Your King Size Comforter Care Checklist

Posted in Comforters, Down comforters, Duvet covers, comforter care - cleaning by admin
Jun 02 2010
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You have finally bought a king size down comforter: having read all the manufacturer care and maintenance guidelines before purchasing and decided taking care of this particular comforter was well within your comfort zone. King comforters undoubtedly are a worthwhile investment as part of your home bedding collection: and you wouldn’t like to shorten its life span or perhaps attractiveness simply by not taking good care of it.

Here are some of the steps that I follow in my yearly comforter care program.

* Safeguard your bed comforter using a duvet cover, which keeps it clean as well as extends its life. It’s much more preferable to frequently clean the duvet cover than to need to constantly wash the bed comforter.

* Fluff or shake ones king size comforter regularly in order to expand the actual down clusters with air flow and renew the loft. I personally give my comforter a light shake each morning as I make the bed.

* Air your bed comforter outside a few hours twice per year to maintain freshness. The spring and fall is a good time to do this.

* During the summer, definitely keep your comforter inside a breathable bag in a well-ventilated area. Plastic-type bags trap dampness, which can lead to mildew. Instead, keep the actual comforter on a closet shelf, inside the linen closet, or in a container that is not totally sealed such as under-the-bed storage containers or boxes.

* To clean ones comforter, follow the maker’s recommendations plus clean once per year before storing away for the season. Have king size or California king comforters professionally laundered or dry cleaned: a wet king size comforter simply weighs too much for most washing machines to be able to endure the strain. In case your bed comforter is actually machine washable, utilize a front-loading machine as well as use clothes dryer rings, tennis balls, or possibly a clean canvas washable sneaker for you to dry in the dryer. Most of these help fluff up the down and stop it from matting. Extreme care is required.

Please refer to the manufacturers guidelines before cleaning  your comforter at home as in some cases self cleaning may void the manufacturer comforter warranty – so read everything -better to be safe than sorry.

Treat your king size comforter like a dear friend and it will serve you well for many years to come.

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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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Down Comforter Prices On The Rise

Posted in Down comforters by admin
May 19 2010
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As mentioned in a previous post the price of a down comforter would increase dramatically by the fall of this year due to rising commodity ( goose down, cotton )  costs  and shortages due to increasing world market.

Sadly I must convey to you the bad news.  The prices are on the rise already ( as much as 30 – 50 % ) on some items.  As present inventories decrease to be replaced by new stock,  the price of the new inventory will be passed along to the consumer.

Happily for the consumer old inventories of down comforters and cotton bed linens still remain at the all-time low costs that have been available for the last couple of years.

If you have been thinking about purchasing  new cotton bedding and/or a down comforter now is the time to purchase – the old prices will not last much longer . All good things have to end and such is the case here.

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Tagged as: commodity prices, down comforter, new economies, price increases

Feather/Down or Down – White or Brown ?

Posted in Down comforters by admin
Mar 26 2010
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3 Options to Consider When Choosing Your Comforters’ Fill

The fill content of your down bed comforter directly impacts on its appearance, functionality, and also durability. Deciding which variables make a difference generally to you personally before you purchase a down comforter may save you large sums of money. Else, you might find yourself unduly influenced through advertising and find yourself acquiring “far too much” king size down comforter. On the other hand, you may find a great deal and wind up with one drastically wrong down bed comforter that is totally unacceptable in that it does not meet your needs or requirements.

When considering fill type, you are going to quickly find a potentially perplexing variety of possibilities. In making your own alternatives manageable, keep in mind these 3 options:

  1. Make your mind up whether you prefer your bed comforter filled with down exclusively or perhaps one stuffed with a feather and down combination.
  2. Choose between duck down and goose down.
  3. Decide on the down color

Down or Feather/Down Mix

Nearly all ‘down only’ products will certainly contain some trace of feathers as well as soluble fiber as a result of the production process. A normal, top quality king size down comforter will contain no less than 75% down. High end comforters consist of essentially 100% down.

Down is extremely valued for its many appealing properties. Down is definitely lightweight, very soft, lofty, as well as long lasting. The unparalleled insulating and moisture-wicking properties provide with an important relaxing, dry, even-temp sleeping sensation.

Furthermore, the actual breathability of down as well as the warmth it maintains creates a not damp, low humidity environment which deter the build up involving dust mites and other allergens.

