Down and Feather

DOWN

Down is the best insulating material in the world and is also very good at regulating heat and moisture in duvets. Generally speaking, down quality is dependent on the raw material: healthy adult birds produce better quality down, which has a better insulating capacity and lasts longer.

DYKON only uses down and feathers from waterfowl – ducks and geese.

DYKON has its own feather washing facility, giving them control over the entire process. This guarantees that you will get a product that is exactly what it says on the label.

Duck feathers and down are the most widely used type of filling. DYKON is the only manufacturer in the world to use down and feathers from ducks raised in Denmark.

Down is the layer of light fluffy clusters that is the undercoating, closest to the skin of ducks, geese and other waterfowl. They are three-dimensional in that each cluster resembles the head of a dandelion that has gone to seed. These down clusters act as insulation and are protected by the outer layer of feather. The down has a thermal quality that keeps the birds warm in the winter. The waterfowl will pluck down from itself to insulate their nests in the spring, which in turn cools the bird for the warmer seasons to come.

The finest, largest and strongest down comes from geese and ducks that live in certain regions of the earth where there is a great variation in the day and night temperatures. The birds have developed the ability to keep warm when it is extremely cold, and also so to be comfortable when it is very hot; all with the same plumage.

The best down comes from fully-grown birds. The best possible treatment and nourishment of these birds ensures the best qualities with bearing capacities right up to 13 – from geese

Birds that come from warm regions are not treated so well and are also slaughtered at a very young age. This does not give very good down and feather strength. What little strength there might be in the product, disappears very quickly when in use. This poor quality down is mostly used in cheap products.

It is the very great differences in the quality of feathers and down that give the very great differences in price for the finished quilts and pillows.

FEATHER

Feather is the principal covering of birds. They are two-dimensional in that they comprise of a quill shaft running down the centre from which a series of fibres are joined on either side. They do not heat nor do they cool the bird. Feathers make up an external coating, which protects and keeps the down dry.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOWN AND FEATHER

Quite simply: ‘Down’ insulates, whereas ‘Feather’ shields against moisture.

How does Down insulate so well?

Down cluster s intertwine to form a natural wadding that traps the heat that your body generates. Every ounce of quality down consists of approximately 2 million filaments that interlock and overlap. This creates a protective layer of still air that keeps warmth in and cold out. 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. However, if the down is mixed with feather (which has no thermal quality other than from sheer weight) the insulating power may be drastically reduced. This is Mother Nature’s way of offering you a variety of mixtures to suit individual needs. Hence, a higher percentage of down fill will always provide a greater thermal yield.

WHICH WATERFOWL BIRDS HAVE THE BEST DOWN?

Quality down is always harvested from ‘adult’ birds. Fibre length is indicative to the down’s ‘sticking’ capability. The ‘sticking’ quality of down defines how tightly the down clusters weave together. The tighter the natural weave, the better the down will be able to trap body heat.

Down from the neck and upper chest areas of waterfowl is superior to down from other parts of the bird.

Eider Duck Down

The warmest down today comes from the female Eider duck, and is the lightest and most insulating raw material in the world. The Eider duck migrates back and forth to the most northerly parts of the globe annually. In order to survive the extreme temperatures associated with their migratory paths, the down that this small duck produces is the warmest of all down fills. So much so, that in the mid part of the 19^th century this duck was sought after to the brink of extinction. Today, the Eider duck is registered as an endangered and protected species. Only a limited quantity of Eider down is available to our industry annually, as the down may only be harvested off the ground after the nesting season has come and gone. The down is collected from the nest once the eggs have hatched, after which it is cleaned and graded manually. Eiderdown is a very exclusive material and a limited source on the global market.

Also known in many parts of the world as ‘sticky down’, the clusters have unusually dense cores and the fibres cling very tightly forming supremely efficient, natural thermal wadding. Eider down is always associated with extreme temperatures.

Siberian Goose Down

Siberian Goose Down is next in line. There are various qualities of ‘Siberian’ down. The ultimate ‘Siberian’ down is taken from the neck and upper chest areas of the birds that have been given the opportunity to mature. Pure Siberian goose down is a comfortable and affordable alternative to Eider when looking for that extra natural warmth and silkiness.

Moskus Down

Then comes our Moskus Down. The Moskovy ducks are not members of the mallard species and this is reflected in their biological make-up. Their oil glands are underdeveloped making this bird lean and meaty. Renowned for its palatable qualities this duck is considered a delicacy worldwide. Muskovy down is a designation for down with properties similar to eiderdown i.e. it has more curl and greater cohesion. It’s down is superior to most other duck down as the fibres that make up the clusters are long and with little human intervention (tumble woven), interlock well to create superior insulation which is considered as ‘the next best thing’ when compared to the Eider and Siberian goose down.

The Muscovy duck is known by and sold under the name Barbary duck. Muscovy down from DYKON comes from genuine Pyrenean Barbary ducks.

Goose Down

Our Goose Down: There has been a lot of discussion as to which country produces the best goose down. Whether the geese origins are Canadian, Hungarian, Siberian…etc.. it is important to know that when selecting a type of goose down fill, to keep in mind that there are a few factors that should be taken into consideration. It is not the country of origin but rather the 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. Goose Down is a common and highly efficient thermal down. Being a fairly large bird, the down clusters are large in size and intertwine well in order to capture, store and reflect the heat that your body generates. Although it’s natural weave is inferior to that of the Eider, Siberian and the Moskus, Goose Down is still a most respectful, comfortable fill that offers a very high degree of natural warmth.

Goose down is generally larger than duck down, as geese live for longer.

Broadly speaking, European down is better than Asian down. The size of the down is dependent on the bird’s age, development and treatment, with quality varying widely.

Duck Down

Our Duck Down is the least thermally efficient of respectful waterfowl down. This is attributed to the fact that the Duck is simply a smaller bird and produces smaller sized down clusters. It is important to point out that although this is true, we do emphasize that the down from ‘mature’ ducks will provide a higher thermal yield than down form ‘immature’ or young geese.

Ducks provide the most cost efficient thermal down. Although it’s natural weave is inferior to that of the Eider, Siberian, Moskus Blend, and Goose, Duck Down is still a most respectful, comfortable fill that offers a high degree of natural warmth.