Filling

It is still a widespread misconception that down- and feather-filled bedding articles are not suitable for house-dust-mite allergy sufferers.

The appropriate blend depends in particular on the individual need for warmth when asleep. Nowadays, most people usually prefer a high percentage of down.

 

Lightweight down provide best fill power values and a high degree of thermal insulation. With a higher percentage of feathers, the weight of the duvets increases, because feathers are heavier than down.

 

Due to large fill power values down are capable of being able to keep the body warm without much weight, that is to say the bulking capacity.

Down and feathers must be filled into a tightly woven, but at the same time breathable shell. The shell must safely prevent the filling components (for instance parts of down and feathers) from penetrating the fabric. Furthermore, it shall support the properties of the filling materials such as regulation of humidity and breathability.

 

On the other hand, no parts from outside (e. g. skin scales or house dust mites) should get into the filling.

In the separation process down and feathers are sorted with the aid of air which is blown into a special sorting machine consisting of three or four chambers. The airflow generated in the machine achieves that due to gravity the single components fly different distances. The lightest components fly the longest distance and the heaviest elements fly the shortest distance. Correspondingly, the lightest parts, i. e. the down, fly the longest distance and get into the posterior chamber whereas the heaviest parts, i. e.

The raw down and feathers must be processed before they may be used as filling material for bedding articles.

First of all, the raw down and feathers are cleaned of coarse dirt. Then they are placed in special washing machines and undergo 6 to 8 washing cycles using a specific detergent suitable for bedfeathers.

Fill weight defines the weight of the filling (fill mass) of a bedding product as for instance a duvet or a pillow.

The fill weight is not identical with the total weight as the weight of the textile cover, the shell, also has to be added to it.

 

In general, a higher fill weight means a higher degree of insulating capacity. Then again, the duvet should not be too heavy, burden the sleeper but adapt optimally to the body. That is the reason why down duvets are so popular: Down are very much lighter than feathers.

Fill power has nothing to do with filling weight. It defines the bulking capacity which means the ability to expand back to the original volume after having been exposed to pressure.

In a wider sense, waterfowls are bird species whose habitat is especially contingent on waters. In relation to bedding products, only ducks or geese are regarded as “waterfowl”. Only their plumage is suitable as filling material for bedding products.

 

In the area of bedding products, especially chicken and turkeys are understood as landfowl (also “pawing poultry”). Their feathers – they do not posses any down – are not suitable for bedding products due to their small filling power.

 

Poultry characterises “those bird species which are kept as livestock as well as pets (domestic poultry) […]”

(translated from: Brockhaus Studienausgabe, 2001, 20., revised and updated edition, volume 8, p. 230).
 

Down and feathers offer excellent insulating properties due to their capacity to “fluff up”. This property is also referred to as “fill power“ that is to say the capacity to unfold the largest possible volume again and again at the same time imbedding millions of insulating air pockets.
 

Goose and duck feathers have a curved elastic shaft, the so-called quill.