These
are some of the most common questions that we are asked. Please do let
us know if you have a question that's not answered here.
Q: How do I select the right comforter? return to top
A: We offer a wide variety of comforters and warmth levels. To learn
about the differences between our different down comforters, please
click here. To learn about our down comforter warmth levels, please
click here.
Q:
How are your comforters made? Custom comforters? return
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A:
Our down comforters and down pillows are Made in America, with European
materials (fabric and goose down). Each down comforter and pillow is
made at the time of
your order,
especially for you. No sitting on the shelf gathering dust.
Depending
on the season and the size of your order it usually takes 1 to 3 business
days to make and ship your order.
We
are happy to do custom
comforters and pillows. Add a day or so for
Custom fills, a special weight or 800 or 900 fill goose down, for example.
Custom sizes can take up to 4 weeks or more.
Q:
What about thread count?
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A: We
think it is a mistake to place reliance on thread count as an indicator
of the down proof quality of a fabric. What is important is the type
and size of yarn and the density with which it is woven (this is a different
issue than thread count) and the specialized finishing techniques needed
to insure the fabric's down proof qualities.
Our
fabrics are woven in Europe by mills that have been weaving and finishing
down proof fabrics for over a century. These fabrics offer the ideal
combination of down proof qualities, strength, durability, and a fine
hand. They combine the appropriate size yarn necessary to provide durability
over years of use with a dense weave.
In
order to weave more threads per inch, each yarn has to have a smaller
diameter, often resulting in a cloth that is too fine and delicate for
holding down. Indeed, extremely high thread count fabrics in a down comforter
can be prone to leakage, and may not be able to retain the stitching over
the many years of use that a comforter will experience.
Fine
linens with high thread counts are wonderful. We love to sleep
on them, and they can make a wonderful duvet cover. But for a quality
down comforter, it's best to use a fabric especially woven and calendared,
by a mill that is very experienced in these highly specialized techniques.
More about our down
proof fabrics.
Q:
What is a duvet?
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to top
A:
Duvet is "old french" for feathers. Nowadays, it is used
to describe a comforter filled with down. A "duvet cover" is
the (often) decorative cover used to protect, or cover, a down comforter
- or duvet. The
difference between a duvet and a duvet cover
Q:
How do I clean my comforter?
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A:
A comforter that is properly covered will need to be cleaned very infrequently,
if at all. We recommend using a professional cleaner who will launder
(not dry clean) and thoroughly dry your comforter. It is O. K. to
dry clean your comforter, but this can leave a chemical odor. If
you do not have a cleaner locally that is experienced with down items
, we suggest Blanc Plume.
We
do not recommend that you wash your comforter in your washing machine,
especially if you have an "agitator" type washing machine.
Home laundry systems are generally not designed to handle something as
large as a down comforter. If a comforter should open while being washed
in your home, the down could cause your plumbing to clog resulting in
a flood of water in your home. If there is not room in your dryer
for the comforter to move freely, it could actually cause a fire from
the fabric overheating.
Whomever
washes your comforter, keep in mind that the cotton shell will shrink
3 to 5 percent after drying. After washing (or whenever storing),
do not store it in plastic. Allow it to air.
Q:
Are your comforters guaranteed?
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A:
Absolutely. You can see our
warranty and satisfaction guarantee here.
Q:
What is "Fill Power"?
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A:
Fill power refers to the amount of cubic space that one ounce of down
will fill. One ounce of 650 down will fill 650 cubic inches of space.
One ounce of 750 down will fill 750 cubic inches, and so on.
Fill
power is also an indicator of the quality of down. For example, 650 fill
may contain more "broken" down clusters and a higher trace of
feather when compared to 750 fill.
A
higher fill rating means that your comforter will be fluffier and warmer
than a comforter with the same weight of lesser quality down. In other
words, a 750 fill is fuller and warmer than a 650 fill.
Q:
Why don't you offer Crib sized comforters or featherbeds?
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A:
We do not recommend the use of Down items with infants. And we ask
that you never leave your infant unattended on your down comforter or
featherbed. There are a few reasons for this.
If
the fine fabric should tear or open, the infant could inhale the down
clusters and choke. It is also possible for a down comforter to
cover an infants nose and mouth, blocking the airways.
Down
is very warm, and infants do not regulate their internal body temperature
the way adults do. Since overheating is one suspected cause of SIDS
(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), using a down comforter with an infant
may add to this risk.
Q:
How is your down cleaned?
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A:
Our down goes through an extensive state-of-the-art cleaning and sanitizing
process, using German made equipment and specialized down soaps.
Three separate wash cycles and up to nine rinses are used. Air drying
includes a specialized de-dusting vacuum system that further removes dander
and fine particles.
Q: My down smells, what do I do? return
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A: 99.9% of the time we receive this question from people
that have purchased a down comforter or pillow elsewhere. Very rarely
though, a Plumeria Bay customer may initially notice a slight odor associated
with their pillow or comforter.
Goose down is a natural product, like wool. While most
people will not notice any odor associated with clean goose down, those
with a very highly developed sense of smell may notice a slight odor,
with even the cleanest goose down. This sometimes
faint odor should in no way be unpleasant or offensive.
Like wool, down may also develop an
unpleasant odor if it gets damp or wet. For instance, sometimes during
shipping your pillow or comforter may be exposed to extreme humidity
while in transit. This could cause a slight unpleasant odor to develop.
