Duvet | Down vs. Feathers | Down Origin | Down Ounces | Fill Power | Shell | Hypoallergenic | Use in the Summer | Which One is Right for Me? | Synthetic Down | Care

Reputation and reliability.

Down Comforters are a “blind” item, you really are putting your trust into the store that you are buying it from. I get nervous selling down comforters because I am putting my 112+ year reputation on the line every time that I sell one. I am relying on the honesty of the manufacturer that I buy from. My father always told us that when he was a young man state inspectors came in unannounced and took items for testing to make sure that their tags were accurate. Well those days are long gone, no more inspectors. Now it’s my reputation on the line. So I can sleep at night I buy all of our down products from the most reputable manufacturers who we have had longstanding (in some cases multi-generational) relationships with. They are, for the most part, small to mid-sized, which allows for tight control by the owners with whom we maintain personal relationships. We meet with them regularly and we constantly review their manufacturing process.

So, the most important factor in purchasing a down comforter is the reputation and reliability of the store that you purchase from. With that being said, let’s explore the Down Comforter terminology and specifications and what they mean.

Duvet:

You will hear the term Duvet and Duvet Cover. The term Duvet is a French term meaning Comforter. A Duvet Cover is a protective as well as fashionable cover for a comforter. It is a “bag” with an opening at the bottom which may be closed by zipper, Velcro or in fine bed linens by buttons.

Return to top

Down vs Feathers:

Down is found on waterfowl. The down that we use in our fine clothing and bedding comes from geese and ducks. Waterfowl grow down and feathers to serve various purposes. Feathers are flat with a quill “spine” that goes from one end to the other. They form a protective layer all around the bird. Lighter feathers found on the wings help the bird to fly while larger feathers on the underside of the bird repel water and help the bird to stay dry. Some companies will chop up feathers in an effort to simulate down. Real down is found primarily on the chest of the bird and is three dimensional with thousands of filaments emanating from a central point. This very unique construction forms thousands of air pockets or “cells” which can capture body heated air. The primary function of down is to keep the bird warm. Down is further classified as white or gray. White goose down is almost always superior. If a manufacture doesn’t specifically state White Goose Down it is probably a mixture of white and gray.

Return to top

Down Origin:

What makes one type of down better than another? I get asked this all the time and the answer is really quite simple; the larger the bird and the colder the climate that it lives in the better the down. Simple logic; birds living in colder climates must grow larger and denser down for better insulation so that they can survive the weather. Geese are larger than ducks so their down plumules are larger and typically geese from colder climates such as central and northern Europe have the largest plumules. Many manufacturers do not specifically state the area of origin of the down that they use. That usually means that they use less expensive down which will not insulate as well. One more interesting item; in some countries geese are breed primarily for food and the down is a byproduct. Young geese are preferable for food so the down plumules removed from these geese are immature and small. The manufacturers that we deal with raise the geese only for their down. Like sheep sheered multiple times for wool they are plucked numerous times. Some of our resources will only use the fourth or higher plucking since each successive plucking yields larger plumules.

Return to top

Down Ounces:

Today we are obsessed with numbers. Much like thread count in bed linens ounces in a comforter is not necessarily the sign of a good or bad comforter. Since larger down plumules insulate better and more efficiently it takes fewer ounces to keep you warm. But how do you tell how well down will insulate? This brings us to Fill Power.

Return to top

Fill Power:

Since there is no objective way to determine how warm a down comforter is and compare it to another a system for evaluating the insulation ability of down was devised. Fill Power, also known as Loft, is a test where one ounce of down is compressed in a cylinder. The compression is removed and the down is allowed to expand and fill with air. The cubic inches of expansion is measured. The more the down expands the more air it can hold and the better it will insulate. A quality down comforter will use 500-600 fill power down. 800 is usually regarded as the highest fill power.

Return to top

Shell:

The shell is the cover that contains the down. It must, of course, be down proof so that the down does not leak through. Thread counts of 200 and higher made of fine cottons are usually rated as down proof. (It does not pay to look for a shell with super high thread counts as the shell should be protected with a Duvet Cover.) Shells are typically constructed in one of two ways; sew through or baffle. Sew through is just that; a design, usually boxes, is sewn from top to bottom. This creates compartments from which the down cannot escape. It also creates “cold spots” at the point of the stitch lines because little or no down is present in these areas. Baffle construction is three dimensional with internal walls (or baffles) that separate the compartments. This allows the down to fully expand and yields the best loft and therefore insulation. The walls may have openings to allow air and down to circulate within the comforter.

Return to top

Hypoallergenic:

The process of bringing down from the wild to your comforter involves a rigorous cleaning process to remove dust, dirt and allergens. The process is so intense that some companies call it “sterilizing” the down. In most cases this removes the allergens that cause allergic responses.

Return to top

Use in the Summer:

Many salespeople from other stores claim that their down comforters can be used all year round because they “breathe” so they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. To be honest, I don’t get that! To my way of thinking down is an insulator, how does it know summer from winter or when to “breath”? You wouldn’t wear a wool sweater in the summer. I take my down comforter off in the summer months. The first cold night in the Fall I welcome it back with open arms and a tear in my eye.

Return to top

Which one is right for me?

It’s simple; if your room is cold you want high quality down (550-600 fill power white goose down), baffle construction (eg: Calla Lilly or Legacy). If your room is warm you want lower fill power, sew through (eg: Tran-Seasonal.) If you want a fluffy, high loft bed you want high quality down (550-600 fill power white goose down), baffle construction. If you want a tailored, hospital corner bed you want lower fill power, sew through.

Return to top

Synthetic Down:

In the past many people fearful of allergies bought synthetic filled comforters. These people felt deprived because they longed for the great feel and warmth of down. Manufacturers developed synthetic down which, although not exactly like down, has many of the properties of down. However with modern day down cleaning the only reason for using a synthetic down comforter is the wash-ability of synthetics. I recommend the Allusion Comforter.

Return to top

Care:

Many manufacturers now say that you can wash your down comforter. We really do not recommend this. Down is a natural product and as such it deteriorates when washed especially with soaps and corrosives. Keep your down comforter covered with a fine quality duvet cover. On a nice cold day expose the comforter to the cold air and fluff it. If the comforter becomes stained and must be cleaned we recommend a professional cleaner expert in cleaning down products.

Do not store your fine down comforter in a plastic bag. Down, as a natural insulator, must be exposed to the air even when stored. If you wish to take your down comforter off the bed and store it we recommend a special down storage bag made of fabric. Our down comforters come in bags suitable for storage as they have a combination of plastic and fabric sides. If all you have is a plastic bag make sure to keep an end open.

Return to top