Purchasing a down comforter is an investment in your quality of life. Like any other investment, it pays to get it right the first time.

Why are some down comforters so expensive and others so cheap? How do you buy a good down comforter without paying too much? Probably the best way to defend against this is to arm yourself with some facts, shop around and ask questions!

Lower quality down comforters are made with inferior materials: Low grade cotton ( even some "Egyptian" cottons can be inferior) is used for the yarns and the fabric is usually woven in China. Be on the lookout for absurdly high thread count claims when it comes to down comforters. The very best down proof fabrics are especially woven to be lightweight, breathable and strong, while preventing the down from leaking. These fabrics will have a thread count between 260 and 380. Thread counts above 400 will likely be prone to leakage and relatively heavy in weight.

These less expensive fabrics are usually made "down proof" by starching the fabric, vs. using a specialized down proof weave. If the care instructions state "Dry Clean Only" that comforter has probably been starched to make it down proof. Once the starch wears or is washed off, the fabric will likely leak down.

Lower quality down fills will usually be from China. These fills are often of questionable cleanliness and purity, resulting in unpleasant odors. Definitely not a pleasure to own and far from what a down comforter "should" be. Cheap down comforters tend to be poorly made and will tend to leak their down, or shift all the down to the corners or sides - making the comforter useless in a short amount of time. Many of these comforters will claim to use "baffled box construction". I suppose the message here is "buyer beware". When purchasing a "cheap" down comforter, you really are getting what you pay for.

Inexpensive down comforters will often boast an impressive warranty. It's purely a numbers game for these manufacturers. A goodly number of these cheap comforters will fail within a few months. There is more than enough profit ("cheap" comforters are even cheaper to make or purchase at wholesale) for the retailers to absorb these returns. If you get lucky and buy one that lasts a year or two, when it does fail you will likely have forgotten where you purchased that "bargain". These bargain merchants are well aware of buyer psychology and use it to their advantage.

Poorly made comforters are widely available, both on the internet and in reputable department stores. If you are interested in quality, we ask that you save yourself some time and money and avoid those too good to be true "bargains" like the plague. In the long run, cheap can become pretty expensive!

What to look for in a quality down proof fabric: The weave of a down proof fabric is at least as important as Thread Count. The weave of a quality down proof fabric is what makes the fabric down proof! Please don't be dazzled by down comforters with extremely high thread counts. The very best down proof fabrics have a thread count ranging between 260 to 380. Any higher and the fabric becomes too fine (prone to leaks) and heavy (reduces the loftiness and insulating ability of the down). You may also want to look for the Confidence in Textiles certification.

What to look for in quality goose down: It may seem obvious, but make sure you're getting Goose Down! It is also very important that the down is properly cleaned, like ours, without the use of harsh chemicals. A "Fill Power" of 650 or better is desirable, resulting in a lighter yet warmer down comforter. The finest goose down comes from Hungary and Poland, with (relatively) smaller quantities available from Canada.

Most department store down comforters have down that originates from Asia, with a Fill Power of between 550 to 600. Fill Power is a term that describes the size (and quality) of the down cluster. A larger down cluster will insulate better (more warmth with less weight) and last longer. Beware of so-called down comforters that use "Down" as the description. These comforters are likely filled with duck down!

Baffled Box construction (when done correctly) is a method that keeps the goose down from shifting within the comforter, eliminating cold spots while allowing the down to reach its fullest loft. We use this construction exclusively in our down comforters. Beware of potentially misleading descriptions such as "Baffled Box and Cross Stitched". With "cross stitching" it must be even better, right? Wrong! This is basically a hybrid (and less expensive) style of construction, where the "cross stitching" results in "sewn through" or "quilted" down comforter!

Read the warranty carefully! Beware of companies that do not offer a reasonable warranty (or a warranty that is "too good". We stand behind our products. All of our down comforters offer a 10 Year Warranty against any defects in manufacturing (this includes down leaking and shifting) and a 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee.

We are proud of our goose down comforters and pillows and are honored by what our customers say about our products and service. If you can, get another persons opinion about the product you are considering.