Fillers for down jackets: which is better. Duck down in a down jacket: warm or not Insulation 80 down 20 feather temperature range

Sintepukh

• environmental friendliness and hypoallergenicity,
• the material does not absorb odors, does not accumulate dust;
• high wear resistance, it does not collapse;
• antibacterial, microorganisms and fungi do not live in synthetic fibers;
• breathability, provides ventilation
• resistant to deformation, the original form returns after compression, stretching;
• water resistance, fibers quickly evaporate moisture after wetting, but even wet they retain heat-insulating properties;
• tolerates washing well, does not shrink;
• in care, down jackets on sintepuhe are well washed in typewriters.

Spray-bonded cotton wool is an environmentally friendly, safe material. On the label of a down jacket or jacket, it is indicated as follows: spray bonded wadding. It is made from natural cotton and cotton wool. It is soft, wear-resistant and breathable material. By technical properties This filler is close to bio-fluff. It has a high quality of thermal insulation, does not cause allergies, does not give in to rotting and corrosion, does not crumple, and has air permeability. Be sure that microorganisms, moths and other insects will not start in the spray-bonded cotton filler. Spray-bonded wadding will not climb through the seams and roll into clumps. It will help you withstand the most severe frosts.

Down jackets are the most popular clothing for the cold season. Despite their lightness, they perfectly warm, protect from the wind, and are indispensable in winter rain or snowfall.
The advantages of down jackets largely depend on their filler. Synthetic fibers are used for insulation in clothing.(holofiber, tinsulate, isosoft, sintepukh, etc.). Another option is to use natural materials (wool, down, which is often supplemented with a feather).
When choosing a product, you need to take into account the properties and qualities of various heaters.
We will tell you what duck down insulation is, whether it is warm, how many degrees it keeps warm.

Characteristics of duck down

Down fillers are made from the down of waterfowl: eider, swan, goose, duck.
Duck is one of the most common materials. Manufacturers refer to it frequently. But how good it is for owners of down jackets, we have to figure it out.

Advantages

A rather small downy feather of a duck has a number of obvious advantages.

• Due to its naturalness, it environmentally friendly.
• duck down attracts with its lightness.
• Filler spreads well inside clothes. Small fluff size allows you to evenly fill the interior space down jacket so that even small areas free of fluff remain in the clothes.
• In a down jacket made of such material, a person feels comfortable. After all filler retains heat well.

Reference. In such down jackets, even small children do not freeze during long walks at temperatures down to minus 25 ºC.

disadvantages

Compared to other waterfowl ducks cover their feathers with a rather large layer of fat. It is secreted from the sebaceous glands of the bird and is necessary to protect its feathers in contact with water.

Reference: the fatty layer of duck feathers is larger than similar protection in other birds: eider, swan, goose.

This feature leads to negative features insulation.

Difficult and expensive cleaning

Due to this feature, before using it as a filler, needs to be cleaned more thoroughly than other feathers. In this case, strong detergents are used. They are able not only to wash off the greasy layer, but also get rid of the smell.
But the complexity of the cleaning process increases the cost of production of insulation.

There is another disadvantage of such cleaning: the period during which the fluff plays a warming role is reduced. Which means shortening the lifespan of clothing.

The weight

The fat layer also affects the weight of the down, making it heavier. So jackets with such insulation are heavier than products with other contents.

Care

When washing in the machine the contents of the jacket may clump. And after washing her would need long time for complete drying products.

Advice: If you need to wash a product filled with duck down, put a few tennis balls in the washing machine drum or in the pockets of your clothes. This will prevent lumps from forming.

Features of the filler down / feather

Very often, manufacturers produce warm clothes, the insulation of which cannot be called completely down, since a feather is added to it.
It adds volume to the product, and also reduces its cost.

Label designations

You can find out what was used for the insulation of a particular jacket. from the information on the label.

• Inscription down points to downy content products.
• Word "feather" indicates that a mixed type was used, made with feather additive.

In addition to the indicated text inscriptions, the label has numbers. They are written as a fraction. This is the percentage of two components.

• At the top (numerator) presented down amount.
• From the bottom of the fraction (denominator) you can find out how much feather was added to the insulation.

For example, if the label says 70/30, this means that the filler of the down jacket is 70% down, and the remaining 30% is feather.

Optimal ratio

Having received information about the jacket, you need to evaluate it. To do this, you need to know which combination will provide warmth.

