Sometimes the good is so close. While it was common in earlier decades to use a cozy duvet made from down, bedding made from synthetic fibers has gained acceptance in the last twenty years.
But slowly a rethink is taking place. Because people are increasingly longing for original materials and want to feel that they are in good hands, especially in the bedroom, the trend is declining again. Classic bedding with a down filling is becoming increasingly popular. The special feature: down duvets and down pillows are not only natural, they also create an inimitable feeling at night.
Here you can find out what you need to know about the revival of soft down feathers and whether a down bed is also suitable for you.
Down or feathers – what exactly is such a duvet filled with?
Many providers use the terms synonymously and thus suppress an important quality feature. Because it makes a big difference whether the blanket is filled with feathers, down or a mixture of both. In order to understand this, one has to know the respective materials.
Feathers:
The bird feathers lie close together along the entire surface of the body. They are the outer part of the plumage, give the animal contour and help in flight. In the middle is the rigid keel. The smooth feathers are so important for the animal because rain and moisture simply roll off them.
At a glance: springs are stabilizing and shaping.
Down:
The down feathers are egg-shaped and consist of a three-dimensional tuft of short, finest hairs. You don’t have a keel. As a fluffy, heat-insulating layer, they are voluminously formed under the animal’s smooth feathers. Thanks to their fluffed shape, they cover the body almost all around.
Down has a temperature-regulating effect: in summer it protects the bird from heat and in winter from cold.
At a glance: Down is breathable, temperature-regulating, moisture-regulating, insulating and weight-neutral.
Therefore: High-quality blankets are filled with down
Down is perfect for insulation, it regulates temperature and is naturally breathable. They absorb and store human body heat. Conversely, they dissipate excessive heat or moisture (sweat) to the outside.
So they naturally ensure an individual sleeping climate in bed. Cold or too high temperatures and sweat have no chance. High-quality blankets are therefore 100 percent filled with down feathers. The fine sub-springs create a real feel-good atmosphere within the plumeau.
Important:
But one thing you have to know about a blanket made of down: The soft down feathers have hardly any dead weight. This has the advantage that you can snuggle up under such a blanket without the top blanket lying heavily on it. Even in summer you can cover yourself completely with it, but still feel free and carefree underneath.
For some sleepers, however, the lightness of the plumeau is irritating. Quite a few people find it very comfortable to wrap themselves in a slightly more handy blanket. You enjoy the feeling of being literally “covered”.
The solution: blankets with down and feathers
So if you want the climatic advantages of a down comforter, but are looking for a comforter with a little more weight, you should use a combination of both materials. Compositions with a ratio of 90 percent down and 10 percent feathers have proven successful.
Important: Even if it is a mixture of two types of feathers, it is still commonly referred to as a down comforter.
From the duck or the goose – which feathers and down are better?
Many manufacturers explicitly point out that they only use the raw material from ducks or geese. You have to know that ducks’ feathers and down are slightly smaller. Whether a real difference in quality can be derived from this is controversial.
Many producers vary the fillings and create a sophisticated mix of both types of feathers. After all, a knowledgeable producer immediately recognizes which down can be combined with one another to give the product the desired properties. In this respect, one should rather pay attention to the proportions in which down and feathers were used than to compare the two animal species with one another.
What else do I have to pay attention to?
Whether pure down or a combination of down and feathers – the bird feathers must always be enclosed in a cover. Breathable cotton fabrics, which support the functional properties of the feathers, are nice.
The cover fabric
A distinction must be made here again: Because down has no keel, it can be encased in extremely thin woven textiles. Such duvets are ideal for people who are prone to night sweats and want a moisture balance. The finer the blanket, which is already breathable, the drier it stays underneath.
However, if there is a certain amount of feather inside, the fabric must be woven a little thicker. Otherwise a hard quill could slip through the mesh here and there. The higher textile weight consequently ensures that the blanket is a little heavier then.
The quilting
So that the down and feathers do not pile up in one corner of the blanket, high-quality bedspreads are subdivided several times. With the special cassette quilting, it is possible to work several symmetrical sections into the ceiling. This means that the down feathers stay in place. There are no dreaded “down nests”.
First-class bedding is characterized by the fact that so-called bars are worked into the surface. This means that some fabric is sewn in under the respective quilting. This is to prevent a cold bridge from forming along the stitching. The height of the bar ensures that the blanket keeps you evenly warm everywhere.
