People who have allergies and asthma can safely use genuine down duvets
Allergy and Asthma sufferers do not have to deprive themselves of the luxury and comfort of feather and down filled products. The chances are that you are not allergic to feather and down itself, but you do probably suffer from an allergy of the natural oils and bacterial compounds found in these fills that have not been cleansed properly. Perhaps you may suffer from some of the chemicals commonly used in efforts to eradicate this problem. The result of the Ringsted Dun unique cleaning process ensures a top-hygienic product that is safe for people suffering from allergies and asthma. Only the highest of standards are practised by the manufacturing facility and are Oeko-Tex 100 and 1000 certified.
DUST MITE ALLERGY ('NOMITE' Certification)
All products are 'NOMITE' labelled. The 'NOMITE' brand assures that all bedding displaying the mark is safe for people suffering from house dust mite allergy. Down and feather filled products provide a poor habitat for the house dust mite which relies on high humidity to live, and the tight weave of the down-proof fabric works as a barrier, preventing the house dust mite from penetrating the fabric. Denmark, to have been granted the acknowledged Oeko-Tex 1000 certification.
'NOMITE' Label
The 'NOMITE' label guarantees that house dust mites cannot penetrate the fabric of the product, enabling people suffering from the dust mite allergy to enjoy fully the warmth and comfort of down and feather filled products.
THE OEKO-TEX STANDARD
People around the world are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues and textile production is of particular concern as harmful substances historically present in many textiles can affect human health and the environment. As a result, textile producers are successfully designing products using ‘environmentally friendly’ working methods to produce safe products that are not a risk to the customer.
The Oeko-Tex label is an internationally registered mark.Once products have successfully met the criteria of the standard and the producer has issued a “declaration of conformity”, a 12-month licence is granted enabling the producer to use the mark.
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is a human-ecological product label that ensures down and feather filled products of the highest quality possible.Customers can be confident that products are regularly tested during production for chemicals and dyes that are hazardous to health or the environment.
All Ringsted Dun products (both fabric and fill) are certified according to the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which is the most rigid environmental control system in the business.
The Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 was developed upon the requirement of ‘environmentally friendly’ textile production sites to document independently that certain environmental measures are undertaken and a certain level is achieved.This Standard has a special regard for textile companies that have already certified their products according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100.
Ringsted Dun was one of the first quilt manufacturers in the world, and the first in Denmark, to have been granted the acknowledged Oeko-Tex 1000 certification.
The DOWNAFRESH® Label
The Downafresh® label is a special labelling system developed for European manufacturers of down and feather filled products. It also guarantees a clean product of a very high quality. To be more specific, the filling must come from a Downafresh® European manufacturer.
Ringsted Dun was one of the first quilt manufacturers in the world, and the first in Denmark, to have been granted the acknowledged Oeko-Tex 1000 certification.
QUALITY CONTROL
Ringsted Dun have developed a unique feather and down processing system that ensures the highest level of quality and cleanliness of fill. Each stage of production in the feather-processing and manufacturing factories has a quality control inspection to maintain and ensure the highest standards and specifications; only products meeting this quality are allowed to leave the premises. certification.
ETHICS
All fills are by-products of the poultry industry only. With the exception of the Eider duck, which has been declared an endangered and protected species since the 1950's, the quality down and feathers are harvested only from mature ducks and geese that are slaughtered for nutritional purposes. The commitment by Ringsted Dun to endorse ecological and manufacturing practices is a primary issue and is further certified by Oeko-Tex 1000.this quality are allowed to leave the premises.
DOWN PRODUCTS
The warmth of a finished down product will vary depending on the type of down used, the construction of the shell and the type of fabric used to encase the fill. Down from mature birds will always be of better quality and this is reflected in the 'fill power' measure of the down. Duvets with natural fillings are light in weight, soft to feel and very comfortable. The weight of a duvet is very much down to personal choice, some preferring a heavier weight, others wanting the lighter touch. Duck down duvets are heavier than Goose down, but the Goose down offers the same level of warmth, though lighter in weight.