Reference: Increasing the feather percentage makes the down jacket less warm.

• In order not to freeze in winter at a temperature up to minus 25 ºC, you need to select products in which feather takes up no more than 20% (80/20).
• Residents of the districts with harsh winters need to find model in which the pen is even smaller: 10% (90/10).

Having information about duck down, you can decide whether a down jacket with such insulation will suit you or not.

With the advent of cold weather, just in time, you think about the question of how to choose a down jacket. And how can you do without this warm and light outerwear if you are young and active, prefer a jacket that does not hinder movement, and dress in a sporty style?

Well, it's time to go shopping. Just first think carefully - on what grounds are you going to choose a down jacket?

The main thing when choosing a down jacket for the winter is the filler. In Russia, for some reason, any jacket equipped with insulation is called a down jacket, even if it is of artificial origin. But the amount of heat that this jacket is able to retain directly depends on the degree of naturalness of the filler.

We have selected the most important tips how to choose a down jacket for the winter:

1. If the tag says English word down(fluff) - everything is in order, in front of you is a down jacket that has full right be so called. In addition, next to the most often there is the word feather, that is, a feather, because jackets from one fluff are very rare. Pay attention to the percentages of these two components of the filler. For cold edges, it is recommended to purchase a truly warm jacket, i.e. 70% down and 30% feather. If your winter is warm, or you don't plan to spend much time outside, or you have a fur coat, then you can choose a down jacket with a ratio of 60/40 or 50/50. By the way, they are cheaper. If you are going to use a down jacket for outings in nature or skiing, choose the warmest jacket, 80/20.

2. Not going to wear synthetics? So, immediately refuse products that have the designation on the tag polyester, cotton or wool. Under the guise of a down jacket, they are trying to sell you a jacket on cotton, batting or synthetic winterizer.

3. Down should be stitched in even small blocks. Ideally, the sections do not exceed 20x20 cm. In larger ones, the fluff falls off and deprives you of such necessary protection from the cold. Inside each block, the fluff should be evenly distributed. Feel the jacket and make sure there are no lumps.

4. For a city dweller who is not fond of skiing, a single-layer down jacket is quite enough. And there are also two-layer ones - they store heat better and let the cold through more slowly.

5. The filler should recover easily and quickly after compression. Therefore, it will be useful to check. Squeeze a part of the jacket in your hand, then let go abruptly and observe - did the fabric quickly straighten out? There is more reliable way: check the tag, the compression ratio should be indicated there, it is denoted by the letters F.P., that is fill power. On a quality down jacket, you will see the number 550 or more.

6. When trying on a jacket, make sure that the feathers do not pierce the fabric. If you feel tingling, walking in this down jacket will be very uncomfortable!

7. And again we look at the label. Look for the designation DIN EN 12934 - it indicates the quality processing of down. This means that the down and feathers are properly washed, dried and sanitized before being filled into the jacket.

The most important thing - the "stuffing" - we checked. But there are still other details that also affect the quality of the jacket.

The accessories should be strong and reliable, ideally, a bag with spare buttons or buttons is attached to the jacket.

- The seams on a high-quality down jacket are even and strong, without threads coming out. The lining is also stitched, which does not allow fluff to fall off.

The cuffs of the sleeves, the bottom of the jacket or the belt at the waist should be in the form of an elastic band - this ensures that no cold will sneak under the down jacket.

It is very good if the down jacket has a detachable hood and fur trim. This will facilitate the process of washing or cleaning. Even better, if the product is equipped with a "undershirt" - a knitted "second jacket" without sleeves, which can also be unfastened.

A high quality product must be supplied with a small bag containing a sample of fluff. That's what all self-respecting manufacturers do.

If you cannot find the information you need (country of origin, cleaning methods, down to feather ratio, etc.) on the label, stop buying! Such a product is definitely not of high quality.

How to care for a down jacket

But now, finally, all the stages of a captious check have been passed, you are convinced of the quality of a down jacket, you have bought yourself reliable protection from the winter cold. Now, in order for the jacket to be worn as long as possible, it is necessary to properly care for it.

Wash should occur at temperatures up to 40 degrees, in the gentle spin mode. Do not soak down jackets! Their exposure to water should be brief. Drying a down jacket on a battery means ruthlessly shortening its life. Experts advise drying the jacket unfolded, in a ventilated room or on a balcony. You just need to lay out the down jacket on a thick terry towel and wait until the towel absorbs all the moisture. From time to time the jacket needs to be turned over.