These kinds of benefits are additionally increased as a result of large-cluster down which is harvested out of mature birds. The bed comforter filled mainly with down will thus weigh less, feel less harsh, appear loftier, be preserved longer, and supply improved insulation than the usual feather/down mix bed comforter. Feather/down comforters, on the other hand, do incorporate all these benefits, but to a reduced degree. However, feather/down bed comforters, pound for pound, nonetheless out-perform synthetic fill materials and are very reasonably priced.

The Down Color

While white is generally the most preferred color with regard to down and feathers, there is certainly simply no consensus on what color is best; additionally , the truth of a matter is not contingent on the vast majority of thoughts and opinions. White down seems to appeal to much of our visual sensory faculties (all of us consider it being purer, more refined) and does not show through white-colored as well as light shade comforter covers. However, the color connected with down is an inadequate indicator of just how effectively the down was washed; and brown or grey down won’t show through a comforter covered with a duvet cover. Take into account, also, that mature birds (the ones which produce stronger, more substantial clusters) have a tendency toward a greying of their feathers. In a nutshell, the actual color of down (and feathers for that matter) is virtually inconsequential when choosing any king size down comforter.

Goose or Duck Down

What is more vital as opposed to shade is our choice between duck down and goose down. This is also the place in your search that the obtainable options can have a tendency to befuddle rather than to make our choices crystal clear.. To easily simplify things, duck down is normally of lesser quality than is goose down, mainly because duck down yields smaller clusters. Smaller clusters are usually much less resistant and also need more fill in order to make up for their low fill power (lofting ability), making for a more substantial comforter. However, there is one particular glaring exception to this guideline. One of the most luxurious (and most expensive) down bed comforters is actually filled up with Eiderdown: a brown-colored down produced by a duck!

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Baffle-box or Sewn-Through Stitching

Posted in Down comforters by admin
Mar 18 2010
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Which Construction is Best For Your Down Comforter

If one didn’t already have enough to think about when purchasing a comforter – be it down or a down alternative, perhaps, in my opinion, the most important feature to consider is the design or construction of the comforter. The manner in which the comforter is constructed will actually determine how warm the comforter will be, whether there will be cold spots,and the overall general appearance.

There are two main types of design that you will most likely come upon as part of your quest for a new down comforter. These include baffle-box design and sewn-through stitching. Baffle-box design can be further divided into closed, open, and partially-open baffle-boxes. Each one have their own individual attributes; none will be really better than another. Only you’ll be able to know which will perform effectively for you.

Baffle-box construction is actually a a lot more work demanding and, therefore, are usually a more expensive option. Baffles are strips of fabric, 1-to-1 1/2 inches wide, which have been sewn in to the inside of the actual comforter and create vertical walls between the top plus bottom of your comforter cover. Baffle walls enable the actual down fill to achieve increased loft, creating a fluffier appearance as well as optimizing the down’s natural properties. This is certainly especially pertinent in heavy fill weight, high fill power down bed comforters. In the event the baffle boxes are ‘closed,’ consequently the down fill cannot shift or maybe end up being moved in between different baffle boxes. Closed, or true, baffle box bed comforters are particularly good in preventing cold spots.

Open box designs, on the other hand, do enable the movement of the down between chambers. These types of down comforters are ‘adjustable’ in the perception that the down fill might be shifted to cover specific zones more so than others. For instance, a sleeper with cold toes could position additional down over his feet and legs for added heat exactly where he needs it. With regard to bed partners with different temperature needs, an open box down bed comforter can be adjusted to help keep the particular cooler sleeper warmer as well as the other way around.

Open baffle box down bed comforters may be opened along the vertical, along the horizontal, or both equally and each way. In addition there are levels to which a down comforter’s baffles are open. Many, tend to be about as open as is actually feasible. Others, tend to be about midway between wide open and shut.

Sewn-through box stitching indicates the fact that bed comforter cover have been broken down straight into equally size squares by stitching the top part and bottom layers directly together. Sewn-through box stitching contains the down fill in unique pockets to prevent shifting of the down and to minimize cold spots. This really is an effective as well as traditional technique which translates into a typical quilted appearance. It is also a cost-effective procedure: sewn-through stitched down bed comforters are likely to be less expensive. On the other hand, sewn-through stitching may prevent the down from attaining its highest loft; plus the stitching lines themselves are essentially cool spots.

There you have it.  More points to consider.  The design which you eventually decide upon should be one that fits your individual needs and not based in any manner on another’s opinion. Choosing your comforter is an entirely personal thing – it should be geared to your needs and preferences and choosing the design of your comforter is just one of them.

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Tagged as: baffle-box, Baffles, closed baffle boxes, down comforter, king size comforter, open baffle boxes, selecting a comforter, sewn-through stitching