Feather pillows: benefits and harms, comparison with other types, care rules and consumer opinion

A comfortable pillow guarantees a pleasant rest and easy awakening. To achieve this effect you will need high-quality bedding. One of the most popular fillers is a mixture of feather and down. Thanks to free air circulation, a pillow made from natural ingredients provides comfort while sleeping. Such a product can easily compete with modern synthetic substances. Down pillows easily release and absorb moisture. Therefore, the product can be used regardless of the season. In the article we will look in more detail at whom down pillows are suitable, as well as the negative aspects of natural filler.

Types of filler

Various fillers are used for down products: down can be natural or artificial. The price of the item depends significantly on this. To understand which option is more suitable for a particular case, you need to familiarize yourself with the quality of the most popular materials.

1. Pillow with goose down. The main characteristics of such a thing are elasticity, a high degree of elasticity, softness and excellent thermal insulation. Duck down has similar properties. The fabric for the bedding is selected to match the color of the padding, which can be white or gray.
2. Pillow with eider down. The wild diving duck, which lives in the cold, is distinguished by down with particularly high thermal insulation properties. The weight of the filler is minimal. The material is collected by hand from the nests, replacing it with soft hay. The cost of an eiderdown pillow is the highest. This item is exclusive.
3. With goat down. Natural warm material that retains its shape well. Goat fluff in the pillow provides it with healing properties. The use of the product is recommended for osteochondrosis and arthritis.
4. Swansdown. A thing with such an artificial filler, which has high ventilation and elasticity, is quite comfortable. Pillows with swan down do not cause allergies, are not suitable for microorganisms and fungi, and do not absorb odors. The option is cheap and high quality.
5. Bamboo. Bamboo models can also be classified in this category. They are comfortable, soft, do not cause allergies or overheating, and are easy to care for. The material is environmentally friendly. The item provides good moisture absorption and comfortable sleep.

For pillows with bird down, the ratio of down to feathers is taken into account. All products can be divided into down, down and feathers and feathers. The softest and most expensive are the first ones.

Conclusion

The choice of a pillow and its filling should be approached very carefully, having carefully studied the advantages and disadvantages of all the options on the market and determining the most optimal one, based on the health status of all family members, the conditions for using the product and financial capabilities.

Cashmere, also known as goat fluff, are words associated with softness and tenderness. Let's look in the article at what properties pillows with this filler have and why they are so valued among consumers.

Characteristics and dimensions

The ratio of feather and down in bedding is the main characteristic of the product. This is an indicator of the comfort of the item and its service life. The lower the proportion of fluff, the lower the price. In the down variety, the percentage of down is at least 85%. The rest is ground feathers. Feather pillows contain feathers and down in equal quantities. Their quality is significantly lower than that of down ones. The product does not hold its shape well and lasts less. Feather varieties contain more than 50% feathers in the filler. They are flat, do not hold the desired shape and have a minimal service life.

Down products are produced in any size. Standard models 50 by 50 and 70 by 70 cm are common, as well as models 30 by 60 and 50 by 80 cm. Weight, depending on the ratio of feather and down, ranges from 1.5 kg to 3-4 kg.

For a comfortable sleep, the size of the object must be selected according to the width of the mattress: for a single bed they should match, and for a double bed the pillow should be half the width of the mattress. The height is optional.

Product advantages

Bird down is a 100% ecological material. Manufacturers have also improved its qualities. The main advantages of the filler include:

1. Comfort. Such bedding is soft and light. Companies often compare duvets and pillows to a cloud.
2. Increased thermal insulation. Invisible layers of air form between the fluff. Thanks to this, air can circulate freely inside the product. Thus, thermal conductivity is guaranteed (the product retains heat in cold winters and coolness in hot summers).
3. Effective hygroscopicity. Natural down is able to absorb excess moisture released by the body during the entire rest. It evaporates freely. Therefore, the skin does not become overcooled and remains dry.
4. Elasticity and resilience. The filler does not clump together. Pillows with waterfowl down perfectly follow the position of the neck and head, and are also able to quickly restore their original appearance.
5. Light weight. Down pillows are lightweight. There are from five hundred thousand to two and a half million fluffs per kilogram of fluff. This product is convenient to order, transport and store. After all, the weight of a standard product - 50*70 with a cover, is, as a rule, only five hundred grams.
6. Absolutely silent. Unlike accessories with buckwheat husks or feathers, down pillows will not interfere with a comfortable rest.
7. The average lifespan of a down pillow is five years. This is relatively long, given the manufacturer's guarantees for other fillers. After this, the fluff is destroyed. The number of dust mites is increasing rapidly. But the final lifespan of a pillow depends not only on the initial quality of the filling, but also on proper, timely care of the bedding.