Detergents for washing a down jacket should be selected carefully. Special powders and liquids have antibacterial properties, do not allow microorganisms to multiply in the fluff, and prevent decay. If you want your down jacket to not absorb water and remain just as warm and cozy, do not be stingy with the purchase special means to wash it. We also advise you to spend money on buying a water-repellent spray, which you need to spray the down jacket after each wash - then even the rain will not be able to spoil your pleasure from walking!

These care rules are quite simple, and the pleasure of buying a branded down jacket will last at least 5 seasons. So - go ahead, to the store, for such a fashionable, beautiful, warm and comfortable down jacket!

Very soon, the vast expanses of our Motherland will be covered with snow and a bitter frost will come, but we still have a little time left to choose and purchase the best option for protection from the cold. What is the warmest, lightest, most beautiful and practical piece of winter wardrobe that is the most popular today? Everyone knows the answer, well, or almost everyone, is it a down jacket or just down jacket.

Down jackets today are littered with all the counters: from clothing markets to showcases of expensive boutiques. Customers can choose from a huge range of down jackets for every taste, color and wallet, of any manufacturer and design. But there is a huge difference between a real down jacket that will keep you warm and comfortable all winter, and that “bag of feathers” that is often brazenly sold to us under the guise of a down jacket. So, so that you don’t become a “miracle in feathers” and waste your hard-earned money, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our guide, where we will try to briefly but concisely analyze all aspects of choosing and acquiring a truly high-quality and practical down jacket.

So, a down jacket is an item of outerwear, a jacket or coat designed to be worn in the cold season. To protect the body from the effects of low temperatures, only natural down and feathers of waterfowl are used as a heat-insulating filler (eider down and down of geese grown at low temperatures in the northern countries and the Siberian part of the Russian Federation are especially valued). The surface of the down jacket is made of light, durable and breathable fabric (membrane), the seams must be taped for better tightness and thermal insulation. For uniform distribution of down over the volume of the jacket, it is placed in special down bags, separated from each other by sealed seams. The design of down jackets should provide maximum protection against heat loss by the human body. Some down jackets can provide warmth even in frosts down to -85 ° C. The first down jackets appeared in the 16th century in Norway and were stuffed with eiderdown, but it is officially believed that Eddie Bauer, an American designer and founder of the Eddie Bauer casual clothing brand of the same name, received a patent for a modern classic down jacket (parka) in 1940.

The main advantages of down jackets include excellent heat-insulating properties with low weight, ensuring air exchange without heat loss, thanks to the properties of membrane fabrics, versatility and practicality, durability with proper care, all kinds of design.

Perhaps the only drawback of down products is their rather high price. But we must not forget that the optimal time for the "life" of fluff is calculated for a period of 7 to 10 years, and with proper care for it, even twenty. Synthetics will last you only 3-5 years. It follows that down is more than twice as durable as synthetics, which is why it costs more.

Some of our sellers and buyers mistakenly believe that a down jacket is a generalized name and that any jacket with a heater that is similar in design can be called that. It's a delusion. Which, by the way, is used by not quite clean-handed businessmen. Down jackets use only natural down, any synthetic analogue turns a down jacket in an ordinary jacket with insulation.

A real down jacket will become an indispensable winter thing for you and will delight you for many years, but in order to choose the “right” down jacket, you need to know the fundamental points. We tried to collect the main practical tips and we really hope that they will help you choose and purchase the perfect down jacket.

1. Down(down), the most important thing in a down jacket. The principle of thermal protection of down is simple - it creates an air gap between the body and the external environment. Air is a poor conductor of heat and the actual air layer created by down is the main heat insulator. And how well the material holds this very layer is an indicator of the quality of this insulation. It is well known that the down of waterfowl (primarily goose down) as a thermal insulation is an unsurpassed material: it is light, airy and perfectly retains a large number of air. But fluff fluff is different. It can be large, small, caked, airy, rotten, etc. etc. and the properties of a particular batch of fluff depend on these parameters. There are many parameters, but when it comes to thermal insulation properties, to evaluate them all over the world, such an indicator of elasticity as Fill Power is used, which reflects the ability of the fluff to recover after compression - this is the main indicator of the quality of the fluff. Elasticity is determined as follows: take 1 ounce of fluff, compress it, remove the load and determine to what size the fluff has recovered. In a good down jacket, the Fill Power value should be at least 550, its best performance reaches 950 units.