If this happens, we recommend that you immediately dry your item and
allow it to "air" for
a day or two. If this does not solve the problem just send it back for
a return or exchange.
For those people that have purchased a down comforter
or pillow elsewhere and are experiencing issues with unpleasant odor,
it is worth noting that improperly cleaned down will definitely have
an unpleasant odor. Duck down seems to be especially prone to a "gamy" smell.
There is not much that can be done to correct these issues.
We should also reiterate the importance of keeping your
down dry. If left damp or wet for an extended period of time it can
develop mold or mildew and the associated unpleasant odor. Once this
occurs it is very difficult, if not impossible, to correct.
Q:
What kind of down do you use?
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A:
We use only the finest quality European white goose down, in fills ranging
from 650 and live harvested hand select 750 fill power. We also use an
800 Fill power and a very rare 900 fill power for custom fills and special
applications. For our down/feather blend body pillows and featherbeds
we use white goose feathers and 550 fill white goose down. We never use
"crushed" feathers in our down/feather blend items. Our down
comes from Hungary, Poland and Canada.
Q:
What is a "baffled box" comforter?
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A:
A true "baffled box" comforter is not sewn through or "cross
quilted". The baffle is a piece of material connecting the top of
the comforter ticking to the bottom ticking. This creates a spacious box-like
chamber within the comforter, allowing the down to reach its fullest loft,
or "fluffiness." The baffles also add strength to the comforter,
allowing it to "give" and reduce stress on the stitching while
you toss and turn.
Among
the styles of construction used today: Sewn-Through (quilted), Baffled
Box/Sewn-Through (an economical hybrid), Tunnel (a European style) and
Baffled Box, the Baffled Box comforter is the most popular and in our opinion, the best all-around solution.
Q:
Is your down hypoallergenic?
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A:
There is no such thing as "hypoallergenic" goose down.
Most people are not allergic to down, but rather the dander or dust mites
that can live in dirty down. Down can be processed with a mildewcide (a
nasty toxic chemical), but this will only kill mildew. There is no
scientific evidence to conclude that washing and rinsing down, no matter
how well, or treating it with any known solution, will remove 100% of
the dander. We encourage you to beware of claims to the contrary.
The down in our comforters is very thoroughly cleaned
and sanitized, and is not treated with a mildewcide.
If you are allergic to down, you should avoid down items. For an alternative,
you might like to look at our Mulberry
Silk filled comforters. They are 100% hypoallergenic and 100%
wonderful!
Q:
How do I select the right pillow?
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A:
The most important thing to know is that your Plumeria
Bay® pillows are completely adjustable, any time within the first
year of your purchase. We charge only for any down added and return shipping.
Any down removed will be returned to you in a separate cotton storage
bag.
The
right pillow can make a difference in your sleep. So, here are a
few guidelines that may be helpful to you when choosing the firmness that
is right for you. The goal of a "perfect fitting" sleeping
pillow is to relieve stress on the neck. So we recommend:
A
Soft Pillow for stomach sleeping. A Medium Pillow for back sleeping.
A Firm Pillow for side sleeping, unless you are petite. If you
are a petite side sleeper, a medium may be a better choice. Read how
to choose a down pillow.
Q:
Can I wash my down pillows?
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A:
Yes, you can. But we do not recommend that you do it at home, or
in an agitator machine. Use a front loading commercial washer with
regular detergent. Before washing make sure that the fabric is not
too old or deteriorated from body oils, or weakened from age.
After
washing, while the pillows are wet, you may notice a pungent odor.
This is natural with all down products, and will disappear when the pillows
are completely dry. Be certain to dry the pillows very thoroughly so they
don't mildew.
It
will take about 3 hours to dry 2 pillows, using a large commercial dryer
on medium heat. Commercial dryers can get very hot and burn your pillows.
So take them out and fluff regularly when drying and check for overheating.
If too many pillows are placed in the dryer it may overheat, causing
a fire. Make sure the pillows have plenty of room to toss and
fluff as they dry. Read Plumeria Bay down
comforter and pillow care information.
Q: How long do down pillows last? return
to top
A: Generally speaking, a down pillow will last 2 to 5
years, depending on environmental factors like humidity, how often the
pillow is washed and how the pillow is used (some people are very gentle,
others use their pillows like punching bags). Your down pillows will
also last longer if you use a pillow protector and wash it (the protector)
frequently in Hot water.
Q: What's the difference between a King and a California King size bed? return
to top
A: A King (or Eastern King) size bed is a little wider
and a little shorter than a California King size bed. We list the dimensions
of various bed sizes on our Comforter
Sizes page.
Q:
Is it safe to purchase online?
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A:
Yes. We employ state-of-the-art true 128 or 256 bit SGC enabled
data encryption, compatible with virtually all web browsers, when transmitting
your personal information, including your payment information. Read
our Privacy Policy.
Q:
Do you charge sales tax?
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A:
For orders shipped to Washington State, Sales Tax is based on the location where the order will be shipped to (actual rate varies by location). There is no Sales Tax for orders shipped outside of Washington State.
Q:
Who do I contact if I ever have a problem?
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A:
Plumeria Bay, Inc., is owned and operated by Stephen Clay. You can
contact Stephen with any questions, comments or concerns via email form
or by phone Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm Pacific Standard Time, Toll Free 1 877 722-9266.