Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask. What is the best fill for down jackets: a review of materials, recommendations for choosing Down feather 1 cubic inch per ounce

Downy fillers are different, they differ in many ways, at the sight of which the eyes of an ordinary "user" run up into different sides and intuitively start looking for a consultant. Especially for such cases, the Equator store in Pyatigorsk has prepared a small theoretical educational program and a selection of answers to frequently asked questions.

To be "in the subject" let's briefly go through school course physics. Remember what thermal resistance is? Not? Wait a minute to torment Google, now we'll figure it out together.

R value- this is an indicator of how the insulating layer copes with thermal resistance. We can do without complex formulas, only emphasizing that, in general, the term came to us from the construction industry. R=1 roughly corresponds to the thermal insulation of a dry aspen board 1 inch thick.

In turn, to determine the quality of thermal insulation of worn clothing, the coefficient is most often used Clo. Simply put, this is the very indicator of warmth. 1 Clo is the insulation of clothing that provides comfort for a person at rest at a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius in the absence of wind.

For down fillers, the most relevant parameter will be Fill Power (FP). Behind these two words lies the “ability” of the filler to expand to a certain volume after it has been compressed. The elastic properties of down are subjected to laboratory analysis. It happens like this: one ounce of fluff (28.36 grams) is taken, compressed, then the time is recorded, the load that was used during compression is removed, and finally, the volume to which the initial mass of fluff has “expanded” is measured.

At the best manufacturers its indicator will not be less than 550 units, and the most expensive copies will reach 850+ units. That is, the designation on the down jacket, for example, FP 650, indicates that the down product uses down with recovery rates after compression of 65% of the original volume per unit of time. The higher the FP index, the better and more expensive the down and, accordingly, the product.

Whose fluff?

Quality down jackets use only gray goose or white goose down mixed with feathers. White goose down is better than gray goose down. In mass products, duck down is allowed - but it does not compete with goose down in principle.

Eider down is very rare and expensive. Due to its high cost and the small volume of world production, products with this down are extremely rare.

If on the down jacket you do not find information about whose down is used - do not consider this item for purchase. In the case of marking - "natural fluff" also feel free to run away from such a store. Otherwise, buy a chicken jacket and polite society after the rain.

Down to feather ratio- down jackets and down sleeping bags never use pure down. To add elasticity to the down, a certain amount of feather is added, which is indicated in the information on the product in the form of Goose Down 90/10, which means goose down in a ratio of 90% down and 10% feather. Permissible down to feather ratio from 70/30 to 95/5. The more fluff - the warmer, lighter and more compact the product, and, accordingly, more expensive.

Compression or compressibility- with regard to equipment for mountaineering and sports tourism, a vital function here is not only maximum protection from cold with weight and volume - since restrictions on the volume of transported cargo, as a rule, are quite strict. However, frequent or prolonged compression harms absolutely any insulation.

Having dealt with the terminology, consider the main types of fillers. As it is clear even to a person far from the mountaineering industry, there is only one fundamental classification - these are natural and synthetic fillers. Consider natural.

Wool has insufficient thermal insulation per unit weight for the production of outdoor equipment, so it is more often used in the manufacture base layer- thermal underwear.

In the production of clothing and climbing equipment, duck or goose down is most often taken.

What are the advantages of down over synthetics?

Perhaps the most important plus of down is the highest thermal insulation per unit weight - in this parameter, down will give a double head start to its synthetic counterparts, it also compresses well and tolerates compression without loss.

However, fluff is afraid of moisture - when wet, it loses its thermal insulation properties, and dries for quite a long time. Keep in mind that it is impossible to store products made of fluff in a wet state - they will begin to “wrinkle” and rot from the inside.

Why does the fluff migrate and how to "delay" it?

Any fluff can "migrate through the seams of the product - it moves both between bags and in the lining, if the fluff is "immature", then it will pierce the fabric and spill out. In order to prevent the "movement" of fluff, today many companies use a seamless assembly technology, as well as calendered or membrane tissues. Under such conditions, the fluff simply does not have a chance to “break through” to the surface.

