Comforter Buying Guide
Why choose a
White Goose Down Comforter ?
If you could have 2 extra hours in your day how would you use it? Many people
would answer that question by saying they would use the extra time to sleep. We
may not be able to give you extra time in a day, but we can give you a reason to
get more sleep. There are many benefits to getting a good night's sleep, some of
them including health and happiness. Since most people will spend as much as one
third of their life in bed it is our belief that the experience should be one of
great pleasure.
How to choose a down comforter
The dramatic difference in price among down comforters is a clue that there are differences. It is possible to get “down” comforters on sale for as little as $35
but an investigation into the construction and fill of the comforter will show
why the price is so low. Some factors to consider before you purchase a
comforter should be what type of performance you expect, what appearance and
feel you are looking for, and how long you would like it to last.
Performance
By performance we are referring to how the comforter keeps you, as the word
suggests, comfortable while you sleep. High quality down performs better than
low quality down and feathers. Low priced comforters use cheaper down and
feathers, which inhibit proper performance. The hierarchy of down quality is as
follows from best to worst:
Siberian Down (Superior Performance)
Hungarian Goose Down (Excellent)
Goose Down (Great)
Duck Down (Good)
Blend of Down and Feathers (Not very good)
Goose or Duck Feathers (Worst)
Down is superior to feathers for insulation purposes. Down comes from the belly of the bird and acts as an insulator, while feathers are on the bird’s back in order to shed water. The ability of down to “loft” is why it is such a good insulator. Feathers on the other hand do not loft, are heavier, odorous, have quills, and trap impurities. Comforters containing feathers are generally heavy and cause over heating. Down on the other hand is light and has the ability to maintain more comfortable temperatures. The human body is constantly giving off moisture. Down is superior to feathers also because it is “airy”. It allows the bodies moisture to evaporate into the air, which encourages the natural cooling process, while feathers trap the stale, damp air between the sheets and causes the body to sweat.
The measure of
down loft is its Fill Power. Generally the higher the fill power number the
better the quality is of that comforter. The following is a guide to fill power
numbers and the rank of the quality:
Superior Quality 800+ FP
Excellent Quality 700+ FP
Good Quality 600+ FP
Luxury comforters are stitched so that the down does not shift. Loft can be
encouraged by the use of baffle-boxes. The baffle-box design consists of sewing
walls (baffles) in the comforters, which allows it to fill with air and expand
to increase its loft.
Durability
High quality comforters may be accompanied by high price tags but with these
comforters you are getting better performance and more durability. With the
proper care a high quality down comforter could last a lifetime. One of the main
properties looked at when determining the quality and durability of a comforter
is the thread count. A common misconception about thread count is that the
higher the number the better the quality. This is not necessarily true. A
quality piece of fabric will have a tight weave no matter what the thread count.
Instead of looking at thread count as a measure of quality, it is better to view
it as a measure of the thread size. High thread count in a quality fabric
indicates a finer thread was used. These finer threads create a smoother fabric
but the finer threads may not as durable as the thicker thread found in lower
count fabrics.
When purchasing
any cotton product you will notice some are labeled as 100% cotton and other
times as 100% Egyptian cotton. Egyptian cotton is historically the highest
quality cotton available so be sure that your cotton products say Egyptian
cotton.
All down products that are hypoallergenic are considered safe for allergy sufferers. Most people that would be allergic to a down comforter are not actually allergic to the down but to the dirt and dust that may exist in the down. Cheap "down" products usually contain some amount of feathers which are harder to remove dirt from in the cleaning process compared to down. Also, the down that is in these cheaper comforters may not be cleaned as meticulously as the down in a luxury goose down comforter. Products will arrive to your home being hypoallergenic but over time may loose this property if they are not cared for properly.
Our Featured Comforters and Duvets
Goose Down
Products by LFG Down
Our Hungarian Goose Down Comforters are made with the finest hand-harvested
white Hungarian goose down. Hungarian goose harvesting is a long time tradition
in Hungary and their methods are highly sophisticated and refined. All of our
Hungarian goose down comforters have a 750 Fill Power and no feathers or blend,
which ensures excellent quality with all purchases. The down is cleaned to meet
stringent German standards for approval to be anti-allergenic.
The fabric used for our comforters is a high-quality, German cotton textile with
a 300 thread count and use baffle-box design to encourage maximum loft. Our
comforters come in three options. Use the following guide to determine which
comforter best suits your needs:
Bedroom Temp °F Comforter Type
70° + Summer
55 - 70° Autumn
Below 55° Winter
LFG Down comforters are made standard with a cotton shell and can be custom ordered
with a Lenzing Lyocell shell.
Lyocell
Lyocell is a natural fiber classified by the Federal Trade Commission as a
sub-category of Rayon. It is similar to silk in feel and it is very strong. The
difference between Lyocell and Rayon is that Lyocell is much more durable and
has a much higher wet strength. This strength can be seen in the fact that
Lyocell is a non-synthetic cellulose fiber. It is made from wood pulp, which is
why it is biodegradable. Lyocell is a great material for use as a comforter. It
is similar to silk in look and texture. It has a soft luster and good
drapeability.
Home Delights 2005