Down Comforter

A down comforter is a comforter filled with a substance known as down. Unlike many people think, down is not made entirely of feathers. Down is actually the soft clusters of filaments found under the feathers of waterfowl such as ducks or geese. The down traps warm air next to the bird’s skin, keeping the animal warm even in cold water. Because this down is such a good insulator, it makes a good fill for warm comforters. Also, down is a lightweight fill, making down comforters excellent lightweight blankets for warmer weather as well. Most down comforters are filled with both down and feathers. Those comforters labeled as “All Down” may only have 75% of down in their filling.

Some down comforters are filled with synthetic, or man-made, down, but most are filled with natural down. There are different types of natural down available, each with its own unique insulating properties. Duck down is generally the more affordable type of down, but goose down tends to insulate better. Duck down can have a stronger odor than goose down. Down from mature geese makes a warmer blanket then down from younger birds. The most luxurious down available is white goose down. Eiderdown white goose down is the best to use in lightweight blankets because it is extremely soft and warm but does not have much weight. Hypodown is another type of down created specifically for those people who are allergic to natural down. It is created using a combination of traditional down and the fibers form the milkweed plant.

Most down comforters are made with natural down. There are many benefits to using natural down over synthetic down. Because down is three-dimensional and can loft, or expand, it forms air pockets within the blanket that trap air. This unique structure causes the natural down to trap a much higher volume of air than the actual size and weight of the filament itself. Down is far more successful at trapping this air than synthetic materials. When they loft, the filaments of the individual strands of down interlock with one another to keep the warm air near your body and the cold air away from your body. Down comforters are also incredibly lightweight in comparison to their synthetic counterparts. This property is what has given down comforters the reputation of being “light and fluffy” blankets.

Another benefit of a down comforter is that the down filaments naturally block moisture and draw it away from the body. Even if you are toasty warm under your down comforter, you will likely not wake up feeling clammy because the comforter will keep you dry. For this reason, many people are turning to down goose blankets to cover their beds, allowing them to have warm beds even in cold climates. Down feather blankets work well in almost all climates, however, because they “breathe.” This allows the down comforter to naturally regulate the warmth of those underneath them, thus keeping beds from becoming too warm.

When shopping for down feather pillows or blankets, you will find that they are labeled with a fill power. Understanding this number is crucial to finding the highest quality down comforter for your needs. Fill power indicates, in general terms, how fluffy down blankets are. The number tells how many cubic inches one ounce of the down, goose or duck, that is used in the blanket will fill under normal laboratory conditions. A high fill power indicates that the clusters of the down are large and strong, thus the down will loft better and provide the best possible insulation. Also, higher fill power ratings indicate that the down will last a long time and breathe better than down blankets made with lower fill powers.

A good quality down comforter will have a fill power number in the high 500s. The best comforters have over 600 for their fill power rating. Down comforters fill power ratings can be as high as 800. The higher the number, the fluffier and warmer the down comforter will be. However, those looking for cooler lightweight blankets can still buy a down comforter with a high fill power. These shoppers just need to look for a high fill power with less down used in the blanket. The blanket will still be fluffy, but will not be too warm for a warmer climate.

Another thing to consider when shopping for a down comforter is the cleanliness rating of the blanket. When down blankets are rated they go through two cleanliness tests, an oxygen test and a turbidity test. The oxygen test sows how much organic matter is left in the blanket after it has been washed. The government requires that any blankets sold in America have a cleanliness rating for the oxygen test of 10 or lower. The best blankets will have the lowest possible number for this rating.

The turbidity test indicates how many suspended solids there are in the material that a down comforter is made of. Unlike oxygen testing levels, the turbidity level should be high. A number around 550 indicates that you have a good quality blanket. A low number such as 60 may indicate that the blanket has not been washed. Getting a blanket with a good cleanliness rating will help limit any allergy problems when it comes to down comforters.

Another consideration to make when purchasing a down comforter is the thread count of the material the blanket is made from. Thread count for down comforters is the same as it is for any other blanket or sheet. The number indicates how many threads are used in one square inch of fabric. While thread count does not affect how warm beds will be under the comforter, it does indicate how soft the blanket will feel. Comforters with a high thread count generally feel smooth and soft to the touch. Premium down blankets will usually have a thread count of around 360. Sometimes a slightly lower thread count, such as 220-260, is better because they tend to be slightly more affordable and durable. This is because the higher the number on the thread count, the finer the threads used to create the blanket will be. These fine threads feel soft, but they are not as durable as the thicker threads used in down blankets with lower thread counts.

