A question that we hear a lot in the bedding industry is,”What is the difference between a King and a California King?” This can be especially confusing when you look at comforters and realize that dimensions for a King and a Cal King are the same. How is this possible? The reason for this is that a King bed and a Cal King bed actually use similar dimensions, but on the opposite sides. A king bed is wider and shorter in length, while a California king is narrower and longer. So, a comforter in the same dimensions will fit both of these beds.

So, if the comforters are the same dimensions, why do you see bedding for sale in both sizes? The reason that you will see comforter sets in both King and California King sizes is due to the bed skirt. Since a bed skirt only has a drop on three sides, it has to be made differently for a King than a California King because the piece at the top of the bed will have a different length. However, within a comforter set, the bed skirt is the only piece that will be different. The comforter and shams will be the same for both the King and the California King.
You may actually hear different names used at times for a King or California King. A King bed will sometimes be referred to as an Eastern King, and a California King may be called a West Coast King. However, most manufactureres stick with King and California King (sometimes Cal King).

If you own a California King bed, you may have noticed that a lot of manufacturers do not offer a comforter for your bed. This is because it is the same size as a King, so the manufacturer has chosen to label the comforter as a regular King, which tends to be more popular. However, some manufacturers today choose to package the same comforter as both a King and a Cal King for marketing purposes because some people are not aware that they are the same size and they believe that they have to buy specific California King bedding in order for it to fit properly. In fact, the only piece that differs is the bed skirt. So, if you are buying just a comforter, you can purchase either a King or a California King and it will be the same. If you want a complete comforter set, you will have to buy one that is size specific.