Find Out How To Economize With Down Substitute Bedding

The majority of people realize that to get a hold of a real quality down comforter

, one might have to spend hundreds of dollars. Down is not an easily harvested material. It requires raising geese until maturity which can take months or years. If farmed geese are not available, then a lot of labor must go into finding a source of wild geese to supply the down.

The source of down is in the undercoat of waterfowl, most often geese but also sometimes ducks. The top coat is known as the flight feathers which most people can identify and understand. Flight feathers are oiled, stiff and have the characteristic elongated feather shape. Down is much softer and comes in a little clump known as a plumule. The two may be mixed in products for attaining the right stiffness.

A little family of just four people means that three or more comforters will be required every night. Children also tend to wear down any sort of bedding, whether its the cheap pillows or the pricey comforters. The result is a lot of money goes into bedding. To save money, families might want to consider down alternatives.

A good down alternative should be able to mimic at least two properties of down. It should be soft, and it should provide high "loft". Loft is an indicator of volume to weight. For down, just an ounce can fill 1000 cubic inches. The high volume and low weight is a good indicator of how much air is in the spaces, which in turn is a good indicator of insulating power.

The thing to keep in mind is that not all down alternatives are cheaper than down. For example, alpaca wool is very lofty, warm and soft. But it's an extremely expensive material as it's harvested from a rare South American pack animal, the alpaca, much like wool is harvested from sheep. There are even synthetic alternatives that are highly pricey.

Therefore, to save money one should choose a synthetic alternative that has high quality yet at a lower price point than the most premium synthetic brands. Virtually all synthetics are made of polyester. The differences between them depend on the ingenuity of the manufacturer, and whether they have developed a novel method for making a high loft and soft synthetic. A customer should try out the down alternative comforter by considering not only how soft and lofty it is, but also whether it doesn't weigh down heavily on a sleeper.

Interested consumers are fortunate to have many choices when it comes to high quality alternative bedding. The Company Store and JC Penney are some fine examples of down alternative manufacturers.

by: Shawna Gilberts

POST COMMENT

Phal Orchids – Essential Guidelines for Easily Growing Phalaenopsis Orchids The Positives Of Purchasing Engraved Glass The Different Types Of Roofing Materials Some Pros And Cons Of Mens Tungsten Rings How To Keep Bed Bugs Under Control Como Quedar Embarazada En 60 Días 2011 Porsche Cayenne COMO MANTER A CASA LIVRE DE ESPÍRITOS OBSESSORES? Bargain Break Bargains To Stir You: Deluxe Rooms, Tickets, Places To Eat, Boutiques, Amusement, And Finding a Workout Balance Kelvin Houghton launches The Last Traffic Secret Haining Warp Knitting Industrial Park And The Implementation Of Program Transformation And Upgrading What Makes Laser Liposuction Unique?