What is bio-down: material properties, application and care features

The most winter and most pressing issue is the question of choosing outerwear. What will it be: a coat, a parka, a fur coat, a sheepskin coat or a sports jacket? What to choose to avoid freezing? What materials should you pay attention to first? If, due to the small variety of type, shape and color, it is almost impossible for men to get confused when choosing, then the women’s assortment amazes with its breadth. But the most popular type of outerwear was and remains the down jacket, which gained fame back in the late 90s. More recently, it again began to beat the ratings of top stores and showrooms, and not only for women.

The reasonable price of down jackets allows you to change outerwear so often that you can choose the most harmonious one for each look. Easy to care for, you don’t have to worry about washing and often go to the dry cleaner. A large selection of materials, especially fillers, makes this type of product universal, because every buyer will be able to find one suitable for any type of activity: from office work to outings. Insulation materials can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial, each of which has its own disadvantages and advantages. Below is a rating of the best fillings for down jackets.

The best natural fillings for down jackets

Natural fillers are famous for their warming properties and reliability when worn. They have unsurpassed thermal insulation properties that do not allow cold air to penetrate under clothing. Among the disadvantages, one can note an allergic reaction that can occur when worn, caused by organic components. More careful care will also be required so that the item lasts longer, and the internal components do not form a large pile and do not crawl through the upper layers of fabric. This will damage the appearance of the product, whether it is female or male.

Average price per kg

To understand the economic attractiveness of producing this product, you can consider the approximate prices in the country for 1 kg of synthetic fluff made from recycled PET (minimum batch).

The best artificial fillings for down jackets

Artificial fillers, unlike natural ones, are famous for their ease and ease of care. Unique technologies allow you to retain heat for as long as possible, and make the weight of the item insignificant. Special impregnation compositions for fibers will prevent the filler from getting wet in bad weather, but at the same time allow the skin to breathe. This type of insulation is most often chosen by lovers of an active lifestyle who prefer to avoid “puffy” down jackets. The rating will allow you to understand the synthetic variety and choose your favorite.

What and how is synthetic fluff made from?

Synthetic down is a filling made from synthetic polyester fibers. This is a non-woven material that is created from the smallest polyester fibers having hollow spaces in the structure. Thanks to the presence of these cavities, the insulation becomes incredibly light.

To make the villi more elastic, they are treated with a special silicone emulsion. After applying the composition, these particles are twisted into a spiral. Silicone treatment makes the material waterproof, so clothing dries quickly when in contact with moisture.

Sometimes synthetic down comes in the form of balls. This filling option for down jackets is shown in the photo; it is more resistant to pilling, so the products are practically not subject to deformation.

This material's properties can be compared to bird's down and feathers. Insulation is classified according to its linear density. This characteristic consists of the thickness and length of the pile. The degree of thickness is designated as 7 D or 15 D, the length can be 32 or 64 mm.

Each variety has its own advantages and disadvantages. Filling with a high level of elasticity retains its shape better, but is too rigid, so it is difficult for them to fill narrow parts of products. Thin pile is soft; to the touch this material is most similar to natural down, but it is less durable.

Useful tips for choosing

When purchasing outerwear, follow some useful tips.

Recommendations:

• Trying it on will help you decide what is warmer: down or padding in a down jacket.
• Clothes should be true to size, but you need to take into account space for an additional jacket or sweater.
• Neat stitching, the presence of all buttons and additional decorations are evidence of the quality of the product.
• Don't choose a suspiciously low price. Perhaps second-class raw materials were used.

Features of care and cleaning

To increase the service life of clothing with synthetic down, you need to fulfill a number of simple conditions:

• Products containing synthetic fluff can be washed either manually or in an automatic machine. If washing in a machine, set the delicate mode, the temperature should not exceed 90
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  However, it is unlikely that it will be possible to exceed it in a washing machine;

• Drying and spinning in a washing machine is allowed;
• The temperature of the iron when ironing cannot exceed 90
  O

  WITH;

• For proper drying, it is better to hang the products rather than lay them out;
• Things can be stored under any conditions; for convenience, you can use vacuum bags;
• Upholstered furniture filled with synthetic fluff can be cleaned using specialized liquid detergents.

