US-Mattress's Blog

What are you doing this winter season to keep warm during those cold, blistery nights? If you haven’t tried down bedding, maybe it’s time…

When it comes to insulating against the cold, down is the best. Down provides thermal insulation with the trapping of air through its many layers. Down can also be packed tightly into small spaces, making it ideal for the use in bedding and outerwear.

But what is down? Down is an adult water bird’s under layer of feathers. Feathers on the outer layer of geese, ducks, and other water birds are 2 dimensional. These feathers protect the bird and aid in flying. Down feathers, however, are 3 dimensional and are grown for warmth and insulation. Because of down’s 3 dimensional characteristic, it is both an insulator and extremely light weight. Down filaments interlock and form a protective layer to keep warm in and cold out. Down traps more air for its weight than any other material.

When shopping for down products, keep in mind that not all down is created equal. The best down feathers come from large, mature water birds (and will also come with a higher price tag). Usually Goose Down is better than Duck Down, but down from an older duck is going to be superior over down from a younger goose. When you’re at the store or shopping online you’re not going to know what bird the down came from. So, the best way to measure the quality of down is through fill power. Fill power is the number of cubic inches displaced by a given ounce of down. The larger the down the higher the warmth to weight ratio, or the higher the fill power, the better the down.

Eider Down has the highest fill power. Eider Down comes from the Eider Duck. Eider Down surpasses all other down because of the feather’s unique ability to cling to itself. This property provides superior insulating power. Eider Ducks are also a protected species. Feathers from Eider Ducks can only be collected by hand from the birds’ nests, so it is guaranteed that Eider Down products are not produced at the expense of the animal.

What about down alternative? Down alternative is the synthetic, man-made version of down. While synthetic down is similar in both loft and insulation, natural down is always going to be warmer and of higher quality. Down provides 3 times as much warmth per ounce than its sister synthetics. Natural down can also last up to 3 times longer than synthetics, if properly cared for. The ability to loft, or fill the space it occupies, is greater in natural down. Synthetics can often mat and lump, leaving cold spots, while down continually re-lofts. Down can also breathe, thus wicking away moisture and perspiration leaving no clamminess like synthetics tend to do.

But what about allergies? You’ve probably heard the myth that people are allergic to down. Allergens do not arise from the feathers themselves, rather result from the dirt, dust, dander, etc. that gets trapped inside the feathers. If properly cared for (washed and cleaned regularly), however, down bedding can actually be hypoallergenic. If you’re seeking a hypoallergenic down product, try Hungarian Goose Down as it is the most hypoallergenic type of down, attracting less allergens than other down types.

Down is truly a unique material, not to mention extremely comfortable! As an informed shopper, you can now make the best decision when buying your next down product. Look for down items that have high fill powers to get the most for your dollar. Eider Duck Down provides more warmth than any other type of down. And if you’re looking for hypoallergenic down, try Hungarian Goose Down, like the Sferra Somna Duvet, Daniadown Norske Duvet, or either of these great hypoallergenic Natural Fill Pillows from Sealy Posturepedic. Or just browse all our down products down products here.