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Down and Feather Glossary

Down
is the light fluffy coating that protects birds from the elements. Feathers have quills and are two dimensional. Down, on the other hand, is three dimensional and has no quill. In every pound of feather there are only four to five ounces of down. Pound for pound, Down is nature's most efficient insulator. Down is warm, yet light. It takes 14 wool blankets to equal the temperature control of one down comforter.
Feathers
down feathers are soft even though they have a spine down the center, called a quill, with hair like strands radiating from the quill like a sail or filament.
Fill Power
the volume of cubic inches that one ounce of a given quality will occupy. The more volume one ounce has, the better the quality. This is the true measure of quality in a down fill.
Down Proof
A fabric is considered to be down proof if it has an air permeability of less than 10 CFM. This means ten cubic feet or less, can pass through the fabric in one minute. Usually, fabrics that have a thread count of 220 or higher are considered to be woven down proof.
PrimaLoft
Synthetic Down Clusters equivalent to 500 Fill Power. PrimaLoft is made from ultra-fine microscopic fibers. And just like down, primaloft clusters are blown into pillows and comforters. This results in a down-like appearance and lightweight warmth. PrimaLoft's micro-fibers are softer and finer than silk, creating a feeling matched only by down. This is why PrimaLoft is the only patented down alternative
Enviroloft
Synthetic Down Clusters equivalent to 500 Fill Power. Hypo-Allergenic and Machine Washable