Hungarian goose down and goose down in general is a fast-growing preference for many people across the UK and the world and for good reason.
With a whole host of benefits coming with the use of Hungarian goose down duvets and goose down pillows, it is no wonder more people than ever are making the switch.
For a comfortable and restful night of sleep, the ideal temperature for most people should be around 18 degrees Celsius, with humidity at around 50%. When the temperature drops, it is usually a good time to wrap up warm with a duvet to avoid feeling too cold and also to make sure you get a good night's sleep.
If you have ever experienced much lower temperatures and colder conditions when you go to sleep, you will appreciate the value of a high quality goose down duvet or Hungarian goose down pillow. However, it is more than just warmth that keeps people coming back to goose down.
What is Goose Down?
Down is the fluffy layer underneath the protective feathers that geese, ducks and other waterfowl use to keep warm. It possesses thermal and insulating properties, that make goose down one of the most superior duvet fillings out there.
Hungarian goose down for example, comes from Hungarian geese that have millions of fluffy filaments overlapping in different directions to create air pockets that provide supreme insulation in the cold weather. Because of its characteristics, Hungarian goose down is a sought-after material for duvets and pillows as well as other bedding. It is also regularly used in clothing such as jackets and gloves.
Goose down provides approximately three times the warmth of equivalent synthetic insulation options and at a much lower weight. Moreover, Hungarian goose down is lighter, warmer and softer than duck down. If well cared for, down can last many more years than most synthetic materials. Goose down is also natural, biodegradable and recyclable, making it very eco-friendly indeed.
What Are The Differences Between Hungarian Goose Down and Duck Down?
Although duck down offers higher quality insulation properties than synthetic alternatives, goose down and Hungarian goose down in particular, as a thermal filler is considered to be superior and one of the best options for keeping warm no matter where it is used, be it in goose down duvets or pillows.
The goose is morphologically a larger bird, and therefore, when it comes to down such as Hungarian goose down, the fibres used are larger. The air pockets which trap cold air within the filaments of the goose down are larger and therefore have more thermal capacity per gram of down.
In other words, goose down is able to warm better with less weight. This makes goose down as a filling for bedding one of the best options you can choose. This makes goose down the best filler in terms of value, as it achieves the greatest amount of thermal insulation at the lowest weight.
What Makes Hungarian Goose Down So Special?
When looking for pillows and duvets, there are so many different things to consider. Hungarian goose down for example, although arguably the best options for duvets and pillows, can be a little more costly than for example duck down duvets. However, there are some specific reasons as to why you should strongly think about buying a Hungarian goose down duvet or pillow over others.
Key advantages of goose down include:
Fill power - How voluminous and fluffy it is. The greater the volume it occupies, the warmer it is. Goose down has a warm air cushion between the individual feathers, which makes it fluffy
Insulation - The mechanics of goose down by design, mean it is designed to create insulating pockets that trap and keep cold air out, due to the design of its structure and how the filaments and down is positioned
Resilience - The material is resistant to compression and recovers its shape quickly and can even maintain its shape for years, making goose down duvets and pillows an excellent choice
When buying a goose down duvet, pillow or otherwise, we recommend that you pay attention to the percentage of down it contains, as depending on the amount, the greater or lesser the insulating power will be.You should also make sure the duvet or pillow you choose is filled with genuine goose down.
Why Goose Down Duvets Instead of Synthetic Filling?
Goose down is considerably lighter, warmer and more compressible than any other type of filling. Although a great deal of effort is being made to create synthetic insulation fibres that mimic the properties of goose down and Hungarian goose down, nothing quite compares.
If your budget is limited, you should be aware that a good quality down product is usually more expensive than its synthetic alternative. The reason for this is that down can be much more expensive to collect and process because additional labour is needed and the birds require looking after and special care.
A synthetically filled piece of bedding such as a duvet or pillow will more than likely cost less than a Hungarian goose down equivalent. However, if you consider that the durability of a goose feather extends for up to 25 years, greater longevity would offset the price and be a better choice in the long run.
Can Goose Down Cause Allergies?
Allergy and asthma sufferers are often advised to avoid down-filled duvets and pillows and to opt for synthetic fillings instead. However, recent studies have shown that synthetic pillows can contain more allergens in other forms such as in the form of dust mites, than those with feather and down fillings.
Løvik, the journal of the Norwegian Order of Physicians, has also highlighted this false belief as a traditional popular perception rather than empirical analysis. Therefore, even if you have mild allergies, you should consider buying a goose down ece of bedding such as a Hungarian goose down duvet or pillow.
What is the Disadvantages of Goose Down?
Goose down loses some of its effectiveness when it comes into direct contact with moisture. Unfortunately, when it gets wet, goose down becomes flattened and loses its swelling power and therefore its superb ability to keep you warm when it is cold.
Synthetic insulation in many cases repels water better than goose down. Synthetic duvets and bedding products are therefore potentially easier to dry and machine wash. On the other hand, goose down is sensitive to certain detergents and must therefore be professionally dried or washed with very mild detergents.
Fortunately, new technologies have been applied that treat the down and give it a certain degree of moisture repellence. This, coupled with certain waterproof outer materials, makes feather products much more difficult to get wet or damp than in the past.