Synthetic fluff is practical and has many advantages. If you follow simple rules for caring for products with this filler, they will last for many years.

Getting fluff

Obtaining down from poultry can be done by two methods: intravital and post-mortem plucking. During post-mortem plucking, feathers and down from the carcass are completely removed, without any residue. Poultry of any type (chickens, ducks, geese) is subject to this procedure. Lifetime pinching is recommended only for geese; other types of poultry are not subject to it. In this case, the down is removed from the lower abdomen, front of the back and lower neck. The remaining areas are not touched.

With post-mortem plucking, a larger quantity of down and feather products is obtained, but its quality is worse. During lifetime, the quality of the product is much higher; it is also possible to collect fluff several times during the life of the bird. However, the amount of fluff obtained from each individual will be much less than with post-mortem pinching.

When collecting especially valuable down of wild bird species, such as the eider, it is collected from abandoned nests in the nesting areas of the bird's colonies.

What temperature is synthetic fluff designed for?

Synthetic fluff is a high-tech material. The structure of its fibers provides a high level of thermal insulation properties. Air is found both inside the fiber and in the space between the fibers. This increases resistance to low temperatures.

A down jacket with such filling is designed for very cold winters; it allows a person to feel comfortable when the ambient temperature drops to -30 degrees. The air layer retains heat even in windy weather conditions. Products with synthetic down are warm when wind gusts up to 15 m/s. Such down jackets are not afraid of even precipitation.

Down clothing design

Seams of a down jacket
In principle, the seams should be divided into two groups: • Cold • Warm In the classic version of a down jacket, the seam passes through, forming cold areas in its area. Thus, even the thickest down jacket has weak spots through which cold and moisture can get inside. The solution was the technology of warm seams. Instead of a through seam, some kind of partitions appeared. The outer and inner materials are not sewn together, but are connected with an intermediate tape.

Warm seam/cold seam
This technology is more complex to produce, but allows the fluff to be distributed over the entire area of ​​the product in an even layer, preventing heat loss in the seam area. Down jackets with warm seams are significantly warmer, so this technology is used primarily in expedition or mountaineering models for extreme conditions. But a through seam is found in almost all urban models of down jackets.

Compare these two hood options.
On the left all the seams are warm, on the right only half. The seam itself, in turn, can be classic
through or welded
. The second option is preferable for a number of reasons: • one of the most important reasons, the welded seam allows you to avoid damaging the integrity of the fabric by needle punctures, as is the case with traditional sewing technology. • welded seam guarantees increased strength. • the smooth surface of the product with this technology is airtight. A welded seam is rare; such an expensive technology is used, as a rule, only on down jackets for the most extreme conditions, for example, for Arctic expeditions or high-altitude mountaineering.

Welded seam/through seam Down pockets/bags/sections.
In technological clothing, down is placed in special down bags; they prevent the occurrence of cold spots and prevent the down from migrating and coming out.
Down pack in an Arcteryx jacket

Other design features
can also affect the warmth and wearing comfort of your down jacket •
Wind flap.
The strip along the zipper can be inside or outside, there can even be two or three.
In the warmest models of down jackets, the windproof strip is also insulated with down. • Articulated cut.
Down jackets, especially voluminous ones, have an articulated cut in the elbow area.
• Cuffs
may vary in width and finish.
Wide elastic cuffs prevent cold air from entering and increase service life. Warm expeditionary down jackets may also have Velcro on the cuffs. But mountaineering down jackets are meant to be used primarily under a membrane jacket, so the cuffs should be compact and comfortable. • Drawstrings.
The most important thing is the ability to regulate the volume in the hips.
If there is a hood, it is desirable that there are adjustments there too. In harsh conditions, the warm down hood will provide maximum comfort. • Hood.
In mountaineering and expedition down jackets, a lot of attention is paid to the hood.
Here it is worth paying attention to several points: is it designed for a helmet, the presence of a hard visor, the depth of the hood, the height of the collar, various drawstrings. • Compression bag.
Some jackets have compression bags for transportation, some even have built-in ones. The best mountaineering down jackets fold into their own pocket.

