The Low-Down On Down Duvets

There are many types of duvet fillings for your bedding; synthetic, wool, silk, feather, down and more. Of all of these fillings down is undeniably the best choice because down is nature’s own best insulating material.

What is down?

Down is the light, fluffy undercoating that geese, ducks, and other waterfowl have to keep them warm, and it can only come from waterfowl. Land fowl such as chicken do not produce down.

Each down cluster contains thousands of filaments that intertwine with each other, growing from a central quill point without a quill shaft forming air pockets that provide natural insulation to keep cold out and warmth in.

How does down keep you warm?

Down traps a layer of air which reflects back heat. When you are lying under your duvet it is your body heat that is being reflected back. If your body gives off less heat you require more down to be comfortable. Conversely someone who produces more heat needs less down for a comfortable sleep.

Down is three-dimensional and lofts (fluffs up) allowing it to collect and insulate air within. “Fill power” is a measure of this loft or “fluffiness”. The higher the fill power, the more insulating air pockets the down has. Down quality is rated by cubic inches of fill power during a special laboratory test. A good range for a down duvet is 500 or greater cubic inches. A fill power of 600 and higher is considered excellent. Higher quality down has a higher fill power and will loft higher, requiring fewer ounces of down to create insulating warmth.

Unlike feather, down is not heavy

Lightness is a unique characteristic to down. Down duvets are lighter than other materials and require far less down by weight to achieve the highest level of warmth. Therefore, an individual will enjoy a much more restful sleep, since she is not weighted down and restricted in her movements.

What are the different types of down?

Not all down is created equal. Let’s look at 3 different types of down – Duck Down, Goose Down, and Hutterite Down.

Duck Down has a 500+ fill power rating and a 233 thread count, 100% cotton cover. Duck down duvets contain medium-sized down clusters which trap and hold warmth but still breathe so you don’t overheat.

The down in these duvets comes from China and is carefully and repeatedly washed to obtain maximum loft.

Goose Down has a 550+ fill power rating and a 260+ thread count, 100% cotton cover. Goose down is generally superior to duck down or other waterfowl down, simply because it comes from a larger bird, has less natural oils and odour. Goose down duvets contain premium large-sized down clusters which trap and hold warmth even better than duck down. The down in these duvets also comes from China and is carefully and repeatedly washed to obtain maximum loft.

Hutterite Down has a 650-700 fill power rating and a 320+ thread count, 100% cotton cover. Hutterite down is produced by Hutterite communities. Hutterites are a communal branch of Anabaptists similar to the Amish and Mennonite communities. Their waterfowl are raised in colder climates and the down only comes from mature birds, so the clusters are fully formed and able to trap the maximum amount of air. Hutterite down is twice soap cleaned rather than chemically cleaned (which does less damage to the down) and is twice sorted.

All of these features make Hutterite down the best choice for durability and warmth.

So there you have it. When you go to bed tonight think about how comfortable your duvet truly is and if you could be getting a better night’s sleep under a cozy, lightweight, and warm premium-quality down duvet.