A Luxury Goose Down Comforter Vs Alternative Down

There are lots of choices for down comforters, luxury down comforters and even more alternative down comforters. It can be confusing and there is certainly a difference in the pricing and for good reason.

You may be wondering, is it worth the splurge to get a luxury down comforter.

After reading this post I think you will find the answer to justify the splurge or should I say investment in your comfort and maybe better sleep for years to come.

We have certainly seen the affects of climate change on our winters. They are more severe, more storms, and that means higher energy costs. In addition our present global situation has caused energy costs to soar. This is where a luxury down comforter shines.

Nature is the best insulator with the unique properties of goose down trapping your body heat to keep you warm. Goose down is naturally moisture wicking and breathable so it actually can keep you toasty warm in winter and cool in summer.

How you sleep, a cool bedroom or a warm bedroom, will determine the fill power of the down (how lofty the down cluster is) and the weight needed to provide the ideal comfort range.

Equally important to energy savings is how comfy and cozy a luxury down comforter will be and even better with proper care will last for decades. This is not the case with polyester.

Geese are never raised for their down. Down has always been the bi-product of the meat industry. That is why most downs are from countries that eat a lot of goose or duck. Most processors of down are certified in Responsible Down Sourcing so you know it is ethically sourced.

Down has a fraction of environmental impact compared with polyester as polyester is from petroleum (fossil fuels) and it uses lots of energy in the manufacturing process.

We have a selection of luxury comforters and we also make custom sizes for RV's, tv throws, travel and for kids. In addition we offer the expertise of 50 years of cleaning and renovation so you will have your precious downs for decades.

Down Bedding Guide

Confused About Choosing The Right Down Comforter?

There are 4 important things to remember:

1.  All down is not created equal. Down from mature geese that live in cold climates produce large down clusters that trap more body heat keeping you toasty warm as well as lofting up to produce a comforter that is puffy without weight. Fill-power is the measurement of a down cluster's ability to loft up after compression. The higher the number, the more body heat is trapped. 650 fill-power and up is considered luxury quality. There is also cluster count to consider. This is the percentage of whole down clusters as opposed to pieces of broken down known as "fly". We use only the highest lofting, top quality goose down like European and Canadian White Goose Down, ( considered to be the finest in the world), in fill powers 650 - 800+,  plus we offer the very rare Eiderdown, the ultimate in warmth without weight and the best down in the world. 

2. Down will eventually "leak" out of anything other than a cotton cambric downproof fabric. What makes the long staple Egyptian cotton fabric downproof is not just a high threadcount and special weave, but callendering. This is a natural process of compressing the fabric between giant steel rollers to fill in spaces invisible to the eye. The best cambric cotton downproof fabric comes from Germany or Switzerland. Many of the cambrics are made with a sateen finish. They are very soft,durable and breathable. Threadcounts over 300 are best and will remain downproof for 10-15 years. We carry downproof tickings in threadcounts 270 to 500. For Eiderdown the best ticking is Swiss Batiste the lightest of all downproof cambric cottons with the highest threadcount 500 threads, sateen finish and a silky soft touch, woven specifically for Eiderdown the softest down in the world. Many of our customers choose this exquisite downproof ticking for their white goose down comforters too.

3. Comforters come in  closed stitch (sew-thru box stitch, fixing the filling into place so there is no migration) , modified baffle box (the filling will move over time) and the Baffle Channel  construction, a channel stitch with a baffle wall to minimize shifting, but allow for individual comfort by adjusting the filling up or down. We call this the "couple friendly" comforter. It is also especially appreciated in the warmer climates, or just in summertime or if one person is a very warm sleeper. We also carry the European Pillow style that has no stitching and just covers the bed.  This would mostly be a winter comforter due to the volume of fill required.  Baffles prevent cold spots and allow premium downs to loft up to their full potential. Less filling is required in a sew- thru stitch, making these comforters better for summer.

4. The temperature of your bedroom will determine the best comforter for you. Our  Signature Line Snowgoose comforters come in 2 weights for either warmer or cooler bedrooms.  We are very custom so we can make any weight in a comforter. 

Eiderdown comforters come in 3 temperature ranges summer, 4 season and extra warm.

Choosing the Right Down Pillow

Your pillow is very personal, it has to match how you sleep. It needs to cradle your neck and keep your body in alignment. Choosing a pillow with high lofting down ensures better support. Our Signature line of Snowgoose pillows offer a wide selection of high lofting downs. Always protect your pillows with pillow protectors and clean your pillows every 3- 5 years. We recommend the following pillow densities:

A Soft Pillow is for a stomach sleeper.

A Medium Pillow is for a back sleeper, or a side sleeper with smaller shoulders.

A Firm Pillow is for a side sleeper.

Choosing the Right Mattress Topper

Whether you are looking to protect your mattress or add a little luxury to your mattress or alot of luxury, there are many options to improve your mattress or just give you an amazing sleep experience. To protect your mattress we recommend a mattress pad which is available in down or all cotton. This is a very thin covering strictly used for protection of the mattress.

For a really luxurious sleep experience with added support choose a BodyCloud 50/50 down/feather featherbed. A gusseted wide channel style requires more filling delivering more cushioning support, yet still enough softness to sink into. This efficient design makes repositioning the fill easy when fluffing up.

For the ultimate in luxury (and definitely the answer to a too firm mattress), a BodyCloud all down bed topper is the way to go. This would be the puffiest topper and the softest, an exquisite sleep experience.  The most popular BodyCloud down bed is with a 4" or 6" gusset, but we can make any depth.  The deeper the gusset the loftier the down bed and so much more luxurious.  The baffle wide channel style is far superior to baffle box as it is easier to reposition the fill when fluffing up. Once the fill leaves the box it cannot be moved back.

There are 2 ways to use the BodyCloud, either under the fitted sheet for a neat look or the recommended way on top of the fitted sheet in another fitted sheet.  It is easier to fluff up and it feels so much better. 

Always protect your topper, featherbed or down bed with a protective cover, fluff up regularly and turn over each time you wash your bedding.

Luxury Down Topper or Down Featherbed

When you buy a new mattress it feels great in the store, but after you get it home, a few nights later, you find it is really too firm and uncomfortable.  A down bed can really alleviate the discomfort without diminishing any support. For the ultimate in luxury, choose an all down bed with a high lofting white goose down filling stitched in a baffle channel design with at least a 4″ gusset.  This will provide a soft cushioning and make your mattress more friendly.  For a firmer mattress topper choose a featherbed with

4" Baffle Channel Down Bed Topper

a blend of 50/50 down and feather and a 4″ gusset.   The down bed will be softer and puffier, the featherbed will still be cushioning but a little firmer.  The down bed or featherbed can be used year round as the down will wick away moisture keeping you comfortable.  If you are not ready to buy a new mattress a down bed or featherbed can improve the one you have delivering a better sleep experience. You can get the down bed or featherbed in a 4″ or 6" baffle (the most popular), but larger baffles are available. The higher the depth, the more cushiony and luxurious it will be.  We recommend the use of a featherbed cover to prevent unnecessary cleaning. With proper care (cleaning and recovering every 7 – 10 years), you will enjoy a down bed or featherbed for many years.

For a lighter down topper choose the sew thru box stitch (about 2" thick). Of course there is a big difference in the comfort level as the sew thru has 20% of the fill of a baffled down bed.

Sew Thru Box Stitch Goose Down Topper