Description of material

Synthetic fluff, which is produced using the latest technology, contains many of the finest polyester fibers. Each fiber has microscopic cavities, which reduce the weight of the material. Due to the fact that the hole sizes in the voids are very small, water cannot penetrate into the fiber.

Synthetic down

To achieve greater elasticity, the hairs are impregnated with silicone emulsion and twisted into a spiral. Silicone treatment reduces the water permeability of the fiber, so synthetic fluff dries quickly. Plus, the smooth fibers don't tangle and the litter doesn't bunch up.

Additional air cushions are formed between the spirals, resulting in the material being warm and elastic. After all, air is the best heat insulator; the more it is contained in the filler, the warmer the product. No glue or other harmful chemicals are used to form the fabric.

The entire technological process for producing synthetic fluff consists of one operation, namely processing the fibers. Two types of this synthetic filler are produced: in the form of spirals (in other words, comb) and in the form of balls. Compared to comb, balls are more elastic and less susceptible to deformation.

Comparison of synthetic down and other natural and synthetic insulation materials

The modern textile market offers a large number of winter items with natural and artificial insulation. Some people prefer down and feather fillings, as they consider them the warmest and most environmentally friendly. However, down jackets with new synthetic fillers are in no way inferior to down in terms of characteristics. To determine which material is better, you need to study all the pros and cons of insulating materials, which are presented in the table:

Where is synthetic fluff used?

Incredibly light artificial down with unique heat-shielding properties has found application in many industries:

• as insulation in winter and demi-season clothing;
• for filling pillows and blankets;
• in the furniture industry (in the manufacture of upholstered furniture);
• as a filler for children's soft toys;
• items for tourism and active recreation.

Products with synthetic down are not picky about care, wash well and dry quickly, weigh little, which is why they are in great demand among customers.

Areas of application

Lightness and good thermal insulation ability make synthetic fluff indispensable in production:

• Winter and demi-season clothing . It is in the tailoring of outerwear that its low weight and high thermal insulation are valued. The use of synthetic down allows you to reduce the weight and volume of the product, which is especially important for children's clothing.
• Home textiles (blankets, pillows). Bedding filled with synthetic feathers is warm and light, which is very convenient for storage and care.
• Kids toys . Completely safe and non-allergenic material. Ideal for contact with a child.
• Cushioned furniture . It retains its shape better than synthetic padding and allows you to stuff very small parts without compromising the appearance.

Advantages

• environmental friendliness. No harmful or toxic substances are used in production, so synthetic fluff is absolutely safe for health;

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What to choose in the end

Which insulation is better to choose for a winter jacket is a controversial question. If thermal insulation properties come first, then a down jacket with natural filling or shelter is better. When you need a more affordable option, holofiber is suitable.

For women's down jackets, maintaining their shape is important. It will be provided by high-quality natural or synthetic down, isosoft, holofiber, and thinsulate. The latter is also the thinnest, which is important for creating a slender silhouette.

For children's jackets, lightness, hygroscopicity, wear resistance and low cost are more important, since clothes have to be changed often as they grow. It is optimal to choose holofiber or a more expensive option - Thinsulate or Isosoft.

Pros and cons of the material

Synthetic fluff has a number of advantages, which are determined by the properties of polyester fiber and the structure of the material:

• Breathability - clothes with padding made of synthetic fluff allow air to pass through perfectly, allowing the body to breathe freely.
• Water resistance - treatment of fibers with silicone increases the water-repellent properties of the insulation. The material does not get wet for a long time and dries quickly. Even when wet it retains heat.
• Environmentally friendly - synthetic fluff is not dangerous to human health, since no glue or other harmful mixtures are used in production. Environmentally friendly material is recommended for the manufacture of children's products.
• Hypoallergenic - synthetic down does not cause allergy attacks, since dust mites do not live in polyester fiber and fungus does not develop.
• Resistance to deformation - the springy structure of polyester fibers allows the product to retain its original shape for a long time. After compression, the filler instantly expands.
• Easy to care for - clothes with synthetic fluff insulation are easy to care for. It can be machine washed, hand washed, and dry cleaned.

According to customer reviews, clothes with synthetic down are wear-resistant and durable. The filler has only one drawback - with frequent washing, the insulation partially loses its thermal insulation qualities.

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