Introducing Down Alternative Comforters

Down alternative comforters, along with other types of hypoallergenic bedding, are quite similar in construction to their traditional cousins. The exterior is usually a cotton cover, the quality of which can vary according to the threadcount. The interior may have compartments created by the stitching design, some of which are

known by names such as baffle-box and sewn-through. Where the traditional and down alternative comforters differ is the type of fill material. Traditional ones are stuffed with down, the soft undercoat of a water bird such as a goose or Eider duck. The down alternative comforters are filled with something else.

Three Major Types

In fact, that something else can be roughly divided into three categories. The first category is characterized by hypoallergenic down fill; the second, natural alternatives such as alpaca wool, traditional wool, or silk from the silkworm,; the third, synthetics based on polyester. The prices of the first and second are the highest, starting from low to mid hundreds. The prices of the third are the lowest, but can also vary quite a bit as every company has its own proprietary technology for spinning polyester into a down-like, high loft fiber. Let's take a look at each of these down alternative comforters.

Type 1 - Hypoallergenic Down

Hypoallergenic down is actually a down product. The reason it's called hypoallergenic is because it's been through an industrial laundering process aimed as reducing, as much as possible, the original animal allergens that cause allergies, sneezing, and asthma. In addition to industrial cleaning, the down is also mixed with with milkweed, or syriaca as it's known in the market. Syriaca is a soft plant material which seems to have an inhibitory effect on dust mites, one of the major causes of allergies due to their secretion of tiny proteins. Dust mites can also be removed by regular laundering of your comforter, but as weekly laundering takes a toll on both your comforter and your time, the milkweed additive goes a long way toward reducing dust mites as well as extending the life of down alternative comforters.

Type 2 - Natural Alternatives

Natural down alternative comforters are themselves divided into three categories. It turns out that fine wool fibers can be used as fill. The drawback is the wool tends to be heavier with less loft than goose plumules. The advantage of wool is that it wicks away moisture, so night-time sweaters benefit from this moisture-removing property. If wool feels too coarse to you, you might consider alpaca wool. The alpaca is a mountain pack animal originating from South America, bearing a resemblance to a llama or goat. The coat of the alpaca can be sheared off like the coat of sheep, forming the basis for alpaca wool. Unlike traditional wool, alpaca is much finer, but unfortunately without the moisture-wicking properties. Finally, silk comforters have become quite popular in the U.S., and enjoy widespread usage in Asian already. Strands of silk can be arranged in sheets to build up the interior of a silk comforter. The drawback is that a heavy silk product is usually very expensive.

Type 3 - Synthetics

Finally, the product enjoying the largest market share belongs to the synthetic category. Polyester, a byproduct of petroleum, is a type of wonder substance which can be spun into very thin fibers. Advances in manufacturing have led to the creation of fine, high loft fibers that can be used in down alternative comforters. The caveat is that the quality of the polyester fiber can vary wildly as each company as its own source or its own proprietary technology for creation of synthetic fill. Look for well-known brands of fill such as Primaloft or Thinsulate. These fills are found in the products of other companies.