Frequently Used Terms in the Construction of Down Bedding

Knowing how to buy and care for down and feather bedding products will give years of comfort and service, as well as enhance room decor. The following information will help you to make an informed decision when purchasing down and feather bedding products.

Down is a product of waterfowl. Land fowl such as chickens and turkeys do not produce down. Down comes from the chest area of the bird, and does not have quills which makes these feathers highly valued. The acquiring, cleaning, and manufacturing of the finished product is lengthy. Because down is a natural fill product it is breathable, durable, resilient, and light weight, making it an excellent investment is sleeping comfort. Goose down is the ultimate insulating barrier between your body and the temperature your sleeping in.

When choosing your comforter a higher thread count is desirable. Thread count is determined by the number of threads that are in one square inch of fabric. Higher thread count means the comforter is lighter and softer. Generally the higher the thread count the less little feathers poke through the comforters fabric.

Frequently down products are referred to as having "loft," which essentially means how fluffy the product is. Two major factors contribute to the loft of the comforter.

· First is the ratio of down to feather. Feathers do not loft nor do they have fill power. A lot of feathers prevents the down from lofting as fully as possible.

· The second factor that contributes to loft ability is the size of the down clusters. Goose down ias larger clusters giving it advantage over duck down.

Fill power measures how fluffy the comforter is. A high fill power means maximum warmth at the lightest weight. It also means longer lasting. Fill power is measured by the number of cubic inches occupied by 1 ounce of down. Higher fill power is means more puffy.

· Superb quality comforters will have 800 + fill power and will last a lifetime.

· Excellent quality comforters will have 700 + fill power, and with proper care will last many years.

· Good quality comforters will have 600 + fill power.

Baffle design construction means there is less tendency for the stitching to break. The comforters are sewn through or baffled which allows the fill to loft and add strength to the comforter. The baffles allow the down to move in the boxes, but help prevent the down from shifting which allows the body to maintain even temperature.

When choosing down bedding products, consider that most of us spend 1/3 of our life in bed. Properly cared for your down comforter will give many years of exceptional comfort. To make the bed of your dreams, snuggle up with the comfort of down.