A bit of history...
or what was it like?
Down and feather pillows and duvets began to be manufactured many years ago, immediately after people started to breed ducks and geese in their households. The reason was that they soon recognised the excellent thermal properties of feathers and down. Feathers and down were obtained from farm-bred birds. Feathers and down were separated by hand, usually during long evenings when there was no farm work to do. This was most often done by women – housewives – who created a specific atmosphere at the time filled with chatting and gossiping about everyday life.
Why natural filling?
Scientists have proven that synthetic bedding is no safer for allergy sufferers than down bedding, even for those who are allergic to this allergen. There is one prerequisite for this: it must be properly treated.
A special cleaning and rinsing process is employed to thoroughly clean down, during which all impurities, pathogenic microorganisms and allergens are removed. Our down is obtained exclusively from geese bred in Europe. This down is obtained using a certified method in accordance with the RDS (Responsible Down Standard) which confirms that the down manufacturer operates in accordance with the standard regulating responsible down production. These regulations are specifically intended to ensure the welfare of farmed animals. Practices of this kind are unfortunately not obvious, and hardly observed outside of Europe.
Feathers or down?
Down, often referred to as natal down, is a natural raw material of the highest quality. It is characterised by exceptional lightness and softness. It creates a kind of air barrier that has outstanding thermal insulation parameters and ensures excellent air circulation. Down is therefore the layer of down feathers that cover birds in their early development, found under exterior feathers, ensuring the highest possible physical parameters (thermal insulation and vapour permeability).
Feathers are also a natural raw material of avian origin. However, they are characterised by a different structure and thermal parameters. A feather quilt or pillow is not filled with down but with small feathers which are less resilient and heavier. Down gives definitely more sleeping comfort than feathers. It is not only about physical parameters (which are difficult to verify without a laboratory) but about empirical sensations. Down gives the impression of being more resilient, with uniform smooth structure, in which the individual micro feathers are almost imperceptible.
In the case of feathers, on the other hand, the sharp tips of the feathers can be perceived by touch. This can be rather uncomfortable when you press your face against your pillow. A pillow filled with down, on the other hand, is almost completely free of this phenomenon.
Duck or goose down?
Goose down is definitely a nobler and more expensive raw material. The most important reasons why we use exclusively goose down include the fact that that goose down has much better heat insulating properties than duck down. Next, it should be pointed out that goose down has much higher vapour permeability so that moisture (sweat) is effectively transported to the outside of the duvet during sleep.
Another important factor is the fact that goose down is devoid of the characteristic smell that is very difficult to eliminate in the case of duck down. It is also worth mentioning that almost 100% of allergens that can cause sensitisation are eliminated provided that the down is properly treated.
What are our duvets and pillows made from?
The outer material is 100% cotton. On the inside it is lined with an additional layer of a suitable film to create a slip coating in order to prevent down from penetrating the fabric to the outside. All edges are finished with a special trimming ensuring durability and also giving an aesthetic and attractive appearance.
The duvets also have a structural design consisting of numerous pockets on the inside which prevent the down from moving inside the duvet. This provides a uniform thermal characteristic over the entire surface of the duvet.
The filling is the highest quality goose down of European origin, subjected to an appropriate process of washing, dusting and removal of microorganisms and allergens.