• up to 400 - poor quality fluff.
• 400 - 450 - medium quality fluff.
• 500-750 - excellent quality fluff.
• 750 and above - down of exclusive quality.

The meaning of using goose down with high rate Fill Power is as follows: a heat insulator in clothing is essentially an insulating air gap of the same thickness, called loft. Down with different Fill Power can produce the same loft at different weights. So, for example, using 550 insulation requires 40%-50% more weight than using 800 down to create the same degree of insulation. The Fill Power indicator is a generally accepted indicator of the quality of down stuffing and for any quality down jacket this indicator is indicated on the tag or label, so when choosing a down jacket, pay first attention to this indicator.

Down jackets use down mixed with feathers, the "golden ratio" is considered 80% down (down) and 20% feather (feather), in down jackets for extreme conditions, this ratio can be 90% down and 10% feather. The description indicates through a fraction, for example - 80/20. A larger percentage of the feather indicates the low quality of the down jacket and such a down jacket will not warm you in cold weather, and the hard feather rods will come out, piercing the fabric.

2. Down jacket weight, speaks about the quality of the filler and the product as a whole. After all, another clear advantage of down as a winter clothing insulation is its lightness. For example, the regular men's down jacket 550 Fill Power weighs less than 1 kg, and the extreme jacket from The North Face, a model called Supernatural, with a Fill Power 950, weighs only 370 g (!) and is designed for high-altitude climbing. In addition, natural down is so soft that it allows you to move freely without restricting your movements. The use of membrane fabrics and various elements can significantly increase the weight of a down jacket.

3. Material the outside and the lining must be waterproof, because the down is highly hygroscopic and it easily accumulates moisture and requires quick drying. If this is not done, it may simply deteriorate. Also, the material must be durable and waterproof. With all this, it must have breathable properties, i.e. provide air exchange without heat loss. All these properties are possessed by modern membrane materials, this is a type of fabric that, due to its special structure, has water-repellent or windproof properties and at the same time passes water vapor through itself. Manufacturers of such fabrics call them differently, but they have the same principle, the most famous membrane is gore-tex.

Synthetic materials with special impregnations are also used, which provide all the qualities necessary for down jackets. In the description, fabrics with water-repellent impregnations are indicated as DWR (Durable Water Repellent).

Fabrics are very popular with manufacturers Ripstop with a special reinforcing structure due to the weaving of nylon threads into the thickness of the main fabric. While maintaining lightness, the strength of such a fabric is comparable to the strength of a parachute fabric.

4. Construction down jacket, a very important condition when choosing a real, high-quality product. It is the design that allows you to distribute the fluff as efficiently as possible and ensure the optimal heat / weight ratio. In most down jackets, the inner and outer fabric of the down jacket is simply sewn together, forming sections, and each section is filled with down. A huge disadvantage of such down jackets are the cold seams between the sections, through which a huge amount of heat is lost. Such down jackets are called single-layer and they will warm you only in frosts down to -10 -15 C °. big role plays the size of the down sections (packages), their size should not exceed 20 cm, otherwise the fluff will simply fall off at the bottom of the package and all the qualities of the down jacket will be reduced to zero. If you want to buy a down jacket for severe frosts, then some features of their tailoring should be taken into account. Such down jackets are called two-layer, due to the fact that the upper part of the down jacket is practically separated from the down lining, and at the joints it is stitched through an intermediate tape - a “warm” seam. A design is also used when the down bags themselves have two layers - outer and inner, and they are offset relative to each other and overlap the outer seams. Such down jackets are able to retain heat in extreme frosts down to -30 to -70 ° C.

The main zipper on a down jacket should have two-way fabric protection to prevent heat loss. At chin level, the zipper should be protected by a fleece insert. Zippers on pockets should also have external protection. To keep the neck warm and the wrists not cold, warm collars and cuffs made of materials such as Polartec or knitted fabric should be provided in a real down jacket.

