Down Comforters
A comforter or duvet insert is one in the same. It may be filled with down, feathers, cotton, wool, silk, or synthetic fibers. Down is widely considered to be the lightest and warmest filling available. It offers an ideal combination of self-adjusting warmth, and invites a plush look that is very light in weight.
What to consider when selecting a down comforter:
Down Versus Feathers: Down is unique for its ability to "loft" and trap air inside a 
cotton fabric shell that provides unusual warmth without weight. Feathers lack these characteristics and are not suitable for use in comforters.
Goose down is superior to duck down. The larger clusters fluff up or loft better to produce a higher insulating quality. Unless a comforter is labeled "Goose down," it is probably duck.
Weight: The climate, warmth of your bedroom, and sleeping temperature you prefer, determine the weight you should select. Duvets come in many different weights: from the summer light weight for warmer climates, all season for year round comfort in both warm and cool climates, and ultra designed to be used only in the coldest climates.
Fill Power is a measure of the volume filled by an ounce of down. (For example: "500 fill power" down means that one ounce fills 500 cubic inches.) The greater the fill power, the more the down will "loft" or expand and trap air. Greater loft creates greater warmth. Average fill power is considered 500; 550 to 650 and above are considered high.
The Shell or outer covering of a duvet should be made of the highest quality, lightweight, down-proof fabric, referred to as "ticking". It must be tightly woven to prevent the down from escaping but permit sufficient air to pass through the fabric wall to allow the down to loft.
Baffling inserts a series of fabric walls in between the top and bottom layers of the shell. Baffles provide room for the loft as well as even distribution. Without this, the down may settle and become unevenly distributed, thus causing cold spots.
For those who are allergic to down, there are also duvets filled with cotton (for lightweight, year-round duvets), wool, cashmere, silk and synthetic fibers.
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Down Comforters
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