When it comes to the fabric used to create the down comforter you are considering, keep in mind that unless the fabric is “down proof” cotton cambric, the down will eventually creep out of the fabric. Cambric or Egyptian cotton is a good choice for down blankets because it goes through a compression process that fills spaces in the threads that the naked eye cannot see. Choosing a down comforter made out of a quality fabric will keep these filaments from shedding all over your beds. Down proofing is measured using millimeters. The standard in the down comforter industry is a rating of ten.

Another thing that can cause the down to leak out of a down comforter is poor sewing techniques. Down comforters can be sewn in a traditional manner or baffled. Sewing a comforter means sewing from the top to the bottom using traditional stitches without any extra reinforcement. This can create gaps over time that allow the down to escape. Baffling, on the other hand, is done internally, creating a wall inside the fabric that allows the down to loft, while keeping it from leaking out. This creates small “boxes” inside the design of the blanket that helps keep the down in its place. Baffling is done by sewing strips of fabric in between the top and bottom layers of a down comforter to create these walls. This not only keeps the down inside the blanket, but it also keeps the down from shifting from one place in the blanket to another. This is particularly important because down can move freely inside the blanket if these walls are not in place. By keeping the down inside its little box with the walls created by baffling, down comforters do not have cold spots or areas where there is little to no insulation. The down comforters with the highest quality are made with baffle walls built into the blanket.

Many people who suffer from allergies think that there is no way they can sleep with a down comforter. These individuals sacrifice the luxury of warm beds because they think they will have an allergic reaction to the down in the comforter. Recent scientific studies indicate that an allergy to down feathers is less common than people think. Most of the people who have an allergic reaction to down pillows or down comforters are actually reacting to the dust or dirt in the comforter or any unwashed down used as a fill for the comforter.

If you have had a reaction to a down comforter in the past, there are three options you can use if you wish to experience the warmth of these lightweight blankets. First, you can purchase a synthetic down comforter. These provide many of the same properties as traditional down comforters, without some of the allergy problems. A second option is to shop for a down comforter with a high cleanliness rating. Those with high turbidity levels and low oxygen numbers generally do not have the dirt and contaminants in the down that causes the allergic reaction. You can usually find these highly clean down blankets marketed as hypoallergenic down comforters. A third option is to shop for a special type of down known as Hypodown.

Hypodown is created by combining white goose down with Syriaca, or milkweed. This plant grows well in the Untied States, making it a readily available substance to use in down blankets. The fibers created by the milkweed plant help to suppress and trap the dust and animal dander that causes allergic reactions to those who have problems with down comforters. By creating a down comforter mixing traditional down that has been well washed with this other natural product, allergic reactions are significantly reduced. Also, Hypodown tends to be warmer and more breathable then a comforter created with down alone. According to tests done by allergy and asthma doctors in both the United States and Europe, Hypodown is does not appear to cause an allergic reaction with those few people who are genuinely allergic to traditional down.

The final thing to consider when shopping for a down comforter is the care you will need to take for your blanket. Down comforters require special cleaning methods to keep the stitches in place and lengthen the life of the blanket. There are things you need to do at different time periods to care for your down blankets.

Down does settle over time. To help your down comforter loft and stay fluffy, shake your comforter gently each day. On sunny days you can carefully air out your down comforter outdoors on a clothesline to enhance the loft of the filaments inside the blanket.

Down comforters should be washed only once every five years, and only if they need it. Washing them too frequently will break down the clusters of down inside the blanket and damage the insulating and fluffing properties of the fill. When your down comforter needs to be cleaned, take it to a professional cleaner that is experienced in cleaning down products. If you need to wash the down comforter yourself, do it by hand using a cleaning solution designed for cleaning down. Soaps that are too strong will strip the down of the oils that help it keep moisture away from your skin while you are sleeping. Dry your down comforter in the dryer on medium heat, checking regularly to ensure that the blanket is not getting to hot. However, it is crucial to make sure that the blanket gets dry, because down can mold and mildew. To avoid needing to wash your down blankets at all, consider using a washable duvet cover to protect the comforter from spills and messes. By carefully protecting your comforter from dirt, you will be able to enjoy your warm beds for many years.