Danish vs Swedish Bed Sizes: Choosing Juna DK or SE Bed Linen

Juna bed linen is labelled with either DK or SE after the size, and the two letters matter more than the pattern you choose. They tell you which duvet the cover was cut for and which pillow the pillowcase will fit. This guide explains the Danish and Swedish sizes in the range, how to match a fitted sheet to your mattress, and which pillowcase belongs with which set.

What DK and SE mean on a Juna label

Denmark and Sweden sleep under different duvets. Both countries favour one duvet per sleeper rather than a shared quilt, but the standard dimensions differ, and so do the pillows. A Danish pillow is close to square, while a Swedish pillow is a shorter rectangle. Juna, a Danish textile house, therefore sews the same designs in two families of sizes and marks them so you can buy for the bed you actually have.

The DK sizes in the range are 140x200 cm, 140x220 cm and 200x220 cm, and every DK set comes with a 60x63 cm pillowcase. The SE sizes are 150x210 cm and 220x220 cm, paired with a 50x60 cm pillowcase. The suffix is not about quality or fabric. The Bæk&Bølge cover in a DK set and in an SE set is woven from the same organic cotton, OEKO-TEX labelled and GOTS certified, with the same envelope closure on the pillowcase and buttons on the duvet cover.

Danish sizes: 140x200, 140x220 and 200x220 cm

The 140x200 cm cover is the standard Danish single duvet size. The set weighs 1.19 kg, and the duvet cover closes with buttons. If you are tall, or simply like a duvet that tucks well under your feet, 140x220 cm gives you an extra 20 cm of length on the same width. Check the label on the duvet itself before you order: a 140x200 cm duvet inside a 140x220 cm cover will slide and bunch at the foot end.

The 200x220 cm size is the Danish double, for couples who prefer to share one duvet. It is worth thinking about how you sleep before choosing it. Two singles let each person keep their own warmth and turn without pulling the cover, which is the reason the single duvet remains the norm in Scandinavia.

In DK sizes, Bæk&Bølge Bed linen 140x200 cm DK comes in black/sand, red/yellow, yellow/white, plum/rose and green/light blue.

Swedish sizes: 150x210 and 220x220 cm

A Swedish single duvet is 150x210 cm, which is 10 cm wider and 10 cm longer than the Danish 140x200 cm. That sounds small, but a cover that is too large lets the duvet drift inside it, and one that is too small compresses the filling and pulls at the buttons. If your duvet was bought in Sweden, or in a shop that follows Swedish sizing, this is the one to choose. Bæk&Bølge Bed linen 150x210 cm SE pairs the duvet cover with a 50x60 cm pillowcase, and the set weighs 1.05 kg.

The 220x220 cm SE cover is the square Swedish double. The SE range also includes two colourways that are not in the DK list: grey/birch and dark blue/white, alongside black/sand, red/yellow, green/light blue and plum/rose.

Matching a fitted sheet to your mattress

Under the duvet, the fitted sheet is the piece most often bought in the wrong size. Two measurements decide it: the top surface of the mattress, and its depth. The Percale Fitted sheet w/elastic 140x30x200 cm white is sized for a 140x200 cm mattress and has a 30 cm deep corner. Elastic runs all the way around the edge, so the sheet draws in beneath the mattress instead of only gripping at the corners.

Juna states that its fitted sheets work on spring mattresses and box spring mattresses up to a height of approx. 26 cm. That leaves a few centimetres of fabric to fold under. Measure from the bottom edge of the mattress to the top, and include any topper you sleep on, because a topper adds height that is easy to forget. If the total is above 26 cm, the elastic will sit on the side of the mattress rather than beneath it, and the corners will pull loose.

The Percale fitted sheet is also made in 90, 160 and 180 cm widths, in 200 or 210 cm lengths. The 210 cm length is for longer mattresses, and it sits naturally under a 150x210 cm Swedish duvet. The 140x30x200 cm sheet weighs 0.78 kg and is woven from organic cotton in a percale (plain) weave of fine yarns, which gives a cool, smooth surface. It can be washed at 60°C.

Which pillowcase fits which set

Each Bæk&Bølge set includes one pillowcase, and its size follows the suffix. The pillowcase does not depend on the duvet width, it depends on the pillow you sleep on:

The Percale Pillowcase 70x50 cm white is for a third shape: the longer 50x70 cm pillow. It is a plain percale case in white organic cotton, so it sits quietly next to a patterned set. Use it if your pillow is rectangular and longer than either set pillowcase, or if you sleep with two pillows and want a second case without buying another duvet cover. A white percale case under a printed one also lets you rotate pillowcases between washes.

Putting the bed together

Start with the duvet, not the pattern. Read the size from its label and choose DK or SE from that. Then measure the mattress, including any topper, and choose the fitted sheet width, length and depth. Finally check your pillow: 60x63 cm points to DK, 50x60 cm to SE, and 50x70 cm to a separate Percale pillowcase.

Once the sizes are settled, colour is the easy part. Juna designs its sets to be mixed, so a black/sand cover can go on with a plum/rose pillowcase from another set in the same size. For washing, the covers tolerate 60°C, but Juna recommends 40°C to keep the cotton soft for longer. If you are still deciding between patterns, our guide to Bæk&Bølge, Daisy and Pleasantly compares the three Juna series side by side.

Browse the full range of bed linen, sheets and throws in Textiles & Bedding.