Care & FAQs
Product Care
While Allied always recommends checking the label of your garment or with the manufacturer regarding proper care, here are some basic tips you may find useful.
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I got caught in a rainstorm and my down jacket got wet. What should I do?
You should always check with the manufacturer of the product to verify their cleaning recommendations. In general, however, getting down wet doesn’t damage the quality of the down so long as it's properly dried within a reasonable length of time. Even if you get caught in the rain, the natural oils in the plumes tend to repel water, and the product will usually look a lot wetter than it really is. You can easily dry the product in a large commercial dryer on a medium-low setting. Periodically during the drying process, go through the entire product and pull apart any clumps to distribute the down more evenly. This will ensure that the down dries quickly and evenly. Another trick: add a couple of clean tennis balls when the product is nearly dry. This will help break up any clumps of insulation and help restore the loft.
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Is it safe or even appropriate to wash down?
Yes, washing down is a great way to extend the life of the product. However, be sure and check the label of the product to verify what the manufacturer recommends. Dry cleaning or hand washing are our methods of choice for washing. The label of your down product will tell you whether or not the product is machine-washable. Just remember not to use a front-loading washer or agitator-style machine as the motion can damage the stitching and insulation.
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How do I even know if my down product is dirty?
Down bags and garments should be cleaned when they start to accumulate too many oils from your body, hair or any lotions or cosmetics you may use. If your product has started to lose loft or the fabric is starting to look discolored, it’s time to wash it.
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I just got home from a backpacking trip. What’s the proper way to store my down bag?
How you store your bag between trips affects its lifespan. When you arrive home from a trip, first air out the bag inside-out for a couple days to make sure it's dry. Then store in a large cotton storage sack (often included with purchase). Do not store your bag compressed in its stuff sack as this will eventually suck the life out of the loft. Watertight storage bags are also a bad idea. Condensation can build up inside them and result in mildew. In short, allow your bag to be at its full loft with plenty of cool, dry ventilation.
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I store my down bag in a compression sack. Is that a bad idea?
It’s best to never leave your bag in a compression stuff sack for an extended period because it will reduce the loft. Down can be stored partially compressed in a breathable sack and should never be stored in anything watertight. Condensation can occur on the inside of a waterproof bag and result in mildew. Our advice is to store your bag in a large cotton sack or king-size pillowcase in a dry place that has a fairly constant temperature. Do not expose the bag to sunlight except to dry it because excessive heat evaporates the natural oils in the down.
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I remember when my down coat was brand new and super fluffy. Will that level of loft ever return?
Yes, the fill power often returns to the original value with proper air circulation, warmth and moisture. These can be attained by simply wearing or using the products. Also, the care and cleaning of finished products help return fill power to original values. Other ways to maximize fill power are to shake the product to increase air circulation and tumble dry the product to add warmth and circulation.
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How long can I expect my Allied product to last?
With the proper care and cleaning, your down product will remain functional longer than you will. You will definitely get your money’s worth.
FAQs
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Why is Allied down so superior?
Allied is different from all other down manufacturers because it is the only down company to be both bluesign® approved and allergen-free. These accreditations come from third-party sources that uphold rigorous standards and conduct timely audits to ensure compliance. Additionally, Allied’s method for sourcing, sorting, testing and cleaning its down involves complex processes that protect animal welfare and the environment.
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Where does Allied get its down?
Allied sources its raw down and feathers from Eastern Europe and Asia. Birds are never raised for the feathers and down; those are byproducts of the food industry and would be added to landfills if not used. Anatomically speaking, down comes from the underbody of waterfowl. Down clusters grow under the outer protective layer of feathers and are most numerous on the breast area.
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How does Allied process its down and feathers?
The raw materials come in and are sorted by grade at one of our state-of-the-art facilities. From there, the fill undergoes a proprietary, sustainable cleaning process where it is washed multiple times in non-phosphate, non-ionic soap and recycled water. This results in a set of high-turbidity and low-oxygen numbers that rule out the presence of any unwanted materials. After the down is washed and chemically cleaned, it is separated into different grades by blowing. The drafts send the best down drifting up to the highest bin to be graded as the finest quality. Our U.S. down processing facility produces more than five million pounds of down and feathers per year and our other manufacturing facilities can produce up to 10,000 pillows per day.
