The EN 12934 standard for down: the Fja-Oeyen standard for years.
Because there are so many misconceptions about down duvets and because consumers know little about the different grades of down quality, a proposal has been worked out for the future concerning down and feathers.

Down duvets will be assessed based on a new European standard, the EN 12934.
Down and feathers that are used as filling for duvets receive a new type of label that mentions the following information:

• the colour of the filling
• its origin
• new goods
• type of poultry
• a subdivision into grades from I to V
• ratio in down/feathers expressed in percents

For years Fja-Oeyen has advocated - together with a number of suppliers and other European partners - the introduction of such a standard. What's more, Fja-Oeyen even argues in favour of further subdividing these down percentage grades from 0% to 100% as well as subdivisions in filling strength, outer cover, filling weight and origin!

The standard EN 12934 places Fja-Oeyen in grade I, completely at the top.
That's how Fja-Oeyen distinguishes itself from many other Belgian and foreign down brands. That cannot be altered by any standard, because Fja-Oeyen fills its duvets with beautiful down fluff from healthy geese bred in freedom from the coldest regions of Northern and North-eastern Europe, Canada, the Falklands, etc. Fja-Oeyen also ensures that it only uses new goods and that it fills the duvets with the highest percentage of down in the correct manner so that it offers high-quality duvets with a high insulation value and resilience and a minimum of weight. It is not a mass-produced article; it is an individually made item. Every duvet is visually inspected by an expert. If they are maintained correctly, we guarantee that our duvets will provide healthy sleeping comfort for life! 

The European standard EN 12934
The colour doesn't give a real indication about the quality. However, the colour can indicate that the outer cover (tick) isn't too heavy. If one fills an ultra-light white tick with grey down, one will see the fluff through it.

The origin does indeed indicate the filling's country of origin. That can be an indication whether the filling really is from a country with cold winters or not (and the colder the winter, the more voluminous the down). That way a consumer that's a bit informed will immediately know when reading the label that down originating from China won't be of high-quality since China doesn't have goose farms specifically for down.

Still, the origin doesn't give a decisive answer about quality. Poland, for example, exports 90% of the down feathers from its slaughterhouses. In other words from animals bred for the meat and the liver. A sick (fat) liver results in sick geese and poor quality down. Geese that are bred for down are geese that receive healthy food, can move about freely outside and that live in dignified circumstances. Regular inspections by universities (such as by Gödelö in Hungary) contribute to the animal's health and ensure continued breeding. Labour intensive working methods that yield beautiful down, but that are obviously more expensive.

As manufacturer, it is important to get our hands on that 10% high-quality down! Trust is important. One builds up trust carefully, as Fja-Oeyen has done through three generations of down processing!

'New goods' is related to the following: down and feathers last a long, long time. There are many factories (for example in France) where used down (couché) get a new lease on life or is mixed with new down. Of course this down can be sold cheaply. But the down will quickly loose volume and no longer provide good insulation. Not to mention the hygienic aspects. Fja-Oeyen only uses new goods in its duvets.

You recognise the down by its type. Goose down is usually better than duck down. However, the origin plays a role in this. A wild duck from way up north will have a thicker down after a severe winter than a goose from France bred for its tasty meat.

The grades are important.
Grade I: is only awarded to down duvets with at least 90% of the indicated filling (goose or duck) and a maximum of 5% small downy hairs.

Absolutely no chicken or other feathers, certainly no reused feathers, only new goods.

Grade II: here reused goods, feathers (such as from hens), and even synthetic material can be incorporated up to 15%.

Grade III: the portion of filling that isn't goose or duck down can be more than 15%.

Grades IV and V: are completely different fillings that have nothing to do with down or feathers.

The proportion in terms of percentage between down and feathers indicates the weight that one must add to obtain the same thickness. As a layman one doesn't immediately notice this and when one notices it it's usually too late. That's why the addition to the European standard, namely the required mention of the percentage down, is presently maximum 90%. Fja-Oeyen is still striving for the breakdown to super high quality (up to 100%).