TAKING CARE OF DUCK DOWN

Duck down jackets are timelessly enjoyed throughout winter seasons all over the world as their padded textures and architectural silhouettes make them highly enjoyable to wear. During the winter seasons it is much like wearing a chic blanket when out and about in the streets for a whole day.

There are a couple of things you should consider and look for when shopping for a high quality duck down jacket. Furthermore, there are a couple of things you can do to care for your duck down jacket so that you can enjoy it for many years to come. This article will cover a few tips and tricks around these points.
Down is the light fluffy coating found beneath the feathers of ducks and geese. Most of the down on a duck can be found on the breast and underbelly area of the bird. This is the material that is found in your duck down jackets.

The quality of your down jacket will largely depend on the down to feather ratio of that jacket’s padding. The down to feather ratio is the amount of down inside a jacket’s padding, versus the amount of feathers. It is important to note here that the higher the number in favour of down, the warmer the jacket is. High quality jackets should have at least an 80-20 down-feather ratio, because down does a much better job at trapping air than feathers. The 80-20 down-feather ratio is the most common ratio used at CJK The Label, unless otherwise stated whereby some items may have a higher 90-10 down-feather ratio. This is to ensure that you are kept warm in the most premium quality down jackets when you wear CJK The Label. To have a look at one of our 90-10 duck down jackets, click here.
Not all padded down jackets are the same. For example, many cheaper padded jacket varieties will have synthetic insulation for its padding to offer you a product at a lower price point. In most cases, washing these jackets into your normal washing machine should not cause damage to the garment (however, for the best care instructions regarding your synthetic padded jacket, please carefully refer to the care instructions that came with your specific jacket when you first bought it).

Down jackets that have down and feather inside of them need to be cared for much more delicately in order to ensure the longevity of the garment. The best way to care for down jackets that have a 80-20 down-feather ratio or higher is to hand wash them gently in warm water with wool detergent, and then hanging them to dry. This will ensure that the feathers in the padding will remain light and fluffy. It will also ensure that the shape of your garment is now damaged, stretched or pulled which can happen when garments are thrown into washing machines.

With these tips in mind and with right and appropriate care, we hope that you can enjoy wearing your duck down jacket over many years to come.

[Image by Diego M via Vogue Russia.]