Archive for the ‘Bedding’ Category
Why can goose down be so expensive?
The higher the fill power means that the down is the rarest and accordingly the most expensive. The geese kept for breeding will molt naturally each spring and the down is collected by hand when it is loose.
This type of down from breeding geese is rare and expensive, but it has greater loft and gets its scarcity from the careful selection by hand. Pacific Coast down comforters are constructed using the better downs of up to 650 fill power.
How do you think about down in terms of fill power?
Fill power can be thought of in terms of cubic inches per ounce, so the bigger the volume of each ounce the higher the fill power number. A fill power of 400-450 is medium quality; 500-550 is good quality; 550-750 is very good quality; and over 750+ fill power is excellent quality.
All of the 750+ fill is from geese that are kept for breeding, while the 400 fills would come from four month old geese that are raised for consumption, with the down being the secondary product of these young birds. A good quality queen size Pacific Coast down comforter with a fill power of 650 and a good cotton cover with a 330 thread count could easily cost over $350.
Comparing high and low fill power for warmth.
Fill power is a measure of the quality of down used as a standard in the industry. A way to tell the difference in high fill power versus low fill power is that to get the same warmth from say a goose down comforter, the high fill power down will weigh less and the low fill power down will weight more.
Conversely, another way to tell would be to take something made of down that both weigh the same and compare how warm it keeps you. The higher fill power would keep you warmer when compared to the lower fill power comforter.
Turn the thermostat down and sleep in warmth.
With fuel prices expected to rise and with the possibility of a cold winter looming, turning the thermostat down lower at night may be necessary. A cold house while we sleep is not as uncomfortable if you cover ourselves properly.
Down is an excellent insulator that is a natural regulator, keeping warmth in and cold out, without causing discomfort from being too heavy. Quality down comforters have a way of keeping the temperature under the covers just right and rarely will the term too warm or cold be a problem.
Does an old house mean that you have to be cold?
In wintertime older houses that are not well insulated and have original windows will radiate heat. When you are sitting there and feel cold air, it is because heat is leaving not because cold air is necessarily getting in.
When you are at home and it is not warm enough it helps a lot to wrap yourself in a down blanket, or lay a down throw over your lap while you are sitting at the computer or the table eating.
Does living in hard times mean we can’t be comfortable?
Our economy is suffering and money is tight as we approach the end of another year and the weather has turned from fall to winter. When you live in a northern climate of the upper Midwest you can feel cold all the time.
We are conserving as much as we can and this often means keeping the thermostat at 60 degrees or less at night. Consumers are realizing that an investment in goose down comforters for the family will keep everyone warm while they sleep.
Should you treat your feather bed like a mattress?
If you own a feather bed and did not purchase a feather bed cover here are a few details to consider. Unlike a mattress cover a feather bed cover needs to be zipped. The cover can be washed like a regular mattress cover.
A good feather bed cover will help your feather bed stay cleaner and help it to last longer. The cover should be snug fitting and it should be made with 230 thread count 100% cotton. Look for at least a 5-year warranty and a comfort guarantee.
What kind of feather bed warranty should I look for?
When shopping for a feather bed make sure to compare guarantees and warranties. A good feather bed should have at least a 30-day comfort guarantee so that you can try it out, with your money back if it is not right for you.
A good warranty is 10-years against workmanship and material defects, but you must register the product soon after the purchase. Because your feather bed is made of feathers you should look for an allergy-free warranty, which should be for the first 30-days.
Are feather pillows as good as down pillows?
If you are trying to decide on the right down feather pillow to furnish your bedroom with, you may want to learn about a feather type pillow that will not poke you with quills. Eurofeather is a trademark of Pacific Coast Feather Company that curls the quill of an ordinary feather in the making of its Eurofeather pillow.
Pacific Coast makes its feather pillow with a 230 thread count 100% cotton cover and filled with Eurofeathers. The feathers are hyperclean and the pillow uses standard construction and has a double needle corded edge.
What pillow would you sleep best on?
In all of my years I have used a variety of pillows from polyester to foam and from buckwheat to feather. The best pillow is arguably goose down, but there have been problems with them that have been remedied in modern times.
In the past, typical goose down pillows were too soft, which resulted in you head sinking through the soft down to the mattress, which is not very comfortable if you like sleeping on your side. Another common problem with down pillows is that its cover allows the down to escape, causing a mess of fluffy down and some scratchiness while you sleep.