Down Buying guide & Comforter Care Information

How to choose a Comforter A Comforter’s Fill Power In layman's terms this means how fluffy-puffy is fill power. Higher fill power means your down comforter will last longer. Fill Power = the space of one ounce of down occupies in cubic inches. 700+ = superb quality comforters 600+ = excellent quality comforters 500+ = good quality comforters How are Comforters Fill Power tested? New American 2000 Standard Testing. One ounce of down is placed in a cylinder and stirred.The loft is
measured in cubic inches. The sample is compressed. The down is left alone to “rest” for 24 hours. After the resting period, the down is re-measured. The down remains undisturbed and should regain it's
original loft within 72 hours.
Comforters-Thread Count-Barrier Weave fabric The comforters thread count is the number of threads that are contained in one square inch of fabric. Higher thread counts in a comforter's fabric mean it is lighter and softer. The tightness of the weave also prevents leakage of the comforters fill to the outside air. The lightness also helps the fill to " loft"- or "puff up" in
layman's terms. The Comforters Downproofness is measure in millimeters. Lower numbers mean better down proofing. The industry standard in '10'. An air porosity test (how much air can pass through a fabric) is a measure of "downproofness". Higher thread counts are obviously better. In other words- no little feathers poking through the comforters fabric.
Comforters Cleanliness This cleanliness is a primary variable in determining the hypoallergenic nature of some down comforters. Some comforter fills are washed as many as fifteen times to get rid of dust, dirt and organic matter. There are two "cleanliness" tests in the industry. (a). A Oxygen test determines the amount of organic matter left in the material being tested. The industry acceptable standard is 10. Better products have lower numbers than that. (b). Turbidity tests. Turbidity is a measure of suspended solids, dust, dirt etc suspended in the comforters material. The scale goes from about 60 (unwashed feathers) to 700 best. ComfortersConstruction, 3D Baffle Design Comforters Sewing Quality. Better sewing means more durability, less tendency for sewing to break. Comforters are generally sewn through or baffled. The baffling is an internal fabric wall which allows the fill to "loft" more. It also adds strength to the comforter. Comforters which are sewn through are generally better for lighter weight comforters only. Our comforters come in different patterned baffles.
ComfortersPiping A comforter can be made with material sewn around the edges. The piping is the type of material that runs around the entire exterior edge of the down comforter.
Comforters Weight A comforter can be made warmer in two ways. Fill power and weight. Clearly the aim is to get the maximum warmth at the lightest weight. To get this you would choose a higher fill power number. Feathers are a great deal less warm than high grade down. Once you have selected the fill power then add weight for extra warmth

Comforters Down (Goose and Duck) A Comforters down is harvested during the natural Molting process from farm raised geese. Goose down is also the by-product of the worldwide poultry industry. The biggest difference between goose and duck down is odor. Goose down has little to no odor.

Down vs. Feathers in Comforters Down is used for insulation and loft in duvets and pillows and feathers are used for bulk and durability for featherbeds and some pillows. Sometimes these are mixed to create a firm, durable product. The more down in the mix, the fluffier and more expensive the comforter or pillow is.

What is Down?

Down is the light fluffy coating that protects birds from the elements. Feathers have quills and are two dimensional. Down, on the other hand, is three dimensional and has no quill. In every pound of feather there are only four to five ounces of down. Pound for pound, Down is nature's most efficient insulator. Down is warm, yet light. It takes 14 wool blankets to equal the temperature control of one down comforter.

The US government states that a product can not be labeled 100% pure Down. In fact the law regulates that a product may be labeled Down if more then 75% of its contents contains down clusters. This does not mean the remaining 25% is feathers. It just means that 75% is PURE Cluster and the remaining can be BROKEN CLUSTERS. When Down is processed every effort is made to sort and separate Down and Feathers - however no manufacturer or retailer can say that a product is 100% pure “Down” - short of having someone use tweezers to pick out minuscule feathers within a 'Down' mixture.

How Do We Get Down?

Feathers and Down come to us as raw materials. By processing our own feathers and down, we maintain control over their quality.

First, the feathers and down are thoroughly washed and rinsed 10 times to remove all contaminants. This extra washing and rinsing insures the cleanest and highest possible fill power. Then the feathers and down are sent to the dryer where they are quickly and thoroughly steamed dried to create pure and lofty down.

Next, they go to the separator, which uses the forces of air and gravity to segregate the feathers and down into chambers by size. At this point the feathers and down are graded and evaluated. Natural Comfort processes the finest down to be used in bedding, furniture, and apparel. Quality control checks in our lab and through independent labs regulate both the fill power and the oxygen content of our down.

Processed down is blown and sewn into comforter shells and the finished product is again checked for quality.

What is Hypo-Allergenic Down?

