In accordance with this standard the label shall report the following:
- The filling composition – down percentage, feather percentage
- Is the filling composed of new material? – term „new“
- The filling material is assigned to classes I to VII
- From which fowl species do the down and feathers derive from? – „geese/duck“ or „waterfowl“
In accordance with the new standard not all of the indications must be reported on the label.
- The indication of the down and feather percentage is a mandatory requirement.
- New material, class and fowl species are optional indications. However, they have to follow precise provisions. Information stated on the label has to meet the specifications stipulated in the standard.
- Colour and provenance of the filling material are optional indications which have not been specified in the standard.
Information labelled in detail:
1. Filling composition: percentage of down, percentage of feathers
The composition of a filling consisting of down and / or feathers is indicated in percentage by weight.
Example:
100 % down or
70 % feathers, 30 % down
This is a mandatory piece of information.
This is a mandatory piece of information.
With one exception (see below) the percentage content of down and feathers of a filling is stated in groups to rounded 10 % in decreasing order. The highest percentage shall be mentioned first.
Textiles are labelled in the same way (the largest percentage is disclosed first, then the other percentages are stated in decreasing order). When labelling textiles the fibre composition shall be indicated exactly in this manner (for instance: 95 % cotton, 5 % polyester). The labelling standard for down and feathers is modelled on textile product labelling which was actually an advantage to the consumers who had already been familiar with such a kind of labelling.
In the early 1990s, the European Commission ruled that a labelling regulation for feather and down fillings should be modelled on the EC council directive concerning textile product labelling.
The European directive concerning textile product labelling specifies the way the fibre composition shall be disclosed on labels attached to the products. "The percentages of the used textile basic materials shall be indicated in agreed percentages of the net weight. In fact, with textile products consisting of several fibres, the components shall be indicated in decreasing order of their aggregate percentage“" The regulation regarding fibre composition was to be transferred by analogy to the composition of the filling material consisting of down and feathers. Hence, it was claimed that the filling composition is reported on the label in down percentage and feather percentage.
An exception from the 10%-rule are blends of 85 % feathers and 15 % down – they were previously labelled as "half-down" (in Germany in accordance with the former RAL- regulation and as "feather/down”"in UK according to British standard).
The terms "new" and "class I" indicate, that the filling contains new waterfowl down and / or feathers (geese and / or duck).
Classification into a certain class already includes that the filling contains material which has not previously been used as filling maetrial. Class I containing down and feathers deriving from geese and ducks only applies to material which has not previously been used.
Experts identify new material in particular by the percentage of “other elements“ not to be confused with “foreign matter” such as wool or synthetic fibres. “Other elements“ definitely refer to down and feathers meaning down and feather fibres (small parts split off from down and feathers), damaged and broken feathers and residue.
New material is assigned to class I (waterfowl) and class IV (landfowl or blends of land- and waterfowl).
In this regard, only class I matters to the consumer.
Fillings with a percentage of other elements (broken feathers, down and feather fibres etc.) ranging from 5 % to 15 % are assigned to class II (waterfowl) and V (landfowl).
With fillings containing a percentage of "other elements" even exceeding 15% – class III with waterfowl, class VI with landfowl – the percentage of other elements shall mandatorily be disclosed on the label.
Hence, the terms "new" and / or "class I" may only be reported on the label with new waterfowl fillings with a percentage of other elements not exceeding 5 %.
The graduation of down and feathers into seven different classes is based on certain distinctive features.
1st criterion: Does the filling consist of waterfowl (goose and duck) or landfowl (chicken and turkey)?
2nd criterion: Is the filling composed of new or reprocessed down and feathers? New material is perceptible by a percentage of so-called "other elements" below 5 % (down and feather fibres, i. e. small parts split off from down and feathers, damaged and broken feathers and residue).
Only down and / or feathers deriving from goose or duck are suitable as filling material for bedding products. They are assigned to classes I to III within which only class I stands for new feathers and down.
Hence, class I which is most suitable for duvets and pillows signifies "new down and/ or feathers deriving from goose and / or duck."
Thanks to the question "waterfowl or landfowl?" the classes can be divided into two large groups:
Thanks to the question "waterfowl or landfowl?" the classes can be divided into two large groups:
Classes I to III are limited to waterfowl (goose or duck).
Classes IV to VI refer to landfowl and blends of landfowl and waterfowl. Class VII stands for "unspecified compositions".
In each group "new material" is on top of the list (with a percentage of other elements not exceeding 5 %). Hence, new material is on top of the list within the group of "waterfowl" (classes I to III) and therefore classified as class I. In the group "landfowl" new material is assigned to class IV.
| Percentage of other elements (%) | Classification | Components and composition | |
Waterfowl fillings (Goose and duck) |
up to 5 | "class I" and / or "new" | Down ...% Feather ...% |
| more than 5 to 15 | "class II" | Down ...% Feather ...% |
|
| more than 15 | "class III" | Down ...% Feather ...% other elements ...% |
|
Fillings consisting of landfowl or land- and waterfowl |
up to 5 | "class IV" and / or "new" |
Down ...% Feather ...% |
| more than 5 to 15 | "class V" | Down ...% Feather ...% |
|
| more than 15 | "class VI" | Down ...% Feather ...% andere Elemente ...% |
|
| "class VII" | (unspecified composition) |
Predominantly down and feathers from geese and ducks are significant for bedding products. In accordance with EN 12934 they may also be labelled waterfowl down and / or feathers.
However, if down and / or feathers from goose and / or duck are labelled instead of just “waterfowl down / feathers“, the respective percentage of goose and duck down / feathers has to be indicated as well. Hence, "pure goose down / feathers" signifies that the filling contains a percentage of goose of at least 90 %. The fowl species is an optional label information. If the fowl species is disclosed, it shall be labelled in accordance with the following chart:
| Percentage(s) Composition | Denominations | |||
|
100
0
|
to to |
90,0 9,9 |
Goose
Duck
|
pure Goose |
|
89.9
10.0
|
to
to
|
70,0 29,9 |
Goose
Duck
|
Goose |
|
69.9
30.0
|
to
to
|
50,0 49,9 |
Goose
Duck
|
Goose / Duck |
|
69.9
30.0 |
to
to
|
50,0 49,9 |
Goose
Duck
|
Duck / Goose |
|
89.9
10.0
|
to
to
|
70,0 29,9 |
Goose
Duck
|
Duck |
| 100 0 |
to
to
|
90,0 9,9 |
Goose
Duck
|
pure Duck |
Accordingly, the addition “pure“ is only permitted with a percentage of the fowl species of at least 90%.
Quelle
Verband der Deutschen Daunen- und Federnindustrie e.V.
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