5. Temperature rating. When choosing a down jacket for yourself, ask yourself the question - at what lowest temperature will I wear it, how much time will I spend on the street, how to get to work or place of study? After all, for residents middle lane Russia and the inhabitants of Siberia, mother nature has prepared completely different conditions winter period of the year. To facilitate the selection of down jackets based on the outside temperature, some manufacturers of down jackets (and other winter clothing and footwear) use a so-called temperature rating. This value is usually indicated in the description of the down jacket on the labels, and shows that the manufacturer guarantees comfortable conditions at a given temperature below zero.

But not all manufacturers provide such data. For an approximate definition of this indicator, you can use the binding to the Fill Power value. Clothing that uses down Fill Down 550 or Fill Down 600 Designed primarily for daily use at temperatures down to -25 C°, this down is already an excellent quality down and creates a good degree of insulation. down jackets Fill Down 700 have a lower weight of the product and are comfortable in them up to -25 -30 ° C. Exclusive Down Fill Down 800- allows you to achieve a very high ratio of heat / weight and is used to lighten clothing and achieve the highest degree of comfort in frosts down to -35 ° C and below.

6. Style downy products do not differ in variety. For men, it is preferable to choose classic parkas (parka) and voluminous bomber jackets (puffer, bulk), for women, along with unisex parkas and women's jackets, elongated down coats (coat) are very popular. For people living and working in conditions of extremely low temperatures, as well as for travelers and hunters-fishermen, down suits are sewn, consisting of a jacket and trousers sewn together. The choice of the style of a down jacket must be approached with all responsibility, since, first of all, a down jacket is designed to protect against the cold, and not to walk on the catwalk. Remember that a down jacket for frosts from -15 ° C and below must necessarily cover your lower back and have a hood, so a classic down parka with a hood is the best option. Otherwise, diseases of the genitourinary system and kidneys are guaranteed. When choosing a down jacket for children, also consider the degree of protection of the child's body, only you are responsible for the health of the child.

If in winter you prefer to travel by car, then you should take into account that down jackets are quite bulky, and it is problematic to drive in long women's down coats.

A distinctive feature of the "parka" jacket is the fur trim on the hood. Some manufacturers only use natural fur- coyote, red and black-brown fox, raccoon, while others are content with artificial counterparts because of the rhetoric of societies for the protection of animals. The fur trim has not only a decorative function, but a purely applied one - protecting the face from the frosty wind. Pay attention to the parkas of the Eskimos and their fur hoods - these tough guys know a lot about winter clothes.

Before buying, carefully measure your dimensions and compare with the size chart ( size chart) of a specific brand. Also pay attention in the description to the product to fit things fit - regular(go size to size) slim(skin-tight), relaxed(loose fit, oversized for a size or more).

7. Choosing a manufacturing company quality clothing with the use of down is of paramount importance. We advise you to give preference only to well-known and proven clothing manufacturers with a rich history in the field of down jacket production, focusing on the development and production of down jackets for low temperatures, with good reviews about product quality. Companies that are committed to the use of natural and safe materials, but keep up with the development and application of innovative approaches in production, with a wide range and adequate prices.

Of course, today almost everyone more or less famous brand has downy products in its collection, but this clothing is not very suitable for use in our conditions and has a more decorative, design role. From hundreds of manufacturers, we offer you to choose from time-tested and severe winter conditions: Canada Goose, Pajar, Bask, Bogner, Joutsen, Hallie Hansen, Peak Performance, Fjallraven, The North Face, Marmot, mountain hardwear, Patagonia, Columbia, Jack Wolfskin, Lands" End, LLBean, Eddie Bauer, cabelas, Woolrich, Parajumpers, Moncler, Haglofs, Halti, Rossignol. As you can see from this list, most of the companies represented are from the Nordic and Scandinavian countries, where they know what real frost is.

8. The price of a down jacket, ranges from $120 for a simple down jacket to $1,000 and up for luxury brand down jackets. An adequate price for a good down jacket of a famous foreign brand will be the amount of $200-600 depending on the materials used and subject to purchase on well-known Internet sites in the USA and Europe. Of course, the same down jackets can be found in Russian retail, but then prices will have to be boldly increased by 2-3 times. And at all sorts of sales and seasonal discounts, an excellent down jacket can be purchased at huge discounts for only $100-250, not to mention eBay.com and Amazon.com with their truly amazing opportunities snip off wonderful things at ridiculous prices.

Well, buy down jackets for $ 1000 and more from fashion couturiers, for whom appearance is of paramount importance over the main property of a down jacket, it is a purely individual matter. The main part of the price tag here is the payment for a high-profile brand. Often, such down jackets are simply categorically not suitable for use in harsh climates, as they are created by designers from France and Italy, where the climate is much milder.

