Down comforters are not created equal,
although they might appear that way to the uneducated consumer.
There are several important variables to consider when choosing
a down comforter.
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INFO LINKS |
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Comforters Overview - view all comforters sold by AllergyBuyersClub.com
Comforters Comparison Chart - a comparison with pluses and minuses
of all the best comforters
All down comforters - a quick description of features and prices
of the down comforters sold at AllergyBuyersClub.com
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A Comforter's Fill Power
In layman's terms this means how fluffy-puffy is the fill. Higher
fill power means your down comforter will last longer.
Fill Power =The space one ounce of down occupies in cubic inches.
800+ = superb quality comforters
700+ = excellent quality comforters
600+ = good quality comforters
How are Comforters Fill Power tested?
American Standard Testing. One ounce of down is placed in a cylinder
and stirred.The loft is measured in cubic inches. The sample is
compressed. The down is left alone to “rest” for 24 hours.
After the resting period, the down is re-measured. The down remains
undisturbed and should regain its original loft within 72 hours.
Comforters-Thread Count-Barrier Weave
fabric
The comforter's
thread count is the number of threads that are contained in
one square inch of fabric. Higher thread counts in a comforter's
fabric mean it is lighter and softer. The tightness of the
weave also prevents leakage of the comforters fill to the
outside air. The lightness also helps the fill to " loft"-
or "puff up" in layman's terms. The comforters downproofness
is measure in millimeters.
Lower numbers mean better down proofing. The industry
standard in "10." An air porosity test (how much air can pass through
a fabric) is a measure of "downproofness." Higher thread
counts are obviously better. In other words - no little feathers
poking through the comforters fabric.
Comforters Cleanliness
There are acceptable government standards for the cleanliness of
feathers and down used in down comforters. This cleanliness is a
primary variable in determining the hypoallergenic nature of some
down comforters. Some comforter fills are washed as many as fifteen
times to get rid of dust, dirt and organic matter.
There are two "cleanliness" tests in the
industry.
(a). A Oxygen test determines the amount of organic matter left
in the material being tested. The industry acceptable standard is
10. Better products have lower numbers than that.
(b). Turbidity tests. Turbidity is a measure of suspended solids,
dust, dirt etc suspended in the comforters material. The scale goes
from about 60 (unwashed feathers) to 550 best.
Comforters Construction, 3D Baffle Design
Comforters Sewing Quality. Better sewing means more durability,
less tendency for sewing to break. Comforters are generally sewn
through or baffled. The baffling is an internal fabric wall which
allows the fill to "loft" more. It also adds strength
to the comforter. Comforters which are sewn through are generally
better for lighter weight comforters only. Our comforters come in
different patterned baffles. (Cloud,
Hexagon
and Box
comforter designs).
Comforters Piping
A comforter can be made with material sewn around the edges. The
piping is the type of material that runs around the entire exterior
edge of the down comforter.
Comforters Weight
A comforter can be made warmer in two ways. Fill power and weight.
Clearly the aim is to get the maximum warmth at the lightest weight.
To get this you would choose a higher fill power number. Feathers
are a great deal less warm than high grade down. Once you have selected
the fill power then add weight for extra warmth.
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Average bedroom temperature
and comforter weight recommended:
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 70+
° F
Light Weight
(Southern) |
 55-70°
F
Medium weight
(Classic) |
 Below
55° F
Winter weight
(Arctic) |
Type of Down for Comforters
These comforters are in order of quality. Please note that in some
comforters labeled "pure down" or 100% down are not pure,
as some feathers remain in the fill. As long as the comforter is
75% down it can be labeled 100% in many states!
- Duck feather (Worst)
- Duck feather and Down
- Goose feather and Down
- Goose down
- Hungarian Down
- Siberian Down (Best)
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Siberian Goose Down
considered the finest Goose Down available for comforters.
Collected from Geese that live in very cold climates, it is
the heaviest of all the downs, used in 800 fill, and will
last the longest.
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Hungarian Down
the next step down from the Siberian Goose Down, this is also
cold Climate down, the a fill power of 650+ Comforters.
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White Goose Down
is a by-product from Geese used for food. Smaller more condensed
down 550+ Fill Power Comforters.
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Feathers
have quills. There fore are
manly used as fillers in large comforters, or pillows. Can
poke out of Comfortersand be sharp to your skin.
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Comforters Down (Goose and Duck)
A comforter's down is harvested during the natural Molting process
from farm raised geese.
Goose down is also the by-product of the worldwide poultry industry.
The biggest difference between goose and duck down is odor. Goose
down has little to no odor. If it does not say goose down on the
label, It is most likely duck down and a lot less expensive.
Down vs. Feathers in Comforters
Down is used for insulation and loft in duvets and pillows and feathers
are used for bulk and durability for featherbeds and some pillows.
Sometimes these are mixed to create a firm, durable product. The
more down in the mix, the fluffier and more expensive the comforter
or pillow is.
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Syriaca Clusters are
hypoallergenic and stabilize the components in a comforters
down that cause allergic reactions.Syriaca floss is a natural
hollow fiber that is hypo-allergenic by itself. When syriaca
floss and goose down are combined, the floss traps and suppresses
the dust and dander to which some people have allergic reactions
to. These clusters actually enhance the natural properties of
down are a fantastic fill for comforters and pillows. Syriaca
clusters are cleaned and separated from the pods through mechanical
action and air. No chemicals are used. It takes 800 pods to
make one pound of Syriaca clusters. |
What is
Hypodown?
