Now that you have decided upon the best size, optimal warmth level, and desired construction type for your down comforter, you need to know what is actually inside of it! The fill material of the down comforter directly affects its appearance, performance, and longevity. Deciding which factors matter most to you before you buy a down comforter can potentially save you hundreds of dollars. Otherwise, you might find yourself unduly influenced by advertising and end up buying "too much" down comforter. Alternatively, you may find a great deal and wind up with the wrong down comforter for you. An educated consumer is the best customer!
Let's start with a quick overview of key terms relevant to the present topic:
- Down is the soft inner plumage of waterfowl such as ducks and geese. Down has numerous light, fluffy filaments extending in all directions, without a feather’s quill shaft. Down has long been recognized as an excellent fill material for comforters, pillows, and coats. Its natural properties exceed even the most advanced sythetics.
- Feathers refer to the plumage forming the external covering of birds. Feathers are flat, almost two-dimensional, and have a hard central shaft. They are generally used for additional firmness in pillows and featherbeds. Smaller, lighter, and softer feathers are also blended with down as fill material for some comforters.
- Fill Weight describes the weight, in ounces, of the fill material used in the construction of a down or feather/down comforter. Comforters may be described as light or summer weight, medium or year-round weight, and heavy or winter weight.
- Fill Power is the number of cubic inches that a single ounce of down occupies. The very finest down has a fill power of at least 750 cubic inches per ounce and the lowest is around 300 per ounce. Average department store comforters are often around 500-550 fill power.
With these definitions in mind, we are ready to consider the three 'fill factors' that you will need to understand in order to find your perfect down comforter. These factors are 1) fill type, 2) fill qualities, and 3) fill source.
FILL TYPE
When considering fill type, you will quickly discover a potentially confusing array of options. To make your choices manageable, first decide whether you prefer a comforter filled with down only or one filled with a feather and down blend. (Note: Most 'down only' products will contain some trace of feathers and fiber due to the manufacturing process. An average, quality down comforter will contain no less than 75% down. Luxury comforters contain virtually 100% down.) Secondly, you can further narrow your options by choosing between duck down and goose down. Thirdly, feather and down, whether from ducks or geese, can be further characterized by their color and will be white, grey, or brown.
FILL QUALITIES
Down vs. Feather/Down
Down is highly valued for its many desirable characteristics. Down is lightweight, soft, lofty, and resilient. Its unmatched insulating and moisture-wicking properties provide for a comfortable, dry, even-temp sleeping experience. Consider how the insulation in your house serves to keep the cold out during the winter and the heat out during the summer. A down comforter works similarly against both cold and heat. In addition, the breathability of down and the warmth it retains makes for a dry, humidty-free environment that deter the accumulation of dust mites and other allergens. These qualities are further enhanced by large-cluster down that is gathered from mature birds. A comforter filled primarily with down will thus weigh less, feel softer, appear fluffier, last longer, and provide better insulation than a feather/down blend comforter. Feather/down comforters, on the other hand, do contain all these qualities, but to a lesser extent. Yet, feather/down comforters, ounce for ounce, still out-perform synthetic fill materials and are very affordable.
White, grey, or brown?
While white is generally the most favored color for feathers and down, there is simply no consensus on which color is best; and the truth of a matter is not determined by majority opinion. White down seems to appeal to our visual senses (we consider it to be purer, cleaner) and does not show through white or light color covers. Yet, the color of down is a poor indicator if how well cleaned that down is; and brown or grey down won't show through a duvet cover. Consider, too, that older birds (the very ones that produce stronger, larger clusters) tend toward a greying of their feathers. In short, the color of down (and feathers for that matter) is practically irrelevant when choosing a down comforter, unless -brave soul that you are- you plan to have an uncovered white comforter.
Duck vs. Goose
What is more important than color is the choice between duck down and goose down. This is also the point in your search where the available options can tend to confuse rather than to illumine. To simplify matters, duck down is generally of lesser quality than is goose down, primarily because duck down yields smaller clusters. Smaller clusters are less resilient and require more fill to compensate for their low fill power (lofting ability), making for a heavier comforter. However, there is one glaring exception to this rule. One of the most luxurious (and most expensive) down comforters is filled with Eiderdown: a brown-colored down derived from a duck!
FILL SOURCE
Our next consideration pertains to the source of the down and feather used to fill the comforter. Just as all down is not createed equal, not all down is harvested equally. The birds being harvested and the methods used to collect down and feathers for comforter fill material can and do affect the overall performance of the comforter. Above, I mentioned Icelandic Eiderdown. This down is extremely rare and prohibitively expensive as it can only be hand-harvested from abandoned nests. Goose down, meanwhile, is readily available and is produced the world over.
Hungarian White Goose Down
The height of goose down luxury is a position occupied by Hungarian white goose down, which is derived from geese raised specifically for their feathers and down. Hungarian, or Magyar, geese have been raised in the Hungarian countryside for centuries. The colder climate of Hungary encourages the growth of strong and well-insulating down and feathers. Hungarian geese produce world-renowned, high quality down that boasts an exceptional 750+ fill power, long-lasting, soft and resilient down. Additionally, some Hungarian white goose down comforters are filled with large-cluster, hand-harvested down. Hand-harvesting of down causes no injury to the geese and preserves the down's inherent qualities from damage.
European and Canadian Goose Down
Running a very close second to Hungarian goose down, are the premium European and Canadian goose downs. European goose down represents down produced in European countries (other than Hungary), such as Poland and Turkey. European down is characterized by a high fill power, between 650 and 750, but lacks the historical centuries-long heritage of Hungarian goose down. Canadian geese, like their Hungarian cousins, are large birds that also can produce large-cluster, high-quality down. Like the Hungarian variety, Canadian goose down can attain a fill power of around 750. The Canadian goose down industry actually traces its roots back to 16th Century Moravia, (presently the Czech Republic).
Chinese Goose Down
Chinese goose down is mainly the by-product of China's food industry and is usually referred to as 'natural' down. Natural down is certainly a responsible use of raw material that would otherwise be discarded, but its inherent qualities are compromised by two related factors. First, the geese from which this down is harvested are raised to provide meat, not high quality down. Second, the butchering process inevitably damages the down to some extent. Natural down comforters are commonly found in department stores and feature a fill power of 550 and under.
SUMMARY
You are now adequately prepared to navigate through the many options available to you when searching for that perfect down comforter. You can make an informed decision about the type of fill material you feel will best suit you, whether it be down or feather/down blend and whether the fill is derived from ducks or from geese. You have a better understanding of the qualities each of these fill types possess and can thereby decide which qualities are most important to you. Lastly, you can differentiate between the many sources of goose down available while also taking into account the method by which the down is gathered.
My article, Essential Steps to Find Your Perfect Down Comforter, Part I, served to help you select the general qualities you would want to have in a down comforter. Part II examined the types, qualities, and sources of the fill material commonly used in down comforters, helping you better to decide which option is best for you. My next article will round out the series by examining the types, qualities, and characteristics of the outside, or tick, of the down comforter. Stay tuned. Stay informed! 