In the store, pay attention to the fabric of the down jacket - first of all, it should be downproof. In order to stop the migration of down through the outer fabric, leading brands use high-quality wear-resistant material. Most well-known manufacturer such materials is the PERTEX brand. But a slight migration of fluff in products made from this material is possible. Membrane down jackets are not subject to migration at all - but they have more weight and volume. In order to stop the natural movement of fluff, manufacturers of professional equipment also use two- or three-layer down bags that do not release fluff to the outside, weigh little but insulate as much as possible.

Important: pay attention to the location and "packaging" of downy material!

You should also mention the types of seams.

The seams of down jackets are either warm or cold.

A warm seam is not a through seam, the fluff is in the bulkheads according to the principle of compartments in a submarine. This design is used for extremely cold conditions. In the most successful models of down jackets, places such as the shoulders and hood are additionally insulated with Primaloft synthetic insulation. This is done to increase the heat capacity of the product in places of possible compression. That is, with a backpack on, pressure is applied to the shoulders, and the fluff stops warming because there is no air gap. Synthetic gasket removes this effect.

The cold stitch is the most common stitch in lightweight and urban down jackets. Cold zones are located in the places where the seams pass.

What affects the quality of down?

First of all, we look at the down-feather ratio: less feather - higher thermal insulation performance, but the Fill Power coefficient - that is, the spreading time, will be higher.

We pay attention to the age of the bird - the rule is the older the better, as well as the color of the down itself: according to tradition, white down is valued higher than gray.

Plus, the processing and cleaning of fluff from impurities, disinfecting it, and so on.

Important: if the down jacket has a bad smell, do not buy it, something is wrong with the down: it may not be washed well and will soon deteriorate.

How do you tell a good one from a bad one in a store?

In terms of theory, it builds to pay attention to the country of origin: white down comes from cold lands, it is valued higher, and its amount in terms of down-feather ratio is greater. Look at Canada, northern Russia, or Eastern Europe.

To assess the "maturity" of the fluff, there is one simple test: through the top layer of the thing, rake as much filler as possible into a handful. Ready? And now - squeeze hard: if the palm feels a couple of pricks, then there is a lot of unripe feather in the down jacket. Its sharp ends will pierce the fabric - the filler will soon begin to spill out.

But if you feel for thick or long feather bases, there was an incorrect sublimation of down during production. It is likely that the filler here is not fluff at all, but a crushed large feather.

To check the coefficient Fill power, again, squeeze the product again, and then shake it a couple of times: good filler should almost instantly restore 50-70 percent of its original volume. If the full volume “comes into condition” for more than twenty minutes - alas, this fluff is not at all good in terms of elasticity.

Keep in mind that in the products in the store the fluff is not completely straightened out - in production, filling the down bags, it is “knocked down” a little so that the straightening of the product does not take much time.

Important: when choosing, also look at the parameters of the upper fabric: it should be durable, light and hold fluff well.

How to take care of things with down filling?

Always read the product care labels! A high-quality downy product after washing will become no thicker than a sheet of paper, but after drying and whipping it will take original view. You can wash the down product in special means for washing down products, water temperature up to 40 degrees or gentle mode in a washing machine. Then you will need to dry the fluff as soon as possible, a battery or a radiator will come to the rescue. After spreading the contents of the down bags and fluff the product. DRY CLEANING IS FORBIDDEN!

Important: if you want a product made of fluff to serve you for a long time, store it straightened out; for storage, in no case do not squeeze the down jacket if it is at least slightly damp. Attention - wet fluff can rot!

Despite the abundance of modern synthetic insulation, down has been and remains the leader among the materials used in the production of winter clothing. Such love of mankind for fluff is easily explained if you study it. physical properties. Very light, high performance thermal insulation properties, easily transportable due to its small volume, very durable - down rightfully takes first place. All these characteristics are due to the structure of down.

The most popular type of down is white goose down.

