Down Harvesting Methods Influence Comforter Quality

Posted in Budget, Choosing a comforter, Comforters, Down comforters, Fill, Warmth by admin
May 27 2010
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Yet another thing to consider when purchasing a down comforter concerns the actual method of obtaining the down and feather utilized to fill  the comforter. In the same way all down is not created the same, definitely not all down will be collected the same. The particular geese being harvested and the approaches utilized to gather down and feathers for comforter fill materials can and do impact the complete functionality of the bed comforter. In a previous post, I mentioned Icelandic Eiderdown. This particular down is exceedingly rare and prohibitively costly as it is solely harvested by hand from abandoned nests. Goose down, meanwhile, is readily obtainable and is produced all over the world.

Even though it is often not stated on a comforter tag the exact method of collecting the down, the type of down used will invariably point to the harvesting method.

Hungarian White Goose Down

The present number 1 position for luxury goose downs is occupied by Hungarian white goose down. This down is produced from geese raised specifically for their feathers and down. Hungarian, or Magyar, geese have been raised in the Hungarian country side for centuries. The cooler weather of Hungary encourages the growth of sturdy and well-insulating down and feathers. Hungarian geese produce world famous, premium down which offers an excellent 750 fill power, long-lasting, gentle along with tough down. In addition, many Hungarian white goose down comforter sets are stuffed with large-cluster, hand-harvested down ( the larger the down cluster – the greater its insulating properties- therefore the warmer it will be ) Harvesting down by hand causes no damage to the geese and maintains the down’s inherent characteristics from any damage.

European and Canadian Goose Down

Running a really close second to Hungarian goose down, are the premium European along with Canadian goose downs. The term European goose down refers to down generated within Europe (apart from Hungary), for example Poland andTurkey. European down is usually characterised by a high fill power, in between 650 and 750, but lacks the particular historic centuries-long heritage of Hungarian goose down. Canadian geese, like their Hungarian cousins, are huge birds which may generate large-cluster, high-quality down. Much like the Hungarian diversity, Canadian goose down can easily attain a fill power of about 750. The Canadian goose down marketplace in fact traces its beginnings back to 16th Century Moravia, (presently the Czech Republic).

Chinese Goose Down

Chinese goose down is mainly a by-product of China’s food industry and is typically labelled as ‘natural’ down. Natural down is obviously an accountable use of raw material that could otherwise be dumped, nevertheless its purely natural traits tend to be sacrificed by two related elements. To start with, the geese from which this kind of down is farmed tend to be farmed to produce meats, not top quality down. Second, the actual butchering method inevitably harms the down somewhat. Natural down comforters are generally obtained in department shops and feature a fill power of 550 and below.

Hand harvested downs are usually associated with more costly comforters and therefore it is up to you to decide whether your budget or your comforter needs merits you to even consider the harvesting method employed.

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Is Any Comforter Worth $10000 ?

Posted in Down comforters, Fill, Warmth by admin
Jan 29 2010
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Luxurious. Decadent. Warmth combined with featherweight lightness.

Eiderdown comforters offer their owners precisely those feelings. They will offer outstanding warmth and also the specific warmness essential to sleeping well, and additionally tend to be so light that one merely senses contentment.

However, such luxury comes at considerable cost. A king size eiderdown comforter is often in the $10,000 price range.

What makes eiderdown so special ?

Eiderdown is considered to be, certainly, the most refined as well as the softest of all the downs. Eiderdown is really a greatly-sought after substance and therefore the demand is considerably greater than the actual supply. Bed comforters crafted from Icelandic eiderdown market for enormous price tags inside economies such as Japan and Germany. Because the wild Eider Duck is a preserved bird, to receive down coming from these birds minor quantities will be extracted out of their particular nests when the bird is moulting.  Every single handful of Eider down is plucked from tiny pockets within the ground exactly where Eider ducks inhabit, but it takes large amounts to produce any king or queen size bed comforter.

"eider duck"

The Male Eider Duck

These eider ducks aren’t injured while eiderdown is actually gathered. Eiderdown is considered to be an exceptionally light, nevertheless beautifully insulating form of down. It originates from the Eider Duck, a migratory marine duck, that plucks her feathers in order to cover her nest and protect the actual eggs. Eiderdown, plucked from the female duck out of her own breast, is considered to be finer quality than Goose down. Sixty percent of the nest down might be farmed to ensure that the female wouldn’t become exposed and therefore the brand new generation of newborn Eiders would definitely endure.

Eiderdown features a attribute referred to as “hooks.”. These hooks enable the clusters to cling on to one another, therefore capturing teeny air pockets. All these air pockets form barriers. Eiderdown, while utilized in bed comforters (or duvets) plus bedroom pillows, checks out at around 700 fill power. However, because of the “hooks” within the eiderdown cluster it carries a unparalleled density as well as adhesiveness and warms at a fantastic 850 to 900 fill power.

Fill power can be proportional to the volume of the down cluster. The size of the actual bird as well as the environment where it inhabited, establishes the dimensions of their down cluster. Fill power is really a measurement of starting a fluffiness (loft) of the down, it can be expressed as number of cubic inches that one single ounce of down will occupy (in/oz). The greater the fill power the greater the insulating capability along with fluffiness a down comforter possesses.

One of the best coverings intended for Eiderdown is usually Swiss Batiste, the lightest of all down-proof cambric cottons combined with the largest thread count, sateen finish in addition to a smooth soft touch, woven especially for Eiderdown, the softest down on the planet. Thread count is the amount of threads which are found in a single square inch of material utilized regarding the cover which is where the down is contained. Lighter and softer fabric will have a higher thread count. Thread counts above 300 tend to be most desirable and are going to continue to be down-proof for 10-15 years.

If you, like so many others, believe that a down comforter provides the ultimate luxury for a completely restful sleep, and your budget allows, then an eiderdown comforter is a must for your wish list.



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Tagged as: down comforter, eiderdown, eiderdown comforter, king size comforter