A down comforter is a comforter
that is stuffed with goose down. Down is the soft inner plumage of a
goose. It is not the goose feather which has a quill shaft. A down
comforter is unique in that it is lightweight, luxurious and keeps you
warmer than most other comforter materials.
How a Down Comforter Works
The fluffiness of a natural
goose down comforter creates many air pockets that keep the temperature
touching your body from escaping into the room. Additionally, the down
comforter breathes, allowing moisture to dry out over time. Synthetic
materials tend to keep moisture in which results in a sleep experience
that is less than optimal.
Buying a Down Comforter
There are many factors to consider when choosing a down comforter,
below are a few of the main terms you should know:
- Fill Power - The fill power, or the number of cubic inches
that an ounce of down takes up, is the industry indicator for down
quality. Typically a standard down comforter has a fill power of around
500 and a top of the line white goose down has a fill power of over 700.
Remember that fill power doesn’t mean stuffing the comforter with more
down. It is the volume that the same amount of down would take up. In
essence, a down comforter with high fill power should be lighter,
fluffier and warmer that one with a lower fill power.
- Thread Count - The thread count tells how tightly woven the
fabric is per square inch. A high thread count keeps the down comforter
soft while keeping the down from falling out. Look for thread counts of
above 240.
- Baffled Down Comforter - To keep the down inside the
comforter from shifting to one side or the other, baffles or vertical
fabric walls are sown into the comforter. These baffles typically form
“boxes?to evenly distribute the down. Look for down comforters with
baffles.
- Hypoallergenic - Most down comforters that you buy from
reputable companies are hypoallergenic. They process for washing down is
quite advanced these days. However, there a few people who are allergic
to the down itself.
Remember that when you are buying a down
comforter, figure out how warm you need it based on the climate that you
live in. That should determine how much fill you need in the down
comforter. Another thing to remember is to distinguish feather filled
covers with down comforters. If you squeeze a down comforter, you should
never see quills sticking out. If you do, you are not looking at a real
down comforter. You should also invest in a down comforter cover to
protect the down comforter. It is much easier to wash a cover than the
wash the down comforter.
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