Down characteristics

The classification of downy raw materials is carried out according to several characteristics, the main ones being lightness, the ability to retain heat, good air exchange and the elastic properties of down. All features are closely related. And, as a rule, if fluff has high rates for one characteristic, then for others it will also prevail.

lightness. Good fluff weighs little. For example, eiderdown has such a fine structure that it can only be photographed through an electron microscope with a huge increase. The lightness of eider down can be judged by the fact that one fluff measuring 2.5 cm in diameter weighs only 2 mg. 1 kilogram of eider down contains half a million of these fluffs. For the production of a down jacket 90 cm long for an adult, only 300 g of down will be required, and such clothes will protect up to -40 degrees!

Eider down is harvested from nests when the birds briefly leave them.

Goose down is heavier than eider down. But it is much easier to get it, which means that the price of a down jacket with goose down will be several times less. For example, the down jacket from Fontanelli, which we had on the "investigative experiment", weighs only 840 grams. You can wear it up to -25 degrees.

Down jacket weighing less than a kilogram? Yes, if it is filled with goose down!

Ability to retain heat. Down is an excellent thermal insulator. Due to the complex branching structure and the unique elastic properties of down beards, each element of the down mixture ("fluff") repels each other, forming a system of tiny air channels, thereby providing high thermal insulation. When compressed, the down beards easily interlock with each other, enter one into the other, so the down, when compressed, occupies a small volume, and also easily takes its original shape.

A true wonder of nature...

Compared to down, everything pales, even cutting-edge synthetic insulation. Things made of synthetic winterizer are recommended to be worn at a temperature not lower than -15 degrees, while the presence of thermal underwear becomes a prerequisite. Natural down is used as a filler for clothes of polar explorers and climbers.

Air exchange. Due to its structure, the down perfectly lets air out, therefore, the body "breathes" and moisture does not accumulate inside, causing excessive sweating and moistening of clothes, leading to hypothermia. This gives maximum comfort. Putting on a high-quality down jacket, you do not need to additionally insulate with several layers of clothing.

Elastic properties of down. This is the most important indicator by which fluff is divided into classes. The higher the elastic properties of down, the better, more durable, warmer and lighter it is. To determine the elastic properties of down, a special coefficient, or Fill Power index, is used. This indicator determines how much air is held in 30 grams of fluff of one kind or another. Measurement technology according to European standard is. A portion of fluff of 30 grams at a certain humidity and temperature is placed in a cylinder with a diameter of 284 mm, then a weight of 94.25 g is lowered there. In this state, the fluff remains for 2-5 days. Next, the load is removed and the Fill Power is calculated using the formula I=S*H, where I is the Fill Power index, S is the area of the bottom of the vessel in which the fluff was placed and H is the height to which the fluff recovered after compression.

In addition to the European one, there is also an American way of calculating Fill Power, which uses a container of a smaller diameter, a different weight of down and load. Accordingly, American results differ from European ones. Therefore, manufacturers usually specify a way to determine the Fill Power factor. So, with the American system, the results of the Fill Power parameter are distributed as follows:

Bad quality

excellent quality

This is how the American Fill Power index is measured

Down purity is another important indicator of its quality. The purity of the down is determined by the proportional ratio of the amount of down and feather in the down and feather raw material. For example, 90/10 or 95/5 means that the mixture is 90% down and 10% feather or 95% down and 5% feather. The lower the percentage of feather in the mixture, the higher its class and cost. 100% down is not common, things with 100% filling are much more expensive, but this composition is not much different from the ratio of 95/5.

These are the main properties of down, thanks to which this natural filler is a recognized leader among heaters. In the following articles, we will compare the characteristics of down and the main synthetic fills.

Urgently making an audit in the closet (due to sudden frosts), you think: “How much fluff should be in the main item of the winter uniform - a warm down jacket? And why do they dislike the pen so much?

How much down should be in a warm winter down jacket?

The main advantages of outerwear with down include: high thermal insulation properties with low weight, practicality and durability. A down jacket is called a product only from natural down, on the label of which the word "down" appears. Leading manufacturers use a ratio of 20% feather (feather) and 80% down (down)

Down or feather, which is better for a down jacket?

