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Being A Smart Down Consumer
Considering investing in Down Products? Here are several
things to consider before doing so.
Let's start with a brief description of Down vs. Feathers
There are two main sources of Down and Feathers on
the market today. One is product from Ducks and the other
from Geese. There are both grey feathers and white
feathers. Feathers are two dimensional with a quill
running up the center. Down is more of a puffball or
something akin to a 'dust kitty' with no quill. It is this
puffball that allows the down to trap air and gives it it's
superior insulating abilities. It also allows
breathability that synthetics do not.
Feathers are Larger than down clusters and are primarily
used for support and firmness in items such as pillows and
feather beds. Personally I like the firmer pillows such as
the 10/90 mix we offer here. So do many of my clients
because they offer perfect support as a sofa pillow.
Normally the down and feathers you find in these types of
items are from ducks as opposed to geese unless
specifically labeled. If your label says 'Waterfowl',
chances are it is duck down and / or feathers.
Down is considered to be better for comforters because
Geese are larger than ducks therefore producing larger down
clusters that will increase the insulating properties and
of course the price as well. In short, the larger the bird
and the more north in lives, the bigger and better the
down. On the other hand, it is also a misperception that
Duck Down is an inferior product.
As an aside...I have found in my 13+ years of selling
custom made down and feather products such as pillows and
custom made cushion wraps and the like that duck is NOT
inferior to Goose and my clients have come to the same
conclusion. I am aware that many others do not agree and
my philosophy is it's all 'to taste'
Types of product constructions:
Thread Count: Thread Count is simply the total number of
threads per 1 square inch of fabric. Any thread count of
230 and up is good. 100% Cotton Cambric is best for Down
and Feather items of all kinds.
Sew Through: A Sewn Through construction is a style where
the stitching goes through both layers of cotton and the
filling is trapped in between each horizontal box. This is
a great style for warmer climates and /or warmer bedrooms.
Baffle Box: A Baffle Box type (also called a tri-wall or
channel tri-wall) is one where the cotton is sewn in the
shape of a 3 dimensional box with another piece of cotton
sewn into the center of it on slant (from Northeast Corner
to Southwest corner) so the Down stays in each of these
boxes and doesn't get shifted all around. Its 3D shape
also allows it to retain its loft.
General Terms:
Fill power Fill Power is a measure of 'Loft' or 'Fluff"
in any finished product. The test is done by placing 1
(one) ounce of down in a clyinder and placing a weight on
top of it. 60 seconds later it is checked to see how far
it has sunk and is compared with the spacial markings on
the cylinder. Then it is done again to the same down in
the same cylinder several days later, averaged out, and
this average is your fill power number. The higher the
fill power, the more air the down is trapping, the better
it's insulating properties and the more warmth it will
retain. There are also several other factors that can
influence fill power. These are sitting and settling in
transit, temperature and humidity. A fill power of 650 or
higher is considered high quality.
Mix Mix is the percentage of down/feathers and possibly
other fillers in an item. This Number or percentage is
displayed on a law label as a fraction with the Down always
being first. A law label that says 10/90 simply means that
the mix is 10% Down and 90% feathers. The Government
controls in the USA are somewhat loose in the feather and
down industry in that there is a 10% variance allowed for
the amount of down in an item. Even when it says 10% down
and 90% feathers it could still be all feathers. It is
always wise to deal with a reputable company that is
willing to back its claims of contents.
Creative Thread Arts & Upholstery deals with these types of
companies only. You can be assured what we claim is in
there IS IN THERE.
Turbidity test The Turbidity Test in not a common
specification where Law Labels are concerned but we might
as well discuss it. A Turbidity test is the measure of
dust, dirt and other impurities in the down. It entails
filling a beaker with water and 10 grams of down. It is
then shaken to within an inch of its life (15 minutes
really) and then it is checked for clarity when the tester
looks for crosshairs at the bottom of the beaker. The
higher the water level, the cleaner the product. The
highest measure is 550. Excellent! A measure of 300 is
considered acceptable here in the USA.
Oxygen test An oxygen test is for organic materials that
may be traveling on the down and feathers from the
processing plants. It works with the same water from the
Turbidity test. Its long and complicated but in essence it
is applying measured chemicals to the water from the last
test and shows the amount of organic materials in the
product. A count of 4.8 or lower is a good passable
Oxygen Test.
This article was written by Jennifer Liske, Owner of
Creative Thread Arts & Upholstery and
www.creativethreadarts.com. This article may be reprinted
by other parties but only in its entirety with writer's
name and website link included.
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Creative Thread Arts & Upholstery, LLC 5725 East Hoxie Rd. Cedar MI 49621
Phone (231) 929 - 3690
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