Here we will not consider Chinese-Turkish consumer goods for $ 50 -100 with a "swing" under Moncler and Canada Goose, wagons offered on the Chinese sites Aliexpress.com and Taobao. It is foolish to assume for such a price to get real goose down, at best it will be chicken, at worst - cotton wool. After all, downy raw materials undergo special processing: they are cleaned of fat and dust, undergo veterinary and radiation control, are treated with special antibacterial and water-repellent agents, and only after that they are allowed to produce downy clothes and it is simply impossible to imagine that for all those millions of down jackets that are inundated with our markets and shops, there was so much goose down!

9. Where can I buy a real down jacket? There are 2 answers to this question: in the near future mall or in a foreign online store. We advise you to direct your eyes towards the second option, because there are at least 6 huge positive points when buying a down jacket abroad:

• Adequate prices due to very strong competition (similar down jackets in our stores are offered at a price one and a half to two times higher, and the price for the luxury segment simply reaches cosmic values, there is no need to pay rent and staff salaries to our sellers, there is no customs fee clearance and duties, no VAT). Plus honest discounts up to 30-70%!
• It is far from always possible to buy goods in a company store or from an official dealer of a particular brand. There are not so many of them so far with us, and those that are are mainly located in major cities. It's much easier to do this online. On the site of each trademark you will find a list of company stores and official dealers incl. and on the Internet.
• Confidence in the authenticity of the goods (the ability to purchase goods directly from the manufacturer, and large foreign online stores value their reputation very much and will never sell you a fake, which cannot be said about our dealers, who, even in a respectable shopping center, can easily slip Chinese Woolrich, Moncler or even Canada Goose for $1000.
• A huge selection of manufacturers, models and sizes is available for you to choose from without having to leave your home.
• There is always an opportunity to find reviews and reviews about the product from ordinary buyers.
• The goods can be returned or exchanged without any problems (without going through the 7 circles of hell)

Perhaps the only sensible manufacturer of down jackets in Russia is the Bask company, whose down jackets can be purchased at the Bask.ru online store. In any case, you should pay attention to Russian Bask down jackets.

Important note: If a large foreign online store offers you to choose a regional site, for example, in Russia, then be sure to compare prices before choosing. Many foreign stores believe that only millionaires live in the Russian Federation and significantly increase the price tag. The images show two women's down jackets for the winter 13/14 season from the official Moncler online store, offers for Russia and Germany (the price tag is the same for the rest of Europe). Comments are superfluous.

Screenshot from Moncler.com

Where to buy down jackets online

In the official online stores of manufacturers. But here a "surprise" may await you, because. far from all such stores accept payment from residents of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and offer international delivery, and even at an affordable price.

• Bogner (Germany)
• Fjallräven (Sweden)
• Hally Hansen (Norway)
• Haglöfs (Finland)
• Halti (Finland)
• Jack Wolfskin (Germany)
• Moncler (France)
• vest– sleeveless down vest

Insulation(goose down, duck down, 550-850 Fill, 80/20, 90/10, 60/40) - insulation (goose, duck down, the value of the elasticity of the down, the ratio of down and feather in%).

body liner(Lining) - lining material.

Shell- the cloth, top coat down jacket, both from natural and synthetic fabrics or mixtures thereof.

• membrane- multilayer membrane fabric, has a high density and weight, can have different brand names - Gore-Tex, HyVent, etc.
• DWR treated/covering - coating the upper fabric with a waterproof composition.
• ripstop- fabrics with a special reinforcing weave structure.

wind proof(block wind) - windproof.

Waterproof- waterproof.

Hood- hood.

Cuffs(soft, rib-knit inner) - cuffs (from the inside with a soft, knitted insert).

Detachable(hood, ruff, skirt, fur) - removable part (hood, collar, skirt, fur).

Adjustable(hood, gaiter / throat, cuffs, cord waist & hem) - adjustable / tightening parts (hood, neck, cuffs, drawstring at the waist and along the bottom hem).

Fur(natural / genuine or faux) - fur (natural or artificial), as an element of decoration.

Zipper(external, internal, two-way) - a zipper (outside, inside, in both directions), give preference to YKK locks.