A good winter coat is not filled with only one fluff (the product is deformed after the first wash). A feather in a down jacket is essential to maintain the shape of the “down block”. Doubt the quality? Take the sleeve of the jacket and squeeze, letting the air out. Did the product quickly recover its shape? This means that the feather and down in it are of high quality, move freely and hold securely. warm air inside.

An important indicator of quality is the coefficient of elasticity of down. It is labeled "Fill Power" on the label. This is a generally accepted measure of the quality of the down filling reflects its ability to recover after compression. In jackets, a high degree elasticity of natural down, comfortable up to - 30-35 degrees and below.

How much down should be in a down jacket by weight

A good down jacket weighs no more than a kilogram. If desired, it is always easy to twist it into a small bundle. Winter jackets with fur weigh a little more, but when worn they still seem almost weightless. But cheap fakes with ground chicken feathers are heavy and fail at the first frost: they do not heat up and quickly lose their presentation.

Branded brands of down jackets always supply their products with special sample bags. It is easy to determine the quality of the filler from them. This is what natural goose down looks like, which was collected from a live bird:

Of great importance for the quality of the down jacket is the age of the goose. The older the bird, the more developed the structure of its down, both in terms of fluffiness and strength.

The percentage of down and feather in a down jacket

In a high-quality product, the number of feathers should not exceed 30% of the total volume. If there is more feather in the down jacket than down, then after the first wash, the filler will simply slide down, making the thing unwearable.

Why does fluff come out of a down jacket when worn?

The appearance of "fluffs" on the outerwear of the presenters trademarks(Decently, Lusskiri, Mohnass) excluded. Special "bags" sewn into technical part jackets, do not allow the filler to crawl out and its uneven distribution. Noticeable protruding feathers that pierce the fabric and fluff constantly crawling out are a sign of a defective or poor-quality product.

The amount of down in down jackets in grams

It is correct to evaluate not the amount of fluff, but its quality. Sometimes the weight of the down in the product may not exceed 500 g. Fabrics with waterproof and windproof properties almost double the weight of the down jacket. (Possessing high hygroscopicity, fluff easily accumulates moisture and deteriorates without quick drying). The material of the down jacket has breathable properties, providing unhindered air circulation, but does not allow the down to get wet. Upper layer protects down insulation from seasonal precipitation and prevents an airy jacket from turning into a miserable bag full of hard, wet lumps in one moment.

How down is processed for down jackets

Down after collection from a goose or duck goes through more than ten stages of processing. It is washed, dried, sorted according to the capacity of its filling. After all the procedures, the natural material is packed in a special container that will not damage the fluffiness and structure of the fluff, and sent to the factory. If the down receives approval from the manufacturer of outerwear, it once again undergoes an air circulation procedure, during which all foreign particles are completely eliminated. Thorough cleaning and processing make the down in the down jacket hypoallergenic and safe.

Is it true that there is more down in a winter jacket than in a demi-season jacket?

The numerical indicator of the thermal insulation of the CLO down jacket (look at the label) will help you choose the right down jacket model for the season. The jacket marked 3 CLO is designed for severe frosts, a material with a high coefficient of elasticity was used as its filler. Walking at a temperature not lower than -10 degrees, comfortable in clothes with an indicator of 1 CLO.

Reading time: 7 minutes

Down-feather filler is one of the types of natural fillers, consisting of a mixture of down and feathers of birds - domesticated (goose, duck) and wild (eider, swan, wild duck). Down grows in the plumage of only waterfowl, it protects them from low and high temperatures, that is, from cold and from overheating.

The plumage of birds is divided into primary and contour feathers and down. Flywheels are never used as a filler. Outline ( top part body) select only the most fluffy. The feather has a rigid core (awn), under it lies fluff (the lower part of the body), which forms a “layer” and prevents the feather from coming into contact with the body. The down does not have an awn like a feather, but only a core, from which beards extend with processes that interlock with each other and give the down a rounded shape.

Production

The total number of processing steps and operations that the fluff goes through is about eighteen.

