Eiderdown InformationAbout Eiderdown - Courtesy of St. Geneve: Click Here for St. Geneve Eiderdown Comforters & Pillows
An eiderdown duvet is such a rare item that worldwide, there are more Ferraris made than genuine eiderdowns!
Of all the different varieties and qualities of down available, there
is absolutely nothing that even approaches the warmth, softness and
quality of genuine Eiderdown. It is warmer in the winter, cooler in the
summer, and more comfortable than anything else in the world. It is so
incredibly lightweight that it is literally like sleeping under a warm
cloud. Simply said, It is the best.
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The male Eider duck (left) is known for his beauty,
while the female (above) is known for her highly prized down
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In order to always have this type of duvet at his disposal, Christian
IV of Denmark had several artificial colonies of these birds created in
Northern Norway in 1651, for his personal use and that of the court.
Everybody
knows the name "Eiderdown" as the name for a down filled quilt.
Hundreds of years ago, many quilts were filled with the down that came
from a beautiful northern bird called the Eider Duck. As time passed,
"Eiderdown" became the generic name for any down filled comforter.
Genuine Eiderdown ceased to be used as a quilt filling about 200 years
ago, because the Eider Duck was driven almost to extinction in the
quest for its remarkable down.
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Eiderdown is collected from the nests without disturbing the birds |
Today, the Eider
Duck is protected by law. Fortunately, the bird plucks down from its
breast to line its nest. After the ducklings have permanently left the
nest, the down is then carefully collected without disturbing the
birds. Only 15 or 20 grams maximum per nest is recovered. The
individual Eiderdown plumule has tiny hooks on its fibers, so that each
cluster would hold on to the next and prevent it from being blown away
when used to build a nest. These hooks have tiny microfilaments that
trap the tiniest of air pockets.
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Eiderdown is easily recognized by its clinging ability, and its dark color |
Insulation
in down comes not from the down itself, but rather from the air that it
traps in pockets. Heat transfers very slowly between the barriers
between air pockets. The smaller the pocket means the more barriers,
and the better the insulating power. When the air in an Eiderdown duvet
is warmed by the sleeper, it holds the heat in far better than any
other kind of down. Eiderdowns ability to cling also contributes
greatly to its high evenness. Other downs are uneven, with areas of
large and small air pockets. Because each Eiderdown cluster is linked
to the surrounding clusters, large gaps cannot form. Eiderdown provides
an incredibly even, fine layer of insulation that is not even
approached by any other material - natural or manmade.
Another
important property that the clinging ability gives to Eiderdown is its
"shiftlessness". Rather than sliding and shifting around in the duvet
chamber, and off the sleeper, Eiderdown stays put where it will do the
most good.
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Most of the world's eiderdown comes from Iceland, Scandinavia, and Canada |
For those that
demand the very best, there is nothing comparable to the magnificent
quality of this heirloom Eiderdown duvet. For years we have made our
Eiderdown duvets to be wonderfully comfortable for most people in most
conditions. Eiderdown has a tremendously broad comfort range, so they
are cozy and warm on cold winter nights, and because of its phenomenal
breathability, it is incredibly light and airy in the summer.
Please note that on a hot summer night, nothing is as comfortable as nothing!
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