Plumés Bedding
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Guide 03

Down or down alternative: an honest comparison

We make both, so we have no reason to talk you out of either. Here is where each one genuinely wins.

Close view of white down clusters beside a down-proof cotton shell

The short answer

Choose down if you want the most warmth for the least weight, the highest loft, and a piece that lasts many years with care.

Choose down alternative if you are sensitive to down, want to wash the whole piece at home regularly, or want a springier, more uniform feel at a lower price. Neither is a compromise — they are different feels.

Side by side

DownDown alternative
Warmth for the weightThe best available — high fill power reaches warmth with very little weightNeeds more fill for the same warmth, so it sits slightly heavier and flatter
FeelSoft, enveloping, lofts back on its ownSpringier and more uniform, with more push-back
WashingBest washed rarely, front-loader only, low heat, or professionallyLaunders easily and often at home
Sensitive sleepersChoose a down-proof shell and a protector; RDS certified, thoroughly cleaned downThe straightforward answer if down bothers you
LongevityYears of loft when kept dry and protectedFill compresses sooner with frequent washing
PriceScales with fill power and originConsistently the more affordable route
Down compared with down alternative

About allergies

Most reactions attributed to down are actually to dust in old bedding rather than to the down itself, which is why a down-proof shell and a washable protector solve the problem for many people. Our down is Responsible Down Standard certified and thoroughly cleaned before it is filled.

That said, if you know down bothers you, we are not going to argue with your own body. The down alternative lines exist for exactly that reason and are made in the same shells, in the same small runs.

What we make in each

Our down pillows and comforters run from 560+ through 920+ fill power across the MACKENZA, BERNINA, LEGACY, ORGANA, CASCADA, HIMALAYA and LOGANA lines, in Summer, All Year and Winter weights for comforters and Soft, Medium and Firm for pillows.

Our down alternative pieces — the ASTRA, SIERRA, ESSENTIALS and CLASSIC lines — use the same construction and are the ones to choose if you plan to wash the whole piece at home.

Which is right for you

  • You want the lightest possible warmth and will use a duvet cover: down
  • You have small children or pets on the bed and want to wash often: down alternative
  • You sleep hot and want a summer-weight piece that still lofts: down, Summer Weight
  • You react to down, or you are buying for a guest room and want simplicity: down alternative
  • You want one piece that lasts a decade: down, with a protector and a cover

Common questions

Answered plainly

Is down alternative as warm as down?
It can reach the same warmth, but it needs more fill to get there, so it sits slightly heavier and flatter than down of the same warmth.
Is down bedding bad for allergies?
Often the reaction is to dust in old bedding rather than to down. A tightly woven down-proof shell plus a washable protector resolves it for many people; if you know down bothers you, a down alternative fill is the simpler answer.
Can I wash a down comforter at home?
Occasionally, in a front-loading machine on a gentle cycle with low heat and dryer balls. Down alternative pieces tolerate home washing far more often, which is one of their real advantages.

Talk to us

Not sure which side you fall on?

Tell us how often you want to wash it and how warm you sleep. Those two answers usually settle it in a sentence.

Or call and text 908.349.0040

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