The first stage is the cultivation of waterfowl.
Fluff is collected from a live bird in a certain period.
After collection, it is weighed and the quality and degree of humidity are determined, then it is dried, dust-free, sorted and down-feather mixtures are made.
Then these mixtures are washed in machines with special detergents, squeezed in centrifuges to a moisture content of 45-50%, and served in dryers, where it is finally dried with hot air (at a temperature of 80-120 degrees). Sometimes hot steam cleaning is used.
With the help of a fan, the fluff is fed into the collection and pressed into bales.

All raw materials must be tested, they are issued veterinary certificates. If the fluff comes from disadvantaged areas where bird diseases occur, it undergoes mandatory disinfection.

Categories and properties of down and feather filler

The most expensive type of filler is the one in which the most fluff is 99-100%. It is called Exclusive Quality down and has the following properties:

very durable;
has low thermal conductivity - the fluffs are in contact with each other and create air gaps, a barrier is formed that does not allow heat or cold to pass through;
hygroscopic - able to absorb a large number of moisture and evaporate it into environment;
has a very low weight - light and delicate fluff in comparison with all other fillers, including synthetic ones, has the best ratio of mass and warmth;
breathable - provides good circulation of air currents;
non-felting - fluffs do not fall off, as they are very strong, flexible and resilient.

When a feather is added to such a filler, the category is reduced. Filler with a down to feather ratio of 95% to 5% belongs to the Premium category, 70% to 30% - to the Highest category, 50% to 50% - to the First, 30% to 70% - to the Second category.

The more feather added, the worse the properties of the filler. If small or crushed feathers of a killed bird are added to it (as a waste of meat production), it will have a higher thermal conductivity, low hygroscopicity, greater weight and dumping. It also needs to be treated with chemicals.

FEEL POWER

There is a special indicator of the quality of down-feather filler - the FEEL POWER index (the higher the better).

It shows how resilient the down is and how it can bounce back after being compressed.

If the index index is 750 and above - this is down of exclusive quality, it is collected manually and only in spring from the chest part of the bird, which is constantly in selective conditions.

A value below 400 indicates a very low quality filler, such down was collected from a dead bird.

The degree of elasticity also depends on how many degrees the insulation effectively protects against cold. For example, duck down in a down jacket with a high FEEL POWER index will provide comfort up to minus 30-35 degrees and even lower.

Raw materials

Gaga

The most valuable is the down of the northern eider bird, which lives in the arctic climate of Iceland (eiderdown is also collected in Canada, Denmark, Finland and Norway). It is collected by hand directly from the nests. She plucks it out of herself to warm her offspring with the warmth of her skin.

All subsequent stages of processing are also carried out manually, since the fluffs have the highest degree of adhesion, and in the product being filled they form a dense elastic layer that does not change shape during operation. Products with eider down are incredibly light, airy and warm. This type of filler is the highest quality and most expensive.

Goose feather

Next comes goose down, which is also divided into categories. The most valuable is the white goose, followed by the grey. Its quality depends both on the breed of the bird and on the habitat: the more severe the climate in which the goose lives, the higher the quality. Canadian is the best. Next come European breeds: Hungarian, Italian, North German and others.

The down of birds living in harsh conditions, but migrating for the winter to countries with a warm climate (Turkey, China, Germany) is of lower quality.

Duck

In addition, duck plumage has a specific smell and requires additional processing. Down of the Canadian duck of very high quality.

White duck down is considered a universal insulation. Interestingly, the raw materials for it are collected from nests, since this type of duck is listed in the Red Book. Birds prepare nests for their chicks by lining its bottom with fluff, which is plucked from the abdomen and chest. They cover the laid eggs with the same fluff.

Chicken feather as filler

Has only a feather. It is used for the production of goods of the lowest price segment.

Manufacturers

The best producers of such a filler are Canada and Hungary, and products using down and feather raw materials are Canada, Europe (Germany, Hungary) and the Scandinavian countries. The main exporter of the highest quality eider down is Japan.
In Russia, for a long time, raw materials were produced from the down of a dead bird, so it was of low quality and inexpensive, then gained popularity (high-quality and cheap).

