Comforter or Duvet: Tomato or Tomato
Comforter and duvet are used by Down Etc synonymously to refer to the feather and down (or alternative fill) blanket that is placed in a removable cover as the top layer of bedding. We call the removable cover the comforter or duvet cover. Elements to consider include fill (natural or down alternative); warmth rating (high or low); stitching (baffle-box or sewn-through); size; and required care. Your location, the change in season, and personal preference will influence your selection.
Fill In the Middle
Natural comforters contain down, feathers, or a blend of the two, and are sourced from either geese or ducks. The down and feathers trap air to create the warmth and drape of the comforter. To understand why Down Etc has chosen to manufacture its most luxurious natural comforters with white goose down, it is necessary to understand the difference between down and feathers and the difference between goose and duck down.
- Feathers help birds fly and stay warm and dry. They are small, with a quill spine running down the center and soft fibers radiating from the quill. Due to the curvature of the quill, over time, the feathers will align with one another, causing your comforter to flatten. Feathers are firmer and heavier than down clusters, offering a substantial feeling comforter. Sometimes down is added to help keep your comforter nice and fluffy.
- Down clusters are fine, soft filaments that form the undercoat of waterfowl. Spherical in shape, they tend to reinflate and create loft or “fluffiness” and provide insulation. Down is lighter and fluffier than feathers and creates a soft, lightweight, but deliciously warm, comforter in which to nestle.
Fill power is a measure of the loft of a down product that is loosely related to the insulating value of the down. The higher the fill power, the more air an ounce of the down can trap and the more insulating ability an ounce of the down will have. The higher the fill power, the higher the quality and the less down that is required to achieve the desired level of warmth. Therefore, higher fill power down results in lighter weight comforters.
Many luxury and boutique hotels have chosen Down Etc’s goose down comforters, recognizing they provide the maximum level of comfort and luxury; however, if our white goose down comforters do not meet your needs, we have a variety of alternatives from which to choose.
Down alternatives, such as Down Etc’s Aquaplush Hypoallergenic Polyester Comforters®, provide several benefits for those who prefer a fill other than down including plushness, comfort, warmth, ease of laundering. The downside is they are generally heavier than down, do not pack up as tightly for travel, and may not hold their loft as long as down.
Warmth Rating Depends on How Warm You Sleep
A comforter’s warmth rating is determined by the comforter’s ability to trap warm air. The higher the warmth rating, the warmer the comforter. Natural comforters have better thermal properties than alternative fill comforters, so they need less fill to achieve the same level of warmth. A medium warmth natural comforter will be as warm as a medium warmth alternative fill comforter, but it will be lighter.
Down Etc manufactures natural comforters with white goose down in a variety of weights from our Tropical Light Weight Blanket, perfect when you need the feel of a comforter without too much warmth, to our Winter-Weight White Goose Down Comforter, our heaviest white goose down comforter. For a year-round comforter for hotel clients, we recommend the All-Seasons-Weight White Goose Down Comforter. Our medium weight comforter is ideal for all seasons and offers a superior sleep experience that meets the satisfaction of the premier hotels in the world.
Stitching to Keep Fill in Place
The fill is held in place with sewn-through stitching or baffle-boxes. With sewn-through stitching, the two sides are sewn together in some pattern to leave pockets of feathers and to prevent the feathers from moving to one side. With baffle-box, a thin strip of fabric is sewn between the two covers to create a three-dimensional box for the feathers to allow them their full loft or fluffiness. Baffle-box comforters have extra strength where seams have been sewn. This type of construction prevents stitching over the down or feathers. Premium comforters such as those manufactured by Down Etc are sewn with “baffle walls” to improve loftiness by preventing down from getting trapped in the seams.
The material from which the sack containing the down of your comforter is made is called the ticking. The ticking can be manufactured in a variety of fabrics but is most often woven from cotton. The key factor is durability. The last thing you need to worry about is down floating around your bedroom every time you hop in bed or launder your comforter because your comforter is coming loose at the seams or the down and feathers are poking through the ticking. For this reason, Down Etc utilizes down-proof ticking. Although ticking can be found in a variety of colors, it is most often found in white. White is the standard of hygiene and cleanliness as it makes it hard to hide stains and damage. Thread counts in fabric ticking will vary from 235 to 300.
Size to Fit Your Style
Each Down Etc comforter is available in a variety of sizes. Your choice of size can depend upon several factors including the size of your mattress, the type of bed frame, and your aesthetic. The size of your mattress and how you want your comforter to hang will be the main determining consideration in the size of the comforter you choose. If you want the sides to hang to the bottom of the box spring, you will need to calculate a size above your mattress size.
Each of Down Etc's comforters arrives packaged in a white cotton bag with handles for easy storage and travel.