There is a lot of discussion as to which country produces the best goose down. Whethere the geese originate from Canada, Hungary, Siberia, or elsewhere, it is important when selecting a type of goose down fill to take a few factors into consideration. It is not the country of origin but rather to global latitudes of origin that will provide a better indication of how much warmth the down will provide. Geese from more northerly areas will produce a down with greater thermal qualities. Being a fairly large bird, the down clusters are large in size and intertwine well in order to capture, store and reflect the heat your body generates. Goose down is a common and efficient thermal down that offers a high degree of natural warmth.
Duck down is the least thermally efficient of waterfowl down due to the fact that the Duck is simply a smaller bird and produces smaller sized down clusters. Ducks provide the most cost efficient thermal down offering a high degree of natural warmth.
What is FILL POWER?
The 'fill power' of a duvet refers to its insulating properties. The better the duvet, the higher the 'fill power'. A high 'fill power' means that the filling is light and lofty and a good insulator because it contains a lot of air. It is the air contained in the filling that keeps out the cold. 'Fill power' can only be measured in natural fillings.
What is TOG?
The Tog value that appears on feather and down filled product labels is an indication as to the measure of warmth or insulating value. It is derived from the metric unit commonly used internationally for all types of insulating materials. The Tog value of duvets is measured on a Tog-meter.
Which TOG is right for me?
Down duvets are warm because they trap heat radiating from the body. The higher your metabolic rate, the more heat your body generates. Tog is simply a measure of how efficiently the duvet retains body-generated heat. The higher the Tog, the more heat is retained. When choosing duvets, many people think that the higher the Tog, the higher the quality of the duvet. This is not true. Also, many people think that the higher the Tog, the heavier the duvet. This is not true either. A high quality natural down duvet will be much lighter than a synthetic one of the same Tog value.
Your choice of Tog should be governed by bedroom temperature, how warm you like to be and how much heat your body generates in a typical centrally heated house. Other factors, such as age and physical condition, will help you to determine your needs. Since good quality down traps and reflects the heat your body generates, it is important to know that every person is unique when it comes to selecting an appropriate Tog rated product.
PLEASE NOTE: Tog is being superseded by new European regulations (for natural filled quilts only). Under the new European Norms (EN 12934), duvets will be labelled according to the percentage content of down and feather. Tog values will be dropped from 'sewn on' labels in the near future and replaced by the EN12934 'comfort temperature range'.
TEMPERATURE COMFORT RATINGS
There has been much controversy around the world over the years as to how to calculate accurately a reliable and suitable 'Temperature Comfort Rating' for bedding. Tog was introduced in an effort to satisfy this need, but when dealing with the various types of down and feather fills, the Tog-meter's assessment is confusing and lacks accuracy.
A person's ultimate comfort is achieved by providing a thermal balance that will allow the body to rest comfortably for an 8-hour period. After multiple studies from around the world, the Temperature Comfort Rating has been calculated with the 'average' person in mind and is therefore intentded for use as a guideline in selecting a duvet that is more suitable for personal comfort.
Personal Factors
Environmental conditions: The bedroom temperature is a fundamental factor in evaluating your primary needs. If the room's humidity levels are high, the thermal capacities of down will dwindle.
Metabolism: The higher the metabolic rate, the greater the heat output. Down traps and reflects this heat, depending on the construction and design of the duvet.
Gender: On average women are generally colder than men by approximately 5°C.
Age: The older a person is, the colder they are. This is simply due to the slowing down of metabolism with age.
Fitness: A heavier person has more natural insulation than a thinner one.
ENSURING PRODUCT CONFIDENCE
Ringsted Dun was amongst the first companies to be certified under the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard since 1994 and the Oeko-Tex 1000 Standard since the year 2000. The 100 Standard certification ensures that neither the textile nor the filling contains chemicals that may be harmful to people or nature and covers not only the textile case containing the filling, but also the down and/or feather fillings (see Oeko-Tex standard above).