Which is better - down or feather

When choosing, it is important to determine which padding is best. Down and feather pillows are the most common, as they have an affordable price and sufficient quality. They are stiffer than down, but much softer than feathers. The service life of such a thing is almost as good as the down version. A model with mixed filling can be called universal. It is suitable for people of any age and provides a comfortable sleep.

Down pillows are the softest and have slightly less elasticity than those with a mixed composition. They cost more.

Products in which feather predominates are flat and dense. They are elastic, but not soft. Sleeping on a feather pillow is always uncomfortable. This is the cheapest option, which is used as a one-time option when guests need to spend the night. When stored, feather pillows take up less space because they are thinner than down pillows. The demand for the item is minimal, since models with artificial filler, which have a low cost, are superior in quality to feathers.

A pillow made of down or bamboo is selected taking into account the characteristics of the product and the possibility of its regular, thorough cleaning. Products made from down can cause allergies and be stuffy in hot weather. Bamboo models are hypoallergenic and provide a comfortable temperature in any weather. They are easier to care for: they are machine washable and dry in a few hours. In terms of service life, bamboo is not inferior to down, but at a lower price.

Tips for choosing

When choosing a goose down pillow, pay attention to the following parameters:

Height. The pillow should not be too high, otherwise you will have to sleep with your head thrown back. This is harmful to the blood circulation in the brain. For an average-sized adult who sleeps on their back, a height of 12 cm is suitable.

Sleeping position. To sleep on your stomach you need a low pillow, and to sleep on your side, on the contrary, a high one, because the head in this position is high above the surface of the bed and needs support.

The pillow can be soft or medium hard. Choose what you like best.

Size. If you often turn over in your sleep, take a larger pillow, 68x68 cm, so as not to roll off it in your sleep. If you sleep peacefully, you can choose the 50x68 cm option.

Down is a nice flexible filler, but very soft. To give the pillow medium hardness, manufacturers add feathers to the down.

Benefits and harms

Before purchasing bedding, you need to evaluate all its strengths and weaknesses; as well as whether it can cause harm to health. Bird feathers and down are natural materials that have many positive properties. However, sometimes these fillers can be harmful.

The advantages of models made from down are as follows (feather pillows practically do not have these properties):

• comfort – the item is characterized by high softness, maximum comfort during sleep;
• thermal comfort – keeps warm in cold weather, preventing the sleeper from freezing (similar to a duvet); and in summer, due to air conductivity, it does not lead to overheating, although it does cause some stuffiness;
• hygroscopicity – the ability of down to quickly and well absorb moisture eliminates skin irritation due to prolonged exposure to sweat;
• elasticity - the down of a waterfowl, and to a slightly lesser extent that of a chicken, easily takes the shape of a sleeping person’s head, and after the person gets up, it restores its original appearance;
• absence of sounds - unlike buckwheat husks, a down pillow does not rustle when the sleeper moves, disturbing sleep. Feather pillows have little noise;
• long period of use - with proper care, the item does not lose its original qualities for 5 years. Timely use of dry cleaning extends the service life by another 3-4 years.

Goat down pillows have healing qualities that are associated with the properties of wool. For cervical osteochondrosis, as well as neuralgia of the facial nerves, goat fluff will help improve the general condition and speed up recovery.

In addition to the advantages, pillows filled with down or feathers have a number of disadvantages:

• allergenicity – allergy sufferers should not use such bedding, as dust mites settle in the filler, causing a negative reaction in the body. Their waste products only aggravate the condition of allergy sufferers;
• lack of orthopedic qualities - if you have problems in the neck area and migraines, you cannot use feather pillows; since the lack of sufficient elasticity to ensure maintenance of the correct anatomical position of the head and neck aggravates the condition;
• Difficulty in care - to keep the pillow in good condition, special cleaning is required, otherwise the quality of the filling will gradually decrease. Also, in the absence of regular cleaning of dust mites, the risk of not only allergies, but also the development of bronchial asthma increases;
• price - an item made of natural down is expensive if it is of proper quality (cheap models contain mainly feathers).

