Fill power is a record for a Down product, a measurement that tells us how fluffy and breathable it is. Fill power is however much more vast that than this. More fill power leads to higher levels of insulation, eventually leading to a more comfortable environment for you. Fill powers can range from 500 or 550 to 700 and even crossing 750 at times. The greater the fill power more the worth of the product. High fill power also refers to more Down for every ounce.
Photo credit: Down & Feather Co.®
Furthermore, higher fill power causes the Down to loft more, which in simple word leads to more durability. The Down remains fluffy and warm for long. However, not always high fill power leads to the comforter being more warm. Often, adult Goose’s Down is warmer than that of young Goose. Lastly, Down comforters with high fill power get fluffy with time, as you shake it and keep care of it.
Misconceptions:
Often, people concentrate on down comforter fill power more than anything else, while they do not realize that high fill power leads to high price as well. Bigger cluster of the Down inside the comforter will lead to more trapping of air, more lofting and long lasting of these features. Of course, almost all of us want to sleep with a fluffy and warm comforter, where we do not have to pull ourselves out for fresh air and want to be comfortable inside the comforter. A major contribution to that becoming reality is higher fill power.
High fill power causes the manufacturers to inject a less amount of Down inside the same Comforter, which is due to the Down being more fluffy. Your Down comforter thus becomes plusher with increasing fill power. At the same time as the fill power increases, so does price.
Fill power < 500
Comforter with a fill power below 500, often 450 are cheap and a lot less fluffy. They are mostly flat, and do not give much luxury. They can still be slightly warm.
Fill power > 500
Down comforter with Fill power more than 500 and less than 600 will be cheap, soft and normal warm. More appropriate for moderate weather. Can be commonly found, and is considered a good choice if you are low on budget.
Fill power > 600
Fill power of more than 600 and less than 700 is considered high quality and is often prioritized. It will keep you warm, cozy and create a breathable environment for you to sleep peacefully underneath the cloud. It is very lofty. Also the weight will be usually low in this case. Not too common, but considered good quality products, price is reasonable.
Fill power > 700
Fill power of more than 700 is considered the one of the best and more ideal. It will simply create a haven for you, keeping you toasty warm and Comforter will be as lightweight as a cloud. Simply adding to your luxury. Can be difficult to find and are labeled as high quality comforters. Mostly, prices are set high.
Fill power 750+
Comforters with a fill power of 750 or more are not only difficult to find but also extremely expensive. They are often thought as the best possible products, which is true in most cases, while it also takes effort to find an animal with such lofty feather. Such Down comforters are fully fluffed up and only get better with time. Down comforters with this much fill power are very expensive.
Process:
Fill power is checked by putting an ounce of Down in a compartment or a glass cylinder. Down which is later compacted is isolated for 24 hours, after which the cubic inches are again measured. The space that each ounce of down possesses, in cubic inches, is the fill power.
More about down comforter fill power:
Down comforter with a fill power, less than 450 or 500 are often very cheap, last short periods and be less fluffy. They might still be warm, there is often a misconception that only 700 or more fill power leads to warmer comforter. However, Comforters with fill power more than 700 or 600 are expensive because they come from special wild animals, often wild goose or rare mature birds that are kept for breeding purposes. Fill power is one of the most important elements that should be kept in mind, when purchasing Down comforters.
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