When it comes to down, terms like fill power, loft, baffle-box construction and channel construction can be useful to know. Most people know that down refers to the downy under-feathers of flighted friends such as geese and ducks. Down is instrumental for insulation of these animals, and people have long understood the value of down when it comes to insulating themselves.

Fill power is a quality measurement that refers to the down's ability to fill cubic space, which correlates positively to its insulating ability. If the down tested has a high fill power, it will have higher insulating quality, which means that less of it will be needed to provide a certain level of warmth. Applying this concept to luxury bedding, a higher fill power duvet will be lighter and provide more warmth than one of lower fill power, which will need more overall down fill to provide the same amount of warmth. Also, as fill power tests the resiliency of the down to regain its overall shape after compression, a higher fill power product will maintain is fluffy appearance better than products with lower fill power.

Loft is used in many cases interchangeably with the term fill power. Loft ranges from 500 to 800, generally, with 800 holding the highest degree of warmth with the lightest weight. Elegant Linens carries their own private label down items in both 550 and 700 loft to provide their customers with the best of both worlds. In colder climates, for one to have a winter-ready bed, one would want a higher fill power, or loft, duvet.

To make matters slightly more complicated, one can have fill that is not the same as the overall loft of the item. For instance, a duvet can have 550 fill with a 700 loft. If a similar item had 700 fill with a 700 loft, the latter item will be lighter weight. If one wants a slightly heavier duvet, a lower fill content with high loft would provide more weight with similar insulating ability. If one wants a down duvet that is both light and warm, the higher number combinations of both the fill itself and the fill power, or loft, available will do best. Elegant Linens carries down duvets with both 550 and 700 fill at 700 loft to provide their clients with great, winter-ready options.

When buying down products, one also wants to be aware of the casing material. Down can escape from loosely-woven casings with relative ease, so one wants to have a quality casing to ensure the down stays within the object. Typically, luxury bedding down duvets, like those that Elegant Linens carries, will have casings with high-thread-count Egyptian cotton. Elegant Linens' down duvets have 300+ thread count luxury cotton casings that have been tested by Oeko-Tex, an independent international company that tests the content and quality of textiles. Whether pillows, duvets or actual down beds, check the casing!

Another aspect of down products, specifically as it pertains to duvets, is the type of construction of the duvet – baffle box or channel construction. Both of these terms refer to the way the down is stitched into the duvet and, therefore, held in place. In channel construction, the down is hemmed into channels, or long rows, to promote a more even distribution of the down filling. The preferred construction now, however, is baffle box construction. As one might expect, in baffle box construction, the down is stitched into box shapes; however, these boxes also have vertical interior walls, which allow the down to fluff up, maximizing the potential for warmth. Both channel construction and baffle box construction aim to prevent the down from clumping into certain areas in the duvets, which would increase the likelihood of having hot spots or cold zones.

Of course, once one has invested in a down item, the final covering is also important. Luxury bedding retailers like Elegant Linens carry myriad choices for down duvet covers, sheeting and pillowcases to add the final touches of comfort to the luxury bed. Also, for a winter-ready bed, blankets such as wool or cashmere can top the bed with an additional layer of luxurious warmth and comfort. Down, Egyptian cotton, llama, alpaca, yak, camel, mohair, and cashgora (cashmere and Angora blend) blankets are also available from many luxury bedding houses.

Wool is one of nature's best insulating fabrics, and top luxury wool is often Merino. Wool is fabulous at wicking away excess moisture and has great breathability. Many luxury wool blankets are not only incredibly soft, but they may also be woven in combination with lambswool or cashmere to produce an incredibly warm and delightful effect. Luxury wool blankets have gram measurements ranging between 300 and 700 generally, the highest number indicating the thickest and warmest available.

Cashmere is, of course, a premier luxury fabric, also brought to people straight from nature, in this case, goats! Cashmere, when cared for properly, is one of the most long-lasting, warm and luxurious fibers available on the planet. Cashmere may also be blended with other luxury fabrics to produce easier-care blankets that are still incredibly soft and warm. Always check with the retailer that they are sourcing their cashmere from reputable places. Cashmere, like Egyptian cotton, may be misrepresented. One can usually trust that “you get what you pay for.” However, be diligent when purchasing any winter-ready luxury bedding item. A little preliminary research can prevent many future headaches!

To see more examples of the different types of winter-ready luxury blankets (http://www.elegantlinenspc.com/Bedding-Blankets.htm) or to learn more detailed information about all of our comfortably warm luxury down bedding (http://www.elegantlinenspc.com/down-duvets-duvet.htm), please visit Elegant Linens at http://www.ElegantLinensPC.com or call 1-800-735-5541.

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