VELCRO closure - Velcro

Pockets(external, internal, security, hand warmer, dual entry, zip-off) - pockets (external, internal, secret, for warming hands, with double access, with a zipper)

fit(regular, slim, relaxed) - fit, cut (regular, tight, loose fit - usually oversized).

Bulky- voluminous, baggy.

Overall length- the total length of the down jacket.

Weight(light, medium, heavy) - weight (light, medium, heavy).

wash(machine or hand) - washing (machine or hand).

Quality down jackets can last more than a dozen seasons if properly cared for. No supernatural care conditions are required, just try to keep the fluff in the down jacket from getting wet, and if this happens, dry it as soon as possible. It is necessary to store a down jacket in a straightened form on a coat hanger. Read care labels carefully!

Pay special attention to the washing process. We will give some practical tips for washing in the washing machine.

1. For washing, we set the most soft and delicate program.
2. Be sure to fasten all zippers and buttons
3. Use special liquid detergents for down jackets
4. A washing temperature of 30 degrees Celsius is sufficient
5. Turn on the extra rinse mode for better rinsing of the powder.
6. Minimum spin speed: when wet, some down jackets become very heavy and the machine simply cannot cope with the spin. In this case, it must be pressed manually.
7. Place 3-4 tennis balls in the washing machine drum.
8. The down jacket is dried in a straightened form in warm and sunny weather on the balcony or bathroom
9. During the drying process, periodically fluff the down jacket, straightening the fluff.
10. After complete drying, you can put the down jacket again in washing machine together with 3-4 tennis balls and turn on the spin mode (no wash and no rinse). The centrifuge with balls should beat the filler a little more and make the clothes more voluminous.

Reading time: 6 minutes

Down-feather filler is one of the types of natural fillers, consisting of a mixture of down and feathers of birds - domesticated (goose, duck) and wild (eider, swan, wild duck). Down grows in the plumage of only waterfowl, it protects them from low and high temperatures, that is, from cold and overheating.

The plumage of birds is divided into primary and contour feathers and down. Flywheels are never used as a filler. Contour (upper torso) select only the most fluffy. The feather has a rigid core (awn), under it lies fluff (the lower part of the body), which forms a “layer” and prevents the feather from coming into contact with the body. The down does not have an awn like a feather, but only a core, from which beards extend with processes that interlock with each other and give the down a rounded shape.

Production

The total number of processing steps and operations that the fluff goes through is about eighteen.

• The first stage is the cultivation of waterfowl.
• Fluff is collected from a live bird in a certain period.
• After collection, it is weighed and the quality and degree of humidity are determined, then it is dried, dust-free, sorted and down-feather mixtures are made.
• Then these mixtures are washed in machines with special detergents, squeezed in centrifuges to a moisture content of 45-50%, and fed to dryers, where they are finally dried with hot air (at a temperature of 80-120 degrees). Sometimes hot steam cleaning is used.
• With the help of a fan, the fluff is fed into the collection and pressed into bales.

All raw materials must be tested, veterinary certificates are issued for it. If the fluff comes from disadvantaged areas where bird diseases occur, it undergoes mandatory disinfection.

Categories and properties of down and feather filler

The most expensive type of filler is the one in which the most fluff is 99-100%. It is called Exclusive Quality down and has the following properties:

• very durable;
• has low thermal conductivity - the fluffs are in contact with each other and create air gaps, a barrier is formed that does not allow heat or cold to pass through;
• hygroscopic - able to absorb a large amount of moisture and evaporate it into environment;
• has a very low weight - light and delicate fluff in comparison with all other fillers, including synthetic ones, has the best ratio of mass and warmth;
• breathable - provides good circulation of air currents;
• non-felting - fluffs do not fall off, as they are very strong, flexible and resilient.

When a feather is added to such a filler, the category is reduced. Filler with a down to feather ratio of 95% to 5% belongs to the Premium category, 70% to 30% - to the Highest category, 50% to 50% - to the First, 30% to 70% - to the Second category.

The more feather added, the worse the properties of the filler. If a small or crushed feather of a dead bird is added to it (as a waste meat production), will have a higher thermal conductivity, low hygroscopicity, greater weight and stackability. It also needs to be treated with chemicals.

FEEL POWER

There is a special indicator of the quality of down-feather filler - the FEEL POWER index (the higher the better).

It shows how resilient the down is and how it can bounce back after being compressed.