Application and care

Down-feather mixture is used as a filler for those products that have the purpose of insulation. These are winter outerwear (down jackets, jackets, coats) and bedding (blankets and pillows).

clothing

For men's, women's and children's down jackets and overalls, the down is additionally treated with water-repellent compounds. Usually use a filler of the Highest category (70/30%). Such clothes are very light, but well protected from winter frosts.

Modern down jackets are sewn in such a way that fluffs and feathers do not crawl out through the layer of the upper fabric. To do this, the filler is placed in special fabric bags, additional cushioning fabric is used, and the seams with which the product is quilted are processed special formulations. So that such a down jacket does not let the cold through in the places of stitching, the packages are overlapped.

Thus, a down-filled suit has the following pros and cons. Their main advantage is lightness, durability, low thermal conductivity of down. However, natural insulation requires additional and special care, it can cause allergic reactions.

How to care for a down and feather down jacket

It is recommended to give the down jacket for cleaning, but machine wash with liquid is also allowed. detergent on delicate mode. In order for the fluff not to stray into lumps, in washing machine throw in three tennis balls.

You should not wring out and dry the product in the machine, you need to let the water drain by spreading the down jacket on a horizontal grid or grate. Then dry with a fan or hair dryer.

Bed dress

And with such natural filler very light, soft and warm. They keep their shape well, do not fall off. It is recommended to fluff the pillows with your hands every morning (not in the evening).

Care

For such products, dry cleaning in specialized institutions is recommended. You can wash it yourself in the machine at a temperature of 40-60 degrees. Wash only high quality products. In cheap filler is more fragile and can be damaged.

Bedding . Much depends on the country where the raw material was produced, but there is no such information on the label.

Visually, the quality can be checked by pressing on the product and seeing how soon it restores its shape. If high-quality raw materials were used, the shape is restored by 50-70% in 15 seconds, and completely - after 2-3 minutes.

Service life

Clothing and blankets filled with goose down can last up to 20 years. But bedding (pillows and blankets) is recommended to be changed every few years (or cleaned once a year), as they absorb all the substances that are released through human skin.

Thanks to modern technologies down and feather filler is very high quality and environmentally friendly pure material. With proper care, products with it will last a very long time.

How to choose a winter jacket? Primarily, down jacket like any winter outerwear should be warm and light. In addition, there winter jackets budget, but there are high-quality ones. If the question of acquisition winter down jacket approach thoughtfully, it will be enough to make your choice once, and qualitative clothes will last you many seasons.

To choose high-quality winter clothes, it must be taken into account that in Russia, any voluminous jacket, on any insulation, for some reason, is immediately called a down jacket, even if there is no smell of down there. In fact, a down jacket is winter clothing with a certain type of insulation. How to choose a down jacket correctly? If you are holding a real down jacket in your hands, then on the label you will see the inscription "down". If the label says "feather", then there is an addition of feathers in proportion to down. If you see the inscription "cotton" on the down jacket, then this is, excuse me, a simple padded jacket. The word - "wool" means wool, which means that you have batting in your hands, but woolen. Well, if you see the inscription - "polyester", it means that you have an ordinary synthetic winterizer in front of you.

The leader among natural heaters quality winter coats is down (eiderdown, swan or goose). Lightweight and breathable, it absorbs a large amount of air, perfectly retains heat, and at the same time eliminates the risk of overheating and sweating. Natural down is indicated on the product label as “100% down”, but in its pure form, such insulation is rare and not cheap. Natural down combined with synthetic fibers is referred to as "intelligentdown". In fact, this is a mixture of down filler and hollow technoloft fiber, due to which hygroscopicity is reduced and the quality of recovery after compression is improved.