Pillows filled with bamboo or eucalyptus fiber are no less popular than down pillows, as they are of high quality, do not cause allergic reactions, and their price is lower.

The swan down filling is significantly inferior to natural materials, not having adequate hygroscopic properties. Also, if the manufacturer is unscrupulous, artificial filler may have an unpleasant odor.

When choosing a pillow, you need to take into account all the pros and cons of the models. For a particular buyer, certain properties of an item may be of greatest importance. For children, you should choose products that have hypoallergenic qualities. Feather pillows should only be purchased as a last resort. If a high-quality down item is expensive for your wallet, then you need to choose a bamboo pillow or one with swan down.

Customer Reviews

Looking through user comments on the Internet, it is almost impossible to find negative reviews. Buyers unanimously note that with the purchase of a cashmere blanket, incredible comfort and coziness came into their lives. According to the majority, after using such a bedspread, it is already difficult to cover yourself with something else, it is so soft and delicate. Customers also note that a cashmere blanket copes well with night sweats, which is especially important in the hot season. This means you don’t have to buy several sets of bed linen for different seasons. A cashmere blanket is always comfortable: both in the heat and in the winter cold.

Napernik

Down and feather pillows require a high-quality pillowcase that will securely hold the contents inside. Most often, thick cotton or satin is used for the bedclothes. In expensive models with a double bedstead, the top one is made of silk or cambric.

The best bedsteads today are produced by German and Austrian companies. Their products are made from high quality material and undergo additional processing. The most common option is dust mite prevention treatment.

Low quality napkins are distinguished by their roughness to the touch. They also usually rustle and are made of synthetics; spillage of contents is detected at the seams.

What kind of material is this?

In short, cashmere is the wool of mountain goats. The animals live in the province of Kashmir, which is why the material got its name. The wool fiber is so fine that it can barely be distinguished by the eye. Moreover, each hair is separated by tiny air bubbles. Thanks to this, mountain goats do not freeze even at extremely low temperatures (down to – 50 degrees Celsius). The largest suppliers of cashmere are Mongolia and China. Wool is also produced in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan.

With the arrival of spring, local residents comb their goats, obtaining incredibly delicate, weightless, soft and warm wool. From one animal it is possible to obtain only 100-200 grams of material. This also determines the special value of the raw materials. Cashmere blankets are woven and quilted:

• The first option is a delicate, soft and very warm bedspread, on which you do not have to put a duvet cover.
• The second type of product is cashmere, placed in a special cover made of 100% cotton or Tencel, stitched along the entire perimeter. Bed linen is very useful for such a blanket, since it will keep it clean longer.

How to choose

Feather pillows should be selected taking into account several features of the product. If the model does not meet the basic characteristics, it indicates its low quality.

1. Quick recovery of shape. A good thing, if pressure is applied to it, as soon as it is released, it returns to its original state.
2. No sounds. The item is twisted in the hands, and if the filler makes squeaks and rustles, the model is rejected.
3. No smell. A model with good filling does not smell.
4. Availability on the label of complete information about the filler and the quality of the pillowcase. Conscientious manufacturers provide the consumer with all the necessary information about the product.
5. No feather spillage in the seams.

You should not buy down products in dubious places where there is no way to check the quality of the filler.

Prices: summary comparison table

Life time

The lifespan of down pillows and duvets is limited. It is not advisable to use the item for longer than the recommended time due to an excess of parasites (dust mites) inside and abrasion of the filler. Regular washing and airing preserve the quality of down items. It is also recommended to periodically take feather, feather and down pillows to the dry cleaner for treatment against parasites.

With proper use and compliance with the cleaning regime, the item can retain its qualities from 10 to 20 years. If you do not take care of the product, you can use it without harm to your health for no more than 5 years.

A little history

The history of accessories goes back thousands of years. Mentioned in chronicles and drawings of ancient China and Japan, Egypt and Greece. They were used exclusively by rich people.

