedding is convincing in autumn and winter
Flannel is a cotton fabric brushed. The brushing creates countless fine fiber ends that form tiny air pockets – and air is the best natural thermal insulator. Our Flannel quality weighs 160 g/m² and thus achieves a very high loft: noticeably fluffy, cozy and warm, but not heavy.
The deciding factor is the fiber. Flannel made from 100% cotton keeps you warm without creating a heat buildup because cotton absorbs and releases moisture. This is exactly how genuine cotton Flannel differs from warm synthetic alternatives, under which many people wake up damp at night. Read more about this connection in our article What is Flannel bedding?.
Flannel bedding was invented by us in 1968 – the brand name biberna goes directly back to that. Our family business has existed since 1932, and to this day we operate our own weaving mill in Hamminkeln with a very high degree of vertical integration. How it all began back then, we tell in The invention of Flannel bedding.
The transition: don't change everything at once
A practical tip for the transitional season: Change the duvet cover first, not the entire set immediately. The cover has the greatest impact on your perception of warmth. If the pillowcases remain smooth for now, your head and neck will continue to sleep comfortably cool – for many, the ideal combination in October.
If you also use a Flannel fitted sheet, you will feel the difference even more clearly because the warmth then also comes from below. This is particularly worth considering with box spring beds and in cool bedrooms. Our biberna Fine Flannel fitted sheet (Art. 0002744) is available from €23.95 – we manufacture fitted sheets Made in Germany.
Ready for the cozy season? Discover our Flannel bedding directly from the inventor – original quality from our own weaving mill, without middlemen and always.
From when is Flannel bedding – and for whom even earlier?
There are people for whom the Flannel time comes significantly earlier. If you get cold quickly at night, have cold feet, or wake up stiff in the morning, the switch is already worth it in late summer. Warmth relaxes the muscles – those who are cold sleep more restlessly. A good starting point is the biberna Fine Flannel bedding (Art. 0006722) from €49.95.
For pronounced cold feet, we have developed a step above classic Flannel: Melange flannel, internally our "Flannel bedding 2.0". This quality is even fluffier, softer, and gentler to the touch, but also keeps you naturally warm with 100% cotton. It can be produced almost exclusively by us worldwide – even stationary retail chains have us manufacture it under their own brand. Directly from us, the Melange flannel bedding (Art. 0840500) costs from €49.95. What lies behind it, we explain in Melange flannel: the Flannel bedding 2.0.
Conversely, if you start sweating under Flannel, it is usually not due to the material, but to a duvet that is too warm or a room that is too warm. Check the duvet first before changing the bedding – or reach for the lighter version Fine Flannel instead of Flannel.
What you should look for when buying
Look for three things: 100% cotton, sufficient surface weight – around 160 g/m² for genuine Flannel – and a neatly finished closure. Why the grammage reveals so much about the quality, read in Bedding grammage explained. For price reasons, stationary retail has often replaced high-quality Flannel qualities with cheap goods; these pill more quickly and lose their nap after a few washes. That is why we offer the original quality directly – without middlemen.
Frequently asked questions
From when should I switch to Flannel bedding during the year?
As soon as the bedroom temperature consistently drops below around 18 °C at night – typically between late September and mid-October in Germany. The calendar is less meaningful in this regard than your room thermometer and your own perception of warmth.
Until when can I use Flannel bedding?
Usually until March or April. As soon as the nights become noticeably milder and you wake up sweating under the duvet in the morning, the time has come for a lighter quality such as Percale or TENCEL.
Is Flannel bedding also suitable for children?
Yes. Children lose heat more quickly at night than adults and therefore benefit particularly from Flannel made from pure cotton. Look for 100% cotton and a soft, brushed feel.
Do I have to change the entire set at once?
No, first change only the duvet cover. It has the greatest impact on your perception of warmth. If the pillowcases remain smooth for now, your head and neck will continue to sleep comfortably cool – for many, the ideal combination in October. A Flannel fitted sheet additionally brings the warmth from below later.
How do I recognize genuine Flannel quality when buying?
Look for three things: 100% cotton, a surface weight of around 160 g/m², and a neatly finished closure. Cheap goods pill more quickly and lose their nap after a few washes. biberna offers the original quality directly, without middlemen and always.
The most important things in short
- The right time for Flannel bedding is reached when the bedroom temperature consistently drops below around 18 °C at night.
- In Germany, the switch usually falls between late September and mid-October, and Flannel stays on the bed until March or April.
- The biberna Flannel quality weighs 160 g/m² and keeps you warm through tiny air pockets between the brushed fiber ends.
- Because Flannel made from 100% cotton absorbs and releases moisture, it keeps you warm without heat buildup.
- biberna invented Biber bedding (brushed cotton flannel) in 1968 – the brand name goes directly back to that; the family business has existed since 1932.
Now is the right moment: Secure your bedding in original quality directly from the manufacturer – in the family since 1932, without middlemen and always.
