Down
& Feather 101
Introduction (Back to Top)
Buying natural bedding products involves many decisions that
can be quite overwhelming at times. With all the variables
involved in natural fill bedding, it can seem like the options
are endless. Yongfeng down has put together several important
topics to help you understand what to look for when buying
natural bedding.
History
of Down & Feathers (Back to Top)
Many generations ago, some very clever entrepreneurs discovered
that they could keep warm during the cold seasons by using
a naturally occurring insulator found on waterfowl, such as
geese and ducks. By cleaning and sanitizing the down and feathers,
they can be used as an insulator for bedding, as well as apparel.
Because down and feathers are a by-product of meat consumption,
the geese and duck are mostly found in Europe and Asia, where
they are more commonly eaten.
What
is Down? (Back
to Top)
Down is the light fluffy coating clustered beneath the feathers
of waterfowl that protect them from the elements. Most down
can be found on the belly of geese and ducks, as this is the
part that is exposed to water and must keep the bird warm.
Down is a three dimensional cluster with thousands of tiny
fibers, but no quill. In every pound of feathers, there are
only four to five ounces of down. As nature's most efficient
insulator, down is warm, yet light and lofty. It takes
14 wool blankets to equal the temperature control of one down
comforter. Additionally, down has the marvelous ability to
breathe, lifting away perspiration so you don't experience
the clamminess which often occurs with synthetics.
What
are Feathers? (Back
to Top)
Feathers have quills and are two-dimensional. They are the
rigid plumage found on the outside of waterfowl, and can range
in size from 5 cm to several inches. Smaller feathers are
often used in bedding products such as feather beds, decorative
pillows, and various feather and down blends. In bedding,
feathers do provide some insulation, but are mostly used for
support.
Duck
vs. Goose (Back
to Top)
Although all birds have some feathers and down, virtually
all down and feathers are harvested from geese and ducks.
Geese, which are larger birds, generally have bigger down
clusters. As a rule of thumb, the larger the bird and the
colder the climate in which they live- the larger the down
cluster and the higher the fill power of the down. High quality
down can be found in both ducks and geese, as the age and
climate of bird from different parts of the world dramatically
effects its quality. Duck down and feathers are generally
less expensive than goose down and feathers for two primary
reasons: It's perceived in the U.S. bedding market as slightly
inferior in quality to geese, and the worldwide supply of
duck far exceeds that of geese.
Grey
vs. White (Back
to Top)
Down and feathers can come in various shades ranging from
pure white to black speckled grey. Typically, the industry
has placed a premium on white feathers and down due to its
ability to visually blend in better when filled into white
bedding products. American perception has also reinforced
this premium on white down over grey; however, there are many
grades of grey down that rival the best white down, as color
of the feathers and down has no relevance to its quality.
Additionally, a newer trend abroad is that consumers are favoring
lighter colored bird meat and this is causing white down to
become more available than in the past.
Buying
Raw Down & Feathers (Back to Top)
About 65% of the world's production of feather and down comes
from Asia, with the remaining source being mostly Eastern
Europe. Generally, farmers sell the birds for their meat,
and the down and feathers brokers will buy the raw merchandise
to be sold to feather and down processors around the world.
Supplies of goose and duck feathers and down are usually in
greater quantity around the Chinese New Year due to consumption
of the birds meat by consumers in Asia. Down supplies act
like a commodity that is sensitive to supply and demand not
only from down bedding manufacturers but also by down apparel
and sleeping bag makers. Supply and demand rises and falls
with consumer and manufacturer needs and can not be estimated
with any reliance.
How
are Down & Feathers processed? (Back to Top)
After the unwashed feathers and down are procured, they must
be washed and processed for use in bedding and apparel. First,
down and feathers are sent through huge washing machines that
wash and rinse the raw goods to remove dirt, oil, and bacteria.
The fill is then dried and sorted in large separating machines
based on quality, feather size, etc.
Fabrics
Used in making Down & Feather bedding (Back
to Top)
Down and feather bedding can be made using a variety of fabrics
for the outer material known as the 'shell' or 'tick'. Typically,
cotton is used because of its ability to easily wick moisture.
Most fabrics used in down and feather bedding are bought in
China due to their quality and the volume of textile mills
and processing facilities there. Some of the finer shells
are bought in Europe using German-milled fabrics but they
are typically 3-4 times as expensive as their Chinese counterparts.
Shells can
be made from using numerous fibers (cotton, rayon, silk) and
weaves (Jacquard, Dobby, Damask, Sateen, Twill). The most
important thing is that the surface facing the down and feathers
is down proof. This is performed using a combination of these
methods: making the weave very dense, applying a special surface
agent, or calenderizing.
The shells
can also have additional surface interest (decoration) by
several methods:
- Yarn-Dyed
Fabric (The individual yarns are colored as a whole before
weaving)
- Piece-Dyed
Fabric (The fabric is colored as a whole after weaving)
- Prints
(The fabric has a pattern printed on top after dyeing and
weaving)
- Embroidery
(The application of yarn, thread, or floss to a fabric)
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to visit the next section - Down &
Feather Testing. |