Hypodown is a natural hypoallergenic combination of white goose
down and Syriaca used in comforters and pillows. Asclepias Syriaca,
or Syriaca, is also known as milkweed. Syriaca grows abundantly
in the United States and is now cultivated on Nebraska farms. The
fall harvest reaps soft and silky clusters from the plants pod.
The Hypodown naturally traps and suppresses the dust and dander
that people with allergies react to in traditional down products.
This combination makes Hypodown the only natural, hypoallergenic
down product in the bedding industry. Hypodown is warmer, more breathable,
and more durable than down alone. With a Hypodown comforter, the
moisture is transferred away from your body and released into the
air 30% quicker than traditional down and about 70% quicker than
synthetic filled comforters and blankets. Hypodown is four times
warmer than most synthetic comforters and up to eleven times as
durable.
Hypodown is Hypoallergenic
Goose down can cause allergic reactions in some people. It is
not the down that does this, however, but rather it is the dust
particles remaining on the down after washing and processing.
Our duvets
and pillows
are guaranteed by the manufacturer to be hypoallergenic. This
is accomplished by combining syriaca clusters (commonly known
as milkweed) with the down. The syriaca clusters enhance the
natural properties of the down as well as stabilize the components
that cause people to suffer down comforter allergies.
Note: Hypodown has been tested in the offices of Allergy and
Asthma Doctors in the United States and Europe. These tests
prove that most people who are allergic to down can use Hypodown
without reactions |
Hypodown used in Comforters |
Hypo-Allergenic
Comforters Overview
We searched to find the best hypo-allergenic comforters for
our customers. We feature Hypodown
natural goose down, Hyperclean
comforters, Primaloft
synthetic down and comforters, and Alpaca
Wool comforters.
Hypodown
Goose Down Comforters
A comforter filled with goose down can be an wonderful on a cold
winter night. It can also be a irritant to consumers who are allergic
to dust and dander. An environmentally benign and health-sensitive
alternative now exists in Hypodown pillows and comforters,
made from a combination of traditional goose down and natural downy
syriaca clusters from the milkweed plant grown in Nebraska. Hypodown
is warmer, more durable and more breathable than down alone.
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Hypodown
comes in different fill powers which is the technical term for
the space one ounce of down occupies in cubic inches. Higher
fill power also gives you more warmth with a lighter weight
comforter. These down comforters are sold in two fill powers:
700 fill and 800 fill. 80% Pure Hungarian Goose Down and 20%
Syriaca Clusters. The 80% of down in the 800 fill comforter
contains 95% large plumule down clusters and only 5% of down
plumule pieces. The 80% down in the 700 fill comforter contains
85% large plumule down clusters and 15% of down plumule pieces.
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The down and syriaca in these comforters is the
cleanest, least treated fibers we could find anywhere. The down is
de-dusted and gently washed up to 8 times in an environmentally friendly
cleansing solution and rinsed three times. This cleaning process and
renders it pH neutral. This is the most hypoallergenic down comforters
we could find - due to the quality of materials used, cleaning process
and the addition of the addition of the natural syriaca clusters.
We carry four different Hypodown Down Comforter Styles:
Empress
Comforters - The cover is made of long staple Egyptian cotton.
These beautiful hypo-allergenic European goose down comforters have
a thread count of 350, and has a "Cloud" baffle design.
omforter guaranteed to be hypoallergenic for 10 years. The very best
of the best!
Pearl
Crescent Comforters -The outer ticking is made of long
staple Egyptian cotton sateen, with a hexagon baffled edging and satin
piping. These beautiful hypo-allergenic European goose down
comforters have a thread count of 330. omforter guaranteed to be hypoallergenic
for 10 years.
Harvester Down Comforters -The cover is made of unbleached,
undyed, chemical free cotton. These beautiful hypo-allergenic European
goose down comforters have a thread count of 312. Comforter comes
packaged in an environmentally friendly cloth bag. Box baffle design.
Comforter guaranteed to be hypoallergenic for 10 years.
Monarch
Comforters - The cover is made of long staple Egyptian
cotton. These beautiful hypo-allergenic European goose down comforters
have a thread count of 300. Box baffle design. Comforter guaranteed
to be hypoallergenic for 10 years.
Primaloft
Synthetic Down Comforters
The Primaloft comforter is made from ultra-fine microscopic
fibers. And just like down, primaloft clusters are blown into pillows
and comforters. This results in a down-like appearance and lightweight
warmth. Primaloft's micro-fibers are softer and finer than silk, creating
a feeling matched only by down. This is why Primaloft is the only
patented alternative to a down comforter.
Hyperclean
Goose Down Comforters
Hyperclean is the patented thorough gentle down cleaning
process used to make the goose down pH neutral. This process also
makes this down fluffier and and longer lasting than some of its
other down products. As a result this comforter is able to use less
down to achieve it's comfort and warmth. It also makes it great
for those who thought they were allergic to down. This goose down
comforter is comes with a 30 day comfort guarantee and a 30 day
hypoallergenic warranty. Also see our Hyperclean
Blanket.
Alpaca
Wool Comforters
Alpaca wool duvets or comforters use 100% natural, organically grown
wool from llamas that absorb up to 35% of it's weight in moisture
- keeping you dry and comfortable in one of the warmest natural
fibers available. Synthetic materials used on typical bedding does
not breathe and can emit toxic fumes as they age - affecting sleep
and breathing. Naturally fire retardant.
First Published: September 2003
Updated: April 2007
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