Coat Down

Written By: Alexandria Powell

Down feathers are the soft feathers found on birds of all sorts, which is oftentimes used to make warm coats known as down coats. These coats are wildly popular with women, men, and children alike because of their warmth and fashion.

There are two main types of down feathers. The first is natal down, which is the feather that covers most birds when they are first born and through early development. It is important for baby birds to stay warm as they grow because so much of their energy is put into development of their size.

Body down in the second type of down. It is the layer of feathering under the main layer, which is soft and fluffy. Generally, it comes about after the natal down. The purpose of down feathers is to keep the bird warm. It has a loose structure that keeps heat and air trapped so that the bird remains heated throughout its day.

Through research, people have discovered how to make the down work for them. The down that is used to make down coats is the second one, body down. The down feather used in the making of these coats is usually from various geese and ducks, as they provide some of the warmest and fluffiest down. Farmers in the 14th century got a little curious and started to figure out that these were the feathers that keep the geese and ducks in their fields warm. They began to start stuffing their clothing and bedding with down, and thus the start of down coats came about.

At first, down coats were only for the rich, but as time wore on, these coats became popular with every social and working class. The science of making these coats was slowly perfected with some trial and error. Initially, the down was simply stuffed into the coats with no type of stitching to hold it into place. This was a problem because the down would clump up and fall to the bottom. It was oftentimes difficult to unclump the feathers, and this became irritating for some.

In the mid 1930s Eddie Bauer, a clothing designer, came up with a great idea. He started to put quilt stitching into these coats. A coat was taken, stuffed, laid flat, and then stitched upon to hold the down in place so that it was evenly distributed in the coat at all times. This ingeniousness has helped keep people warm for many generations. All down jackets and coats vary at least a little bit, but they all go back to that same principal Eddie Bauer pulled out of his great mind in the 1930s.

Down coats come in all sizes, from infant sizing all the way to plus sizing. Coats made with down feathers are great for anyone looking to keep warm in the winter or just on a breezy summer day. They can range from fairly cheap in price to somewhat expensive, but they are worth every penny put down for them because they are made from down feather, which is great for staying warm and comfortable all at the same time!

Written By: Carrie Cassidy

You may already have your bed completely outfitted in down from the pillows and comforter, down to the mattress pad underneath you. Perhaps you’ve eyed the comfy looking down comforters at your local retailer and wondered about their benefits. Either way, this article will help you learn a bit more about down bedding, and also what to look for when purchasing down items for your bedroom.

Down pillows, mattress pads and thick down filled mattress toppers are all available fairly widely. Like all linen and bedding items, prices and quality span quite a wide range. However down comforters are by far, the most popular and widely sold down bedding item. Therefore, down comforters will be covered in greater detail. Keep it mind, much of the information discussed here is also applicable to down bedding in general.

The first thing to determine is if a down comforter is right for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to down, and both should be carefully considered. So what exactly is down? Down is either the tiny fluffy feathers that cover a baby bird, or alternately, the insulating feather layer found beneath the top feather layer of an adult bird. Because down is a natural animal product, individuals who find the use of animal products unacceptable, should avoid products which contain down. Another consideration is allergies. Some people are allergic to down. If you’ve never owned down filled items before, you may want to purchase a small down item like a pillow prior to investing in a comforter. That way, you can gauge your body’s reaction, and ensure no allergies are present.

Three main qualities of down which make it such a popular choice for filling comforters are, insulating properties, softness, and it’s practically weightless. Birds benefit from the insulating quality of down, and so do the people who sleep underneath down comforters. The tiny feathers are so light in weight, that tiny spaces of air are maintained between each one. These little air pockets are what create the insulation, and keep you warm. These same air pockets also keep down bedding from becoming too warm. Think of a baby bird, downy and soft. Down comforters take these cozy, soft , downy feathers and contain them within an envelope of fabric. Finally, sleeping underneath a nearly weightless bed cover, yet staying warm and toasty, appeals to fans of down bedding.

There are three key things to look out for when you are shopping for a new down comforter. Do not be so taken by name brands and pretty packaging, that you miss out on basic, key quality checks, and end up with an inferior product.
First up is fabric quality. Look on the package and find out what the thread count of the fabric is. The higher the number, the better. Thread count is a measure of how many threads are woven into each inch of a particular fabric. This is especially important with down, because you want to be sure the fabric is woven tightly enough to prevent the down from escaping it’s enclosure.

Second, look at the label for something called fill power. Simply put, fill power is a technical way to measure how much space one ounce of a particular down will take up. It’s measured in cubic inches at maximum loft. What’s most important to know is this, the larger the down clusters, the more space it fills, the warmer the comforter. Like thread count, the higher the number is, the better the quality is.

Finally, try to determine how well the comforter is designed in regards to preventing the down from shifting inside the comforter. Look for stitched channels or square pockets sewn through both layers of fabric. The more channels or pockets the comforter has, the more evenly distributed the down will stay. It’s never fun to end up with essentially, a giant fabric envelope with a big pile of down feathers gathered in one corner.

If you keep these factors in mind while you shop, you will be sure you purchase a high quality, fairly priced down comforter. If properly cared for, your new down comforter will provide you with many years of soft, fluffy warmness.

Written By: Lisa Menaca

Down jackets can be so comfortable. If you have comfortable outerwear you are always going be to good to go.There are so many types of down jackets. You have your jean jackets, that are in style big time. Leather jackets everybody will all ways love; soft shell jackets are pretty warm; and there are many more types of jackets. The jackets with the removable sleeves are the best and they are very fashionable now days. Yes, lots of these jackets can be expensive but you also have stores that sell them for cheaper and they look just as good. You can wear different types of jacket according to the weather, I’m sure you all know that some jackets are heaver and warmer than others. If the down jacket you are wearing is so comfortable you are not going to want to wear any other jacket but that one outside. You have to make sure that it is comfortable and it looks good as well. Jean jackets are not as warm but they look very stylish; if it is not so cold outside that is the jacket you will go for. Soft shell jackets have lots of fetters in them which make this down jacket warm too. I have also seen jackets with lots of writing on them which looks pretty cool and I know that stores get lots of sales, from young teens the most. Leather jackets have lots of different types of styles, and everyone can say they love at least three leather jackets because they look good and they are very warm depending on what kind. The jackets with the fur inside are the best; they keep you warm and they make you look rich in a way. Like I said before, all jackets are not expensive; you can go to the right store and get the right price. Everybody owns at least one jacket. When the weather is right you know just the time to pull out that jacket that you love so much. The different styles make these jackets nowadays look so much better and the right down jacket will have you looking gorgeous.

Written By: Soumya Nalam

Choosing a coat that suits your body type can either be a lot of fun or it might end up as a rather daunting task. Unfortunately, just like fashion clothing for women, when it comes to picking the right coat, the “one size fits all