TOG GOOD TO BE TRUE: New wearable duvets help John Lewis customers find their dream bedding

One of Britain’s best known bedding retailers has shed new light on a conundrum that has left shoppers perplexed for decades: the TOG system.

In an era where we've decoded genomes and explored the depths of space, it's a shame that many of us remain baffled by the enigmatic "TOG" - the unit of warmth that dictates the cosiness of our duvets.

But now, John Lewis is offering Britain’s first ‘try a TOG’ service aimed at cracking the enigma for good. We’re introducing a series of wearable duvets - allowing customers to escape confusion to find their perfect bedding. 

Hosted at John Lewis Oxford Street, the ‘Try a Tog’ service will let customers strut their stuff in new wearable duvets. Warm sleepers can keep it cool in a 2.5 TOG, or choose to really heat things up with a toasty 15 TOG. 

Nicola Waller, sleep expert and Head of Home for John Lewis, says: "Choosing the right TOG can feel like mission impossible - especially when you’re unsure what one even is! But we’re ready to rescue customers from their TOG-turmoil with our new try a TOG service.” 

Believed to have been designed by scientists in Manchester - presumably during a particularly chilly winter - the meaning of TOG has been much disputed. 

Some claim it stands for "Thermal Overall Grade," while others suggest it's derived from the Roman word for toga, perhaps hinting at the gladiatorial challenge facing bedding customers to get their TOG just right.

Nicola Waller continued: “For generations the TOG system has been the stuff of nightmares rather than dreams - but we’re not lying down on the job. By high noon, even the most befuddled among us will be TOG aficionados.”

Notes to Editors

To make sure there was no waste, designs are made using existing display duvets - which will later be repurposed. The duvets were made with synthetic materials. 

For those who can’t make it to Oxford Street, John Lewis offers practical tips for finding the perfect bedding online.