If the index index is 750 and above - this is down of exclusive quality, it is collected manually and only in spring from the chest part of the bird, which is constantly in selective conditions.

An indicator below 400 indicates a very low quality of the filler, such fluff was collected with dead bird.

The degree of elasticity also depends on how many degrees the insulation effectively protects against cold. For example, duck down in a down jacket with a high FEEL POWER index will provide comfort up to minus 30-35 degrees and even lower.

Raw materials

Gaga

The most valuable is the down of the northern eider bird, which lives in the arctic climate of Iceland (eiderdown is also collected in Canada, Denmark, Finland and Norway). It is collected by hand directly from the nests. She plucks it out of herself to warm her offspring with the warmth of her skin.

All subsequent stages of processing are also carried out manually, since the fluffs have the highest degree of adhesion, and in the product being filled they form a dense elastic layer that does not change shape during operation. Products with eider down are incredibly light, airy and warm. This type of filler is the highest quality and most expensive.

Goose feather

Next comes goose down, which is also divided into categories. The most valuable is the white goose, followed by the grey. Its quality depends both on the breed of the bird and on the habitat: the more severe the climate in which the goose lives, the higher the quality. Canadian is the best. Next come European breeds: Hungarian, Italian, North German and others.

The down of birds living in harsh conditions, but migrating for the winter to countries with a warm climate (Turkey, China, Germany) is of lower quality.

Duck

In addition, duck plumage has a specific smell and requires additional processing. Down of the Canadian duck of very high quality.

White duck down is considered a universal insulation. Interestingly, the raw materials for it are collected from nests, since this type of duck is listed in the Red Book. Birds prepare nests for their chicks by lining its bottom with fluff, which is plucked from the abdomen and chest. They cover the laid eggs with the same fluff.

Chicken feather as filler

Has only a feather. It is used for the production of goods of the lowest price segment.

Manufacturers

The best producers of such a filler are Canada and Hungary, and products using down and feather raw materials are Canada, Europe (Germany, Hungary) and the Scandinavian countries. The main exporter of the highest quality eider down is Japan.
In Russia, for a long time, raw materials were produced from the down of a dead bird, so it was of low quality and inexpensive, then gained popularity (high-quality and cheap).

Application and care

Down-feather mixture is used as a filler for those products that have the purpose of insulation. These are winter outerwear (down jackets, jackets, coats) and bedding (blankets and pillows).

clothing

For men's, women's and children's down jackets and overalls, the down is additionally treated with water-repellent compounds. Usually use a filler of the Highest category (70/30%). Such clothes are very light, but well protected from winter frosts.

Modern down jackets are sewn in such a way that fluffs and feathers do not crawl out through the layer of the upper fabric. To do this, the filler is placed in special fabric bags, additional cushioning fabric is used, and the seams with which the product is quilted are treated with special compounds. So that such a down jacket does not let the cold through in the places of stitching, the packages are overlapped.

Thus, a down-filled suit has the following pros and cons. Their main advantage is lightness, durability, low thermal conductivity of down. However, natural insulation requires additional and special care, it can cause allergic reactions.

How to care for a down and feather down jacket

It is recommended to give the down jacket for cleaning, but it is also allowed machine wash with liquid detergent on delicate mode. In order for the fluff not to stray into lumps, three tennis balls are put into the washing machine.

You should not wring out and dry the product in the machine, you need to let the water drain by spreading the down jacket on a horizontal grid or grate. Then dry with a fan or hair dryer.

Bed dress

And with such a natural filler, they are very light, soft and warm. They keep their shape well, do not fall off. It is recommended to fluff the pillows with your hands every morning (not in the evening).

Care

For such products, dry cleaning in specialized institutions is recommended. You can wash it yourself in the machine at a temperature of 40-60 degrees. Wash only high quality products. In cheap filler is more fragile and can be damaged.

Bedding . Much depends on the country where the raw material was produced, but there is no such information on the label.

Visually, the quality can be checked by pressing on the product and seeing how soon it restores its shape. If high-quality raw materials were used, the shape is restored by 50-70% in 15 seconds, and completely - after 2-3 minutes.

Service life

Clothing and blankets filled with goose down can last up to 20 years. But bedding (pillows and blankets) is recommended to be changed every few years (or cleaned once a year), as they absorb all the substances that are released through human skin.

Thanks to modern technologies feather filler is a very high quality and environmentally friendly material. With proper care, products with it will last a very long time.