AT real down jacket at least 80% down, the rest is feather. On the label you will see this ratio as a fraction: 80/20 or 70/30. In a down jacket designed for light city walks, this ratio can be 60/40 or even 50/50. But such light jackets will not save you from winter cold, they are designed for autumn or for spring. If you like to travel outside the city in winter, then it is better choose a down jacket with a ratio of down and feathers 90/10 or 80/20. Thermal insulation is indicated by the abbreviation CLO - a unit of measurement for the thermal insulation of a product:

1 CLO - you will be comfortable at temperatures up to -15 degrees,
3 CLO - do not freeze even at -40 degrees.

In the manufacture of down jackets, the down is distributed in blocks, which should be no more than 20x20cm. To the touch, the fluff should be soft, without lumps, freely moving around the block. Stinging wits from a pen indicate poor quality down filler. Also pay attention to the coefficient of elasticity, which is indicated as F.P. (fill power). His task is to show how the fluff restores its shape after being acquired. If the down jacket is branded, then this figure is not less than 550. In addition, in a branded down jacket, the down is placed in a two-layer bag impregnated with Teflon. This prevents the feather from piercing the fabric and coming out. Some models of down jackets use a kind of cover - an outer fabric that masks the down sections, which gives things a more elegant look.

It is possible, for example, choose a down jacket Canada Goose. Today, for Canadian down jackets the fame of the highest quality and warmest down jackets in the world, they are confidently pushing their Finnish and Italian competitors. Choosing a down jacket made in Canada, you get everything at once: high quality products, thoughtful design, wear resistance and, of course, a special recognizable style. AT suitable model you can comfortably be outside for several hours at a very low temperature, walk outside the city, go to work, and just look good when others wrap themselves in several thick sweaters and a heavy sheepskin coat.

How to choose a down jacket?

In Russia and Europe, the labels indicate the standard for down - DIN EN 12934. It is applicable to European countries and indicates that all standards for washing, drying and disinfection are met. The branded down jacket has an attached bag of down samples. The name of the manufacturer is on the buttons and zippers. The label of the down jacket must indicate the country of origin and recommendations for washing. Before you shell out a solid amount for a down jacket you like, pay attention to several factors:

warmth of the model (density of down filling (down fill power), it is better to choose a down jacket, with indicators of 650-750. These figures primarily determine the quality of the material, on which the next item largely depends, since down with different density can create the same thermal insulation with different weights. To create the same degree of insulation, more down with a low index is required.
product weight - good down jackets weigh little;
model length - for trips in the car and active walks you need different models;
the quality of the outer fabric and lining determines durability, easy care, water and wind protection.
hood trim;
functional little things, which distinguish nice clothes- accessories, even lines, a system of pockets, valves, leather and fur inserts, magnetic fasteners.

Choosing a down jacket, preference should be given to fabrics with a membrane, or with the appropriate ratio of cotton, wool, nylon in the composition, which will withstand many years of operation, change hard frost and wet snow, and will look decent after washing and dry cleaning. For example, in the down jackets of the Canadian brands Arctic Bay, Nobis, Woolrich, Moose Knuckles, it is not scary to get caught in the rain.

Down jackets with artificial filler

Today, you will no longer surprise anyone with the so-called synthetic down. Despite manufacturers' claims, down jackets with artificial filler heat-shielding properties still inferior to natural fluff. The exception is Thinsulate. This modern insulation has proven itself even in the harsh conditions of the Far North. Thinsulate mimics all the benefits of natural down. Thinsulate is a soft and durable material that does not absorb moisture. It consists of very fine fibers, is durable and does not cause allergies. In terms of thickness, Thinsulate fibers are 10 times thinner than a human hair, therefore down jacket on Thinsulate it is very warm and light enough. However, it also has a drawback, which is its high cost.

The top of a high-quality winter down jacket is sewn, as a rule, from light and durable material, which should not pass moisture or require special care. The choice of down jacket or a warm winter jacket depends on the style you prefer. If you feel comfortable in sports style clothes, then you can choose a winter jacket from one of the leading manufacturers. sportswear— Umbro, Nike, Adidas… If you prefer more elegant clothes — take a closer look at the collections of the Russian company BASK or Blackdaffodil, but the most sophisticated fashionistas and dandies can choose a down jacket, a jacket or any other high-quality winter clothing with artificial insulation, which is offered by leading fashion houses - Versace, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Moschino.

Categories

Popular