Siberian Goose Down: The Rolls Royce™ or Rolls Royski of Goose Down?

I am often asked about our goose down, where it comes from, how it's cleaned, etc. All good questions from smart conscientious shoppers. Often, during the course of this conversation, I'm asked "What About Siberian Goose Down?" It's then that I usually found myself laughing and then apologizing (it's not polite to laugh at a sincere question).

Then I go on to explain that there is no such thing as Siberian Goose Down, that it is just so much marketing hype. We've been in this business for years and are quite familiar with the available worldwide sources for goose down. As of this writing (June, 2005) Siberia has never, to our knowledge, been a commercial point of origin for goose down.

Most of the worlds goose down comes from China. This down is generally considered to be of inconsistent and inferior quality. A much smaller amount (relatively speaking) of goose down originates from Europe, mainly Poland and Hungary and an even smaller amount from the United States and Canada. This European and North American down is generally considered to be of superior quality, mostly due to the harvesting, sorting, quality standards and sanitizing procedures which are very highly regulated compared to the relatively unregulated practices in China.

A major supplier of "Siberian Goose Down" states:

"We have marketed and sold a high end, expensive, European region product called `Siberian Goose Down' for a couple of years or more in this country and world wide. We have never claimed this product to represent a single country of origin"

O.K., so Siberian Goose Down appears to be a "trade name". Pretty clever marketing, I suppose. And, if you believe the supplier, all quite innocent and on the up-and-up. Unfortunately, there are no standards of quality to back up the cache' that Siberian Goose Down implies to the uninformed. This product can come from anywhere and be of any quality, high or low.

Retailers and manufacturers, perhaps innocently, seem to perpetuate the myth by claiming that Siberian Goose Down is superior because the geese in Siberia grow larger cluster down because of the extremely cold climate.

Well, at least they get one thing right. The climate in Siberia is extremely cold, with temperatures down to 100° below zero Fahrenheit. This climate is far too severe to farm geese in. They cannot live there.

There really is, in fact, a Siberian Goose. It is a migratory wild bird (it leaves Siberia when it gets cold) and an endangered species protected by international treaty. Incidentally, it's plumage is red and black. Siberian White Goose Down? Not likely.

There is also a very large population of the migratory White Snow Goose on Wrangel Island, a wildlife preserve north of Siberia. These geese are in residence only during the summer and are protected from harvest.

We think that, trade names aside, the use of Siberian Goose Down to describe a type of goose down implies a specific origin in a manner that is intended to enhance the perceived value of a potentially mediocre or even inferior product. We feel this is inherently deceptive.

Siberia has vast supplies of oil and gas, coal, timber, over 1/5's of the worlds fresh water supply, and is home to nomadic tribes that herd reindeer. But no Siberian Goose herders.

Siberia is a rich land with a sometimes colorful, sometimes tragic history. Given the apparent demand for "Siberian Goose Down" this region may be missing a significant opportunity to grow their economy. But until they genetically engineer some kind of superior Ice Goose capable of withstanding the extreme climate, Siberian Goose Down will remain a myth.

The moral of this story? Buyer beware, and do your homework. If a merchant is willing to take a Rolls Royski and sell it to you as a Rolls Royce™, what else will they try to sell you?

Now, whenever someone asks me about Siberian Goose Down, I do not laugh.

More information about Siberian culture, economics and business | Pictures and info about the Wrangle Island wildlife refuge | More about Snow Geese