Understanding Down Comforter Bedding Terms

Shopping for any type of bedding can be a little frustrating if you don't understand certain terms. And with Fall and Winter just around the corner, a high quality down comforter may just be on top of everyone's priority list. Lets face it, you can't beat the warmth and coziness of a down comforter. Unfortunately, not understanding bedding terms can leave you with an unhappy purchase. That is why it is important as you, the consumer, to do your homework before making any major purchase. Lucky for you, I have listed a couple of the most popular down bedding terms below:

Goose Down - this large and fluffy undercoat is located just below the adult contour feathers of the goose. It is a natural insulator used to fill the down comforter. Many people prefer goose over synthetic fill or duck because of its superior insulating properties and light-weight feel. The down clusters of a duck is different from those of a goose. Geese tend to be much larger in size than ducks, resulting in bigger down clusters and a much softer and cozier comforter.

Fill Power - is the actual loft or fluffiness of the down comforter. The fill power rating helps determine the quality and the warmth of the bedding. The down comforter is given a fill power rating by the size of the cluster. The larger the down cluster, the higher the fill power rating is more likely to be. An average fill power ranges from 500 - 550.

Down Proof - this means that the comforter is made with a tightly woven fabric that will prevent down or any feathers from escaping or poking through.

Egyptian Cotton - one of the most preferred types of cotton in the world. Egyptian cotton offers strength, durability and softness that the Queen Cleopatra herself would have loved to own. It has extra-long fiber staples that can be made into longer and stronger yarn, resulting in a high quality bedding piece.

Baffle Box - this is the well-known box or diamond-shaped patterns you see on the down comforter. The baffle box design helps prevent the down from shifting. This is perfect for those cold winter nights because the warmth is distributed evenly throughout the comforter.

Thread Count - this is basically the number of threads woven in a square inch, consisting of only vertical and horizontal threads. For example, a comforter with a thread count of 500 actually has 250 threads woven vertically and 250 woven horizontally. The thread count determines the quality of the fabric of the comforter itself, not the down.

White Goose - this means that the color of the down inside the comforter will be white. This is important to know because goose down is also available in a variety of colors including brown or gray. People tend to stick with white goose because the darker colors can easily be seen through the white fabric.