Used by Indigenous cultures worldwide for thousands for years, down has always been coveted for its spectacular insulation properties and natural moisture wicking abilities. With it’s light weight and lofty feel, down insulated bedding inserts ensure you’ll remain at the perfect level of comfort and warmth every single night. If that wasn’t enough, down is also one of the most durable insulation materials for duvets and comforters on the market, minimizing your carbon footprint as a consumer.
At Silk & Snow, we source all our down from Hutterite farms in Alberta, Canada. But what exactly makes this particular down so special? We won’t duck the question. It’s time to find out why we’re so down with Hutterite-farmed down.
Centuries of Canadian Quality and Expertise
With historic roots tracing back to 16th century Europe, Hutterites are a community of people who mainly reside in colonies located in Alberta, Canada. Much like Amish or Mormon communities, the Hutterites raise livestock such as ducks, geese, and cattle as their primary source of food.
Along with a well-known tradition of ethical production, Hutterite-raised livestock are free roaming, raised without growth hormones, and grown to full maturity. This allows for a down filling that provides exceptional loft and warmth.
It’s no wonder Hutterites have been highly regarded for their unparalleled production of high-quality down. Renowned for being luxuriously soft, durable, and containing a great fill stability, we wanted to utilize the Hutterites expertise in the ethical fostering and production of our very own Canadian down duvet.
Care at Every Step
By sourcing our down from Hutterite farms in Alberta, Canada, we can ensure exceptional levels of transparency when compared to down sources from other places around the globe. This means you can snuggle up with our down products knowing that they’ve been produced ethically in the Great White North.
The Canadian Down Standard
The Canadian Down Standard (CDS) is a global non-profit organization that actively advocates for sustainable and ethical practices within the down and textile industries. Through rigorous inspections from the farm to the final product, CDS Certification ensures that the down has not been live plucked, the birds have not been force-fed, and that the birds have been treated with respect throughout their lives. Only products with 100% certified down can carry the CDS Certification.
Down vs. Feathers
Contrary to what many believe, down and feathers are not the same. Feathers are found on the outside covering of geese or ducks, allowing these birds to fly. Because of this, they contain firm, sturdy quill shafts. Conversely, down is found beneath these protective feathers, and as such does not possess quills. Unlike feathers, down fibres are light, airy, and fluffy, ideal for soft and warm insulation.
The Facts Behind Fill Power
Fill power is a term used to describe the insulation ability of down products. To put it simply, fill power measures the amount of air one ounce of down can effectively trap, which indicates how much insulation it can provide. The richness of Hutterite down filling allows for a down duvet with a fill power of 700, the ultimate sweet spot for a comfortable level of insulation and warmth.
At Silk & Snow, we wear our Canadian identity on our sleeve, and by utilizing Hutterite down, we are now able to embody that within our very products. With generations of care, precision, and quality that cannot be easily learned or taught, Hutterite-farmed down is far more than a production method – it’s a way of life.
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