Quality Control in Down Products: It Isn't All Fluff

There is nothing quite like a bed dressed in down products. And it's no mystery why they're considered a must in luxury homes and hotels around the globe. Sinking into goose down bedding can so thoroughly erase the effects of a stressful day that you may wonder if it was all just a bad dream.

Unfortunately, the fluffy softness of good quality down isn't easily or simply sourced. The textile industry has a significant impact on the world's water, soil and air; and the fact that down comes from animals creates another complicated level of quality control.

Down can be sourced in two ways: from "collector chains" or from "industrial chains". Collectors visit farms to collect down and feathers from farms that raise poultry for local market sales. Industrial farms raise poultry to be delivered directly to slaughterhouses where they are processed for meat and feathers. PETA has reported live footage of the animals force fed, as well as being plucked alive, terrorizing and wounding them. Some even die from the trauma of such harsh and inhumane treatment. 

The only way to know if your down products are environmentally friendly and cruelty free is to purchase them from one of the few companies certified by Responsible Down Standard (RDS). A top selling bed and bath brand we carry, Scandia Home is one of the few to achieve this approval.

RDS is a global nonprofit organization that works closely with textile manufacturers to find solutions that minimize (and even reverse) any negative impact that the down product supply chain can have on our planet. From farming and sourcing to processing, chemical use and end product, their mission is to increase attention to sustainability, to provide companies with support in adapting to new requirements and to ensure that these efforts result in real and meaningful change.

Since the 1970s when Scandia products could only be ordered from a catalog company in Seattle, the label has prioritized comfort and quality. Every down comforter and down pillow includes what they call The Scandia Down Difference™. This designation encompasses the finest materials and craftsmanship, impeccable purity and environmental responsibility. Scandia adopted the Responsible Down Standard in 2016, enhancing their example of integrity in the bed and bath linen industry. 

Goose down really can make a bed feel like heaven on earth. And it's easy to forget about the complex manufacturing process involved. But with Scandia's luxury down pillows and down comforters, you can rest easy, knowing that your goose down products come from a company that cares.