Are goose down jackets more expensive? Is goose down warmer than duck down?

Review expert: Wang Lei, National Park and Nature Reserve Researcher, PhD in Ecology

With the recent strong winds and cold weather, many people have put on down jackets. Do you know whether the down jacket you are wearing is filled with duck down or goose down?

When buying down jackets, you can find that some down jackets will advertise "goose down filling", claiming that goose down is warmer than duck down. Therefore, the price of goose down down jackets is also higher than duck down. So, what is the difference between goose down and duck down?

The growth period of duck down to maturity is 40 days; the nodes are relatively large and concentrated at the ends of the barbules.

The growth period of goose down is 100 days. The down clusters are fuller and the down fibers are longer. The nodes are small and evenly spaced, with larger spacing and better fluffiness and resilience. At the same density, goose down has more heat-locking holes. The down clusters are larger and less likely to be drilled.

In terms of price, duck down is cheaper than goose down. This is mainly because duck down has a larger output and a relatively lower price, while goose down has a smaller output and a relatively higher price. For friends with limited budgets or low requirements for warmth performance, choosing a duck down jacket may be more economical.

Is goose down better than duck down in terms of warmth retention?

In fact, this statement is too absolute.

The longer the growth cycle of ducks and geese, the more mature their down is and the warmer it is. Under the same species, the more mature the birds are, the better the quality of their down is.

In the case of the same maturity, the quality of goose down is mostly better than duck down. Goose feathers are softer and denser than duck feathers. Goose down can form denser down clusters after filling, thus improving the warmth performance with the same filling volume.

But it is worth mentioning that the down of older ducks is better than that of young geese. In addition, there is a higher quality down that is more scarce and more expensive, namely duck down.

Therefore, it is unscientific to judge the quality of a down jacket simply by looking at the type of filling.

Different eating habits, goose down has less odor

Ducks are omnivores, and their down has a high fat content, so the smell is stronger. Goose is a herbivore, so the smell of its down is relatively mild.

The smell has always been the focus of the comparison between goose down and duck down, but some people say that "duck down has a stronger odor than goose down" is wrong. In fact, the production and processing of goose down and duck down are the same. Goose down and duck down that meet the standards are odorless and harmless, while goose down and duck down that have odor do not meet the standards.

Why not use chicken down to make down jackets?

The reason is that the production of chicken down is small. The structure of chicken down is very thin, it cannot form down clusters, and it is not very fluffy. It is difficult to lock a lot of still air, so it is not very warm. In addition, the handle of chicken down is relatively prominent. If used as a filling, it may pierce the fabric, so chicken down will not be used as a filling for down jackets.

How to maintain your down jacket so it can keep you warm?

0 1Reduce the number of washings and use neutral laundry detergent

Many friends may find that down jackets become less warm after washing once. Therefore, try to wash down jackets as little as possible. If there is a dirty part, you can use a neutral laundry detergent and wipe it with a hot towel.

0 2Avoid exposure to the sun

Protein fibers hate being exposed to the sun. In order to avoid aging of the fabric and down, simply place the washed down jacket in a ventilated place to dry.

0 3 Do not squeeze

When storing down jackets, do not fold them to avoid squeezing the down into clumps; it is best to hang the down jackets for storage.

0 4Moisture-proof and mildew-proof

When storing down jackets during the season change, it is best to put a breathable storage bag on the outside of the down jacket and then put it in a ventilated and dry place. Be sure to check it on rainy days to prevent moisture. If you find that the down jacket is damp and has mold spots, you can wipe it with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol, then wipe it clean with a clean wet towel and dry it.

It is worth mentioning that washing down jackets in a washing machine previously could result in explosions, but the new national standard stipulates that "all down jackets must be suitable for washing in water, and washing in a drum washing machine is especially recommended."

I hope everyone can buy a down jacket that is both good-looking and comfortable to wear~

References:

Science Popularization China "If there are no words like these on your down jacket, don't buy it no matter how cheap it is! A very practical guide to choosing a down jacket →"

CCTV News Client: "Strong cold air will arrive this weekend. Get the practical guide to choosing and maintaining down jackets"