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ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE DOWN PRODUCTION
Down is a wonderful natural material, which insulates and warms well. All down and feathers in Tufte's jackets come from gray goose and are certified according to the RDS standard, Responsible Down Standard. Read more about what this means!
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WHAT IS DOWN?
Down is nature's own way of keeping ducks and geese warm. Between the small bird's body and the thick outer feathers you will find a layer of fluffy down. This down hides air molecules in small pockets, and thus creates an effective heat barrier. These tiny air pockets are made of lots of tiny bundles of hair – actually up to 2 million fibers for every ounce (28 grams) – that lie criss-cross. This is a super warm system that has yet to be surpassed or duplicated by synthetic insulation. In short, goose down garments are warmer than synthetic garments. Geese and ducks are the main sources of good down. Goose down is airier than duck down, has a higher filling capacity and is often preferred for light garments. In down garments there will always be a mixture of down and feathers, as the feathers are mixed in to hold the down together. The feathers also provide good moisture transport and moisture protection for the down. In all of Tufte's down jackets, the mixture ratio is 85% goose down and 15% goose feathers.
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DOWN FILLING
Down quality is measured in Fill Power or Cuin, simply translated to fill power in Norwegian. Here is an overview of different filling capacities, and what each one entails:
400 cuin – Ok quality.
500 cuin – Quite decent down quality.
600 cuin – Very good down quality.
700 cuin – Tip top quality. Exclusive and expensive.
800 cuin – Extremely good, very expensive. Very exclusive, and often more niche than usual.
In other words, the higher up the scale you go, the better the insulating ability of the garment. The price for producing the garments also rises steadily in line with the filling capacity.
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MAINTENANCE OF DOWN JACKETS
Down is very easy to compress, that's one of the great things about down. A jacket made of down can be packed up and take up very little space, and thus be taken with you in bags and backpacks on trips. And when the jacket is unpacked, it is as nice as before. By shaking the product a little, this will also help with airflow and restore the jacket to its original condition. This is an absolutely fantastic property that no synthetic material will be able to copy in the same way. Regular use and good maintenance will restore the lifting capacity, air circulation and warmth of the down, and the jacket will be able to last a lifetime. It is best for the jacket to be stored uncompressed, preferably in a cool place without direct light.
Remember to carefully follow the washing instructions on the garment. We recommend that the jacket is washed together with a couple of tennis balls, as this helps to "fluff" the down. If the jacket is put in the dryer, this will restore the down to its original condition. Considering the outer material, which is usually synthetic, the jacket must be dried on low heat.
Down provides no insulation when wet. We therefore recommend the use of water-repellent garments on days with a lot of rain, but if it is also cold, a down jacket is excellent as an intermediate layer under the rain jacket. You will then stay dry and warm, while the down will breathe well so that you do not get clammy.
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WE CARE FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
All down and feathers in Tufte's jackets come from gray goose and are certified according to the RDS standard, Responsible Down Standard. This standard ensures animal welfare in all parts of production, and that the animal's "five freedoms" are met. This means, among other things, that the animals must be spared live picking and forced feeding. In addition, the standard ensures that the animals have good access to food and water, and that they live in safe surroundings. Our down is a by-product from food production, so that the whole animal benefits and nothing goes to waste. We want everyone who buys a Tufte down jacket to be confident that the production is ethically sound, and that all waterfowl that contribute to our down production are treated humane and live a good life.
We have several different types of down jackets, for different uses.
