Goose Down Duvets Vs Duck Down Duvets

There can be a huge difference in price between duvets and pillows. The filling is one of the most important factors in price and quality so what are we really paying our money for? Goose down has always been considered to be the Rolls Royce of fillings, much is emphasised on the soft fluffy down clusters and having the best insulation properties of any natural filling as well as being ultra light weight and durable. Geese from colder countries such as Canada, Hungary and other European destinations are considered to be the best as they produce quite big birds that have larger clusters of feathers and down, the colder climates need a better down in order for the birds to survive the harsh winters.

Down is the lighter fluffy underneath part that lies close to the body, this traps warm air and adds superior levels of insulation. The best down is sourced from around the belly area of the goose. You will not find any sharp quills in the down as it has thousands of tiny fibres attached to it. Fully breathable, it allows the skin to breathe whilst maintaining an even body temperature in all weathers.

Good quality down is tested using fill power ratings, good quality down is measured in excess of 650 FILL Power and the higher the number the cleaner and lighter they will be. Try to aim for 750 and above if possible. This can sometimes mean breaking your budget but it will be worth it in the long run.Try to stay clear of feathers in your duvet as they can be quite heavy and if the ratio of feather to down is more than 85%, this can reduce the effect of the more expensive down filling. Feathers are ideal if you want a firm and heavier weight pillow or just a heavy weight winter duvet.

As we said before geese are generally much larger birds than ducks so the down is more of a premium due to the superior clusters. As a guide a bigger bird from a colder country equals a much better filling, the down will be of a higher quality and much lighter than a bird from Asia where the climate is much cooler.

Duck down is more readily available as they are sourced primarily in Asia as a by product of the food chain. Although they are now kept in much better and ethical conditions they are less likely to grow to a certain size or roam free as would a more expensive Canadian goose would be able to.

So Why Goose Down? Goose down is also less oily in appearance then duck down, this natural oily texture makes the down look slightly less grey. It also add to the overall weight, this effects its fill power rating and loft tests, the maximum pure quality for a duck down filling would equate to approximately 700 fill power. Due to the current economic climate many manufacturers are looking at ways of bringing high quality duvets and pillows to the market without sacrificing on quality and function.

Unfortunately price plays one of the most important factors on customers purchases. Duck down is a great way of getting a premium product at the right price. Many of our customers ask if they could tell the difference, well not really. Unless you open up the duvet covering and feel the texture you will find it very hard to tell the difference between them.

Can you tell the difference? Do you remember the old Coke test adverts where they blindfolded you and asked you to drink both Pepsi and Coca-Cola? Well I am sure there was a difference between the drinks but if we did the same thing here I doubt you would know the difference. Both would give a great night's sleep, so save yourself some money a buy a good quality pure duck down duvet today, you will not regret it!