The first ones, found by archaeologists, belonged to the Egyptian pharaohs and were a curved tablet on a stand and were needed so that the hair would not spoil during sleep. The stands were decorated with images of deities, precious stones and metals.

For the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun, oval headrests were made of wood. In China, made of metal, porcelain and stone in the shape of a rectangle. In remote areas, such headrests are still in use.

The Greeks, who spent a lot of time in bed, invented the first upholstered headboards. The accessories had only one goal - to create comfortable rest and convenience in bed. They simultaneously served as home decoration and were works of art.

Decorated, embroidered, and made from luxurious materials, they were expensive and were available only to people of the upper class. They were filled with grass, wool or down, and pillowcases were made of soft leather or fabric. Greek accessories were most similar to modern ones.

They received special treatment in Ancient Rome. Headrests were believed to have magical properties. The despot Nero had a snakeskin bracelet under it - according to legend, the night's sleep became stronger.

Emperor Octavian Augustus wanted to own the headrest of a patrician mired in debt. He ordered the purchase of a headrest, on which a man who had had a lot of troubles slept so peacefully.

For a long time, such sleeping accessories were considered a luxury item. Ordinary people used bags of hay and horsehair. Girls getting ready to get married embroidered bedding as a dowry.

How to wash a down pillow

Proper washing of a product filled with down is the key to preserving its quality. Whether a down pillow can be washed should be determined immediately upon purchase. On the label, the manufacturer indicates which cleaning methods are allowed for a particular item. In most cases, washing is possible, but only taking into account a number of rules.

Manually

You can wash a pillow that contains down and feathers by hand. The napernik is ripped open along the seam and the filler is poured into pre-prepared gauze bags in 2-3 folds. The basin is filled with warm soapy water, into which the bags are dipped (up and down) for 10 minutes. You must use a special product for hand washing down products or laundry soap. The litter is then rinsed in clean water until it comes out clean. The napkin is washed separately, taking into account the characteristics of the fabric.

The fluff is dried in bags in which they were washed. They are hung in a well-ventilated place. To prevent the drying filler from clumping, shake it every 20-30 minutes. Completely dried feathers and down are poured into a bedsheet and sewn up. You should definitely know how to wash down pillows at home when choosing this type of bedding.

In the washing machine

Down pillows can be washed in a washing machine. The fluff is removed from the item and poured into old pillowcases. If the pillow size is 70 by 70 cm, you will need to divide the filling into 5 parts. For washing, use only liquid detergent for down jackets. You can put no more than 3 down pillowcases in the drum at a time. With them, so that the fluff does not clump, put several special balls or 3 tennis balls. The mode is set for washing down jackets or delicate washing. It’s easier to use the laundry service – wash pillows.

Dry the feather in the same way as when hand washing. The clean, dry filler is sewn back into the napkin. A pillow made from swan's down or any other artificial filler should be washed entirely on the same cycle as down.

Down pillows are comfortable for sleeping, but require proper care. When choosing a product, you must take into account the risk of an allergy to natural filler.

Author: O.A. Malashko

Where to buy a feather pillow: review of the best offers on the market with prices

It is recommended to buy a pillow only in trusted offline stores or the Internet, where you can find a variety of pillows for sale for every taste.

Before purchasing, you should check the photo, video of the product and its description. This way you can protect yourself from buying a low-quality product under the guise of a premium product.

Feather pillows are not a relic of the past, as many may think. These are high-quality products that promote healthy and sound sleep, but still require proper care.

Contraindications

Such accessories are contraindicated for people suffering from allergies, migraines, scoliosis and pain in the cervical spine.

According to the latest research data, all soft products are considered hazardous to health - both natural and synthetic fillings.

In European countries, such bedding is prohibited for use in hospitals, hotels and motels due to potential health hazards. Instead, accessories with synthetic fillers - latex or memory foam - are offered for use.

Features of collection

A distinctive feature of collecting this material is that it is possible to collect down and feather raw materials from geese without harming their health and life. The best is considered to be the down collected during the process of hand plucking geese. The process is painless, since when molting, the new feather simply pushes out the old one. It is collected during molting twice a year; it is recommended to release the geese into a clean reservoir before this. The yield of fluff from one bird will be about 40 g.