In principle, a real duvet consists only of down and/or feathers. But the duvet is today wrongly also seen as a synonym of the broader term "duvet". That is why we explain the difference in filling.
WHICH FILLING IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
SYNTHETIC FILLINGS
A synthetic filling is mostly made of hollow polyester balls or polyester microfibres. A synthetic comforter or duvet is usually very cheap. You’ll easily clean it yourself in the washing machine, it feels relatively light and it’s suitable for people who have allergies. Unfortunately, a synthetic filling does not offer very good insulation and it absorbs very little moisture. The result: you sweat more easily — especially if the filling is in a synthetic shell.
WOOLLEN FILLINGS
Wool is a natural material with good regulation of moisture and temperature. Wool easily absorbs moisture and releases it into the outside air. As a result, a woollen duvet or comforter rarely feels clammy or sweaty. Furthermore, wool contains lanolin: a material that repels dirt. The biggest downside to a duvet with a woollen filling is the weight. You’re not able to put a duvet with wool in the washing machine either: the best option is to have it steam-cleaned by a specialist.
DOWN FILLINGS
A down duvet feels light and supple, offers excellent insulation and holds on tight to your body heat. The temperature never rises above your own body temperature of 37°C because the air forms a buffer. Down also works as a moisture regulator and effortlessly absorbs night-time transpiration. Although you’ve probably heard the opposite being claimed incorrectly, a down duvet is actually suitable for people with allergies. The cause of most allergies – the house dust mite – will not flourish in a good quality down duvet that guarantees air circulation. You may also be interested to know that only one in a million people is actually allergic to down and feathers. A down duvet requires professional cleaning in which the filling and shell are washed separately. The only potentially unattractive aspect of a quality down duvet is the price. But if you take good care of it, your down duvet will be with you for life. Better yet, it will help you to enjoy a good night’s sleep. There’s no doubt that the financial investment will pay off!
Read more!
TYPES OF DOWN
You may wonder why there are such great price differences between down duvets. It all has to do with the quality and the origin of the down, as well as the ratio of down and feathers. Before buying a down duvet, first find out about the quality of the down. Cheap down comes from animals in small cages that are fattened up for consumption as meat. After they’re slaughtered, the down, which is less valuable than the meat and of low quality, is collected and used to fill duvets. Quality-controlled down comes from animals that are specially bred for down, in animal-friendly, free-range conditions in colder environments. The down keeps the geese and ducks warm in winter. When the animals moult, the down is combed from the coat. With genuine, natural down, there are no feathers with hard shafts or follicles. If you know that a healthy goose moults an average of 10 grams of down every year and there are 200 grams of quality down required to fill every square meter of a down duvet, you’ll quickly understand why the price difference is so pronounced. Finally, the ratio of down and feathers also has an impact on the price. At Fja-Oeyen, you’ll find different sorts of 100 per cent pure down with lifetime guarantees. We also have mixes with 90 or 75 per cent down and 10 to 25 per cent feathers.
Read more!
DUVET SHELL
There are various materials suitable for use in the shell of your duvet. Most down duvets have a cotton shell. Finely woven cotton keeps down from escaping and allows air through, which is vital for optimal ventilation. It’s best to use a 100 per cent cotton shell. A (partially) synthetic shell is not advised, as it will quickly feel clammy. duvets
THE FINISH ON THE DUVET
The most common finishes are cassettes and channels, whether with a partition or not. Cassettes are used for heavier quality down because the filling in a system with channels sinks too quickly; heavy down is of an inferior quality. Furthermore, the down is stuck in the cassettes, so you can’t shake it up as effectively, as a result of which the down duvet needs to be cleaned more frequently. Only fine, light down is suitable for being processed into channels. Fja-Oeyen fills every channel with exactly the same amount of down. Lightly shake the down duvet every day and have it washed every seven years.
MEASUREMENT OF DOWN DUVETS
Most duvets are available in standard measurements that fit single or double beds: from 140 by 200 centimetres to measurements of up to 260 by 240 centimetres. At Fja-Oeyen, we craft our own down duvets to order in our workshop in Mol. Choose whatever dimensions suit you, with a duvet filled to be as thick or as thin as you desire. As an extra service, we will recuperate the down from an old duvet to make a new duvet. For example, if you would like to upgrade a children’s down duvet to grow with them, we will extend the duvet shell and add the filling as required. This means you will not need to buy a new down duvet or throw away an old one that is still perfectly serviceable.