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Who is the independent party that tests Allied down?
In addition to our in-house, accredited facility that tests our down for content, species, fill power, average feather length and cleanliness, we also send a sample of every lot of down we produce to an independent third-party laboratory such as International Down and Feather Laboratory (IDFL) and California Down and Feather Testing Laboratory.
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How does Allied clean its down?
Our proprietary DuraWash™ process ensures Allied down is the lightest, warmest, most durable fill on the planet. Our down passes through specialized machinery that extracts any residue from the down before it is cleaned. Our proprietary washing process involves multiple washes in biodegradable, environmentally friendly detergent and recycled water. From the washer, the down is thoroughly dried, cooled and de-dusted. Down passes through a metal detector and is shipped in bags and containers that prevent foreign elements like dirt and oil from compromising the quality.
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Why is cleaning down so important?
Cleaning down is imperative to its performance in the outdoors. Properly washed and dried down ensures the maximum loft of the down itself. Each down cluster traps air, which increases warmth, so washing the plumes ensure that each filament can properly overlap to form a protective layer of non-conducting still air that keeps warmth in and cold out.
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How can Allied down be more sustainable than synthetic?
Whereas down and feathers are an all-natural, 100% recyclable product, synthetic fillings are made from non-renewable oil sources. Down and feathers have evolved naturally for 300 million years as the world's best insulation. Down and feather blankets, quilts and comforters allow most consumers to drop thermostats by several degrees. The energy and money savings are enormous.
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Why is Allied down more comfortable than synthetic?
Down has the ability to mold itself to the body while synthetics remain rigid. It also has the marvelous ability to breathe and wick away perspiration, so the user doesn't experience the clamminess, which often occurs with synthetics.
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If down is so preferable, why is Allied manufacturing synthetic fill?
We recognize that there are some industries, such as bedding, where synthetic fill is equally as advantageous as down. For this reason, we created a close imitation to pure down that is extremely soft and cloudlike to the touch. Available in multiple denures, our synthetic fill is light and lofts beautifully.
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What's the difference between down and feathers?
First of all, they are two completely different structures. A down cluster has an identity all its own. It is not a young or small feather and will never develop into a feather. A down cluster has a quill point but no quill shaft, so it is far more resilient than a feather. Down is lighter and 3 Dimensional (unlike its 2 Dimensional counterpart) and has more loft, giving it the ability to trap air and heat and provide optimal insulation.
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How can down be so light, yet insulate so well?
Because of its 3 Dimensional structure and ability to loft, each down cluster traps more dead air for its weight than any synthetic. Every ounce of good down has about two million fluffy filaments that interlock and overlap to form a protective layer of non-conducting still air that keeps warmth in and cold out. Because of its resilience, you can scrunch it up or flatten it out. All it takes is a good shake for it to fluff up and bounce back to the form that keeps you thoroughly insulated.
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What is fill power?
Fill power is the ability of down to loft and regain its original volume after being compressed during shipping, storage or use. The higher the filling power, the greater the ability of down to insulate and provide warmth. Allied down is available in a range of fill powers, in both goose and duck, from 500 to 900 fill. This wide selection addresses various market and customer needs. We pride ourselves on our down not only having an initial strong fill power but on its ability to maintain that fill power throughout its life.
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Does color have any relation to quality?
No. Quality is determined mainly by the age, species and size of the bird. White down is prized because it can be put into light-colored coverings without being seen through the fabric.
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What is oxygen number?
The oxygen number test determines the presence of organic material such as plants, insects, blood and other unwanted particles. In the U.S., down and feather must have an oxygen number of 20 or lower. Typically, Allied down has an oxygen number of between 1.6 and 3.2.
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What is turbidity?
Turbidity measures suspended particles in a solution of water after rinsing feather and down fill material. Turbidity detects both organic and inorganic dust and other foreign material. A turbidity measurement of 400mm+ is considered hypoallergenic. Allied down consistently measures 1000mm+, making it the cleanest down that money can buy.