There are two terms in the feather and down industry that are very important to the concept of "Hypo-Allergenic" fills. The first is oxygen content, the second is Turbidity. Both of the terms refer to the cleanliness of the fill. The cleaner the down and feather, the less likely an allergic reaction will occur. To get a clean fill; you carefully wash and rinse the fill enough times to remove virtually all the dirt and dust.

So why don't most of our competitors do this? Because it takes extra time and money to really clean the fill, and most competitors are more interested in hitting price points than delivering clean, high quality products.

How are our down comforters different?

All of our feather and down fills are exceptionally clean. With our soft-n-fluffy Down, we take an extra step in the cleaning process that sets it far above the competition. After going through our normally extensive washing, the down is placed into a containment chamber that sanitizes the fill at a temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. To complete the process, we place the fill into an ozonation chamber that eliminates odors and bacteria for a super clean, hypo-allergenic product that is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than regular down and feathers.

Care and Storage of Your Comforter

Comforters are easy to care for and are designed to last night after night and year after year.Here are some tips on caring for and maintaining your product and ensuring your product lasts for many years:
* Use a DuvetCover If used with a duvet cover, your comforter will only need to be cleaned every three to five years. Also, with a duvet cover, you won't need a top sheet, blanket, or bedspread. Making your bed will be a flip and a fluff!
* Professionally launder your comforter every three to five years Down actually washes well, but the size of comforters makes it more sensible to leave the cleaning to a professional.
* Fluff your comforter when you make your bed By providing a steady flow of air your down will continue to loft.
* Store your comforter in a breathable bag. Avoid storing comforters in plastic bags, which may trap in moisture and cause the fill to mildew.

Supportive Pillow Construction
Dual Chamber
The two-piece inner chamber is surrounded by an additional two layers of plush down. These pillows offer excellent support by conforming to the shape of your head and neck. The Supreme and Legend pillows both feature this design.
Pillow-in-pillow
A dense core stabilizes the outer pillow filled with soft goose down. See our Classic and Ultra pillows.
Traditional
This pillow is completely filled with goose down for reliable support and comfort. See our Deluxe pillow.
Which pillow is right for how you sleep?
Softer: If you sleep on your stomach or back, you'll probably prefer a softer pillow.
Firmer: If you sleep on your side, you're better suited for a firmer pillow.

MAINTENANCE

Few simple rules are enough to keep your Danish Duvet for a long time and in good shape - Shake the duvet every day in order to renew the inner tubes, turn it over and air it at leat a couple of times a week, but do not expose it for a long time to the sun; during the rainy season you can place it close to a heating source
- Before making the bed it is good to wait ten or fifteen minutes to allow the duvet to get rid of any humidity it has absorbed from the body during the night; in fact down is hygroscopic.
- It is recommended to use a duvet cover that delicately contains the duvet, protects it from frequent washing and protects its covering fabric. It is preferable not to tuck the duvet around the mattress.
- When putting away the duvet during period of non use, it is sufficient to put it in its cotton bag; do not conserve it vacuum packed nor in a plastic bag that would prevent air from passing and the natural transpiration of the duvet.
- Do not use a vaccum cleaner on the duvet; if it should be necessary to remove small spots use a wet, well wrung sponge and let the treated part dry.
-It is not necessary to use moth killers: the duvet has already received a careful treatment.

WASHING

Our duvets can be safely washed in water, but the constant use of a duvet cover that completely covers the duvet consents the washing of the duvet every five or six years and/or generraly when you feel that the volume is diminishing.

WASHING AT HOME

If you have a big terrace or a garden where you can put the duvet to dry in the air you can wash it at home, preferring the beginning of the summer season, when the days are already warm, but with a low quantity of humidity. Place the duvet in a tub with plenty of lukewarm water and neutral liquid soap - like detergent for wool - without phosphates or bleach products. The duvet then has to be thoroughly rinsed, withot adding softening products, in order to eliminate any remaining soap; after having slightly squeezed it, hang it to dry in the air, with the tunnels horizontal, in the shade. In order to dry it perfectly you have to shake the duvet frequently to move the contents in order to redistribute the down and avoid that stains form on the fabric. Drying the duvet without a dry take approximately seven days

WASHING AT DRY CLEANERS

If you do not have the possibility of washing the duvet at home you can contact a dry cleaner that you trust remembering that the duvet is not to be dry cleaned, as dry cleaning will cause the down to lose its natural fat and consequently lose its elasticity. There is also the risk of chemical substances remaining and harming the stuffing. Make sure that the dry cleaner has a very big washing machine; the washing is done as mentioned above; lukewarm water, liquid neutral soap and careful rinsing. The temperature for drying in a dryer must be 60/70 degrees C. (After having picked up the duvet from the dry cleaner and before putting it away, air it for at least a couple of hours to consent the down to get rid of any humidity absorbed at the dry cleaner's).

It is crucial that the duvet is completely dry before putting it away