Down Alternative Pillows

Down is the soft undercoating of geese and ducks, consisting of clusters of light, fluffy filaments growing from a central quill point.

Feathers are the outer growth of birds. Feathers consist of a hard quill shaft (or stem) with a series of fibres extending from each side. 

Microfiber is soft and plush like down, but denser, trapping less air.

Down pillows are soft, sinky, malleable and minimally supportive. Most people need more support than a down pillow can provide! Feather pillows are firmer and more supportive due to the springy feather quills. Microfiber pillows are soft and plush, but with a bit more gentle support than down pillows.

Duck down and feather is less costly than goose down and feather because it is more abundant and less prized. There is a common misconception that goose material is higher quality than duck material, however loft is the measure of down quality – not species.

Duck down has a greater potential of developing odour when exposed to moisture, but this is more prevalent in lower loft duck down products.

Opting for duck is a more cost-effective way to enjoy the benefits of a down or feather pillow!

Loft refers to how many cubic inches an ounce of down will fill.

The higher the loft, the fluffier and warmer per ounce and better overall quality the down is.

Down of all qualities is very delicate and soft, and higher loft down does not provide much more support than lower loft down.

Loft does not impact pillow performance as much as duvet performance, as it is a measure of insulation, not firmness.

Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch of fabric.

The lower the thread count, the starchier, more durable and more rustly the fabric is.

The higher the thread count, the softer and quieter it is. The noise level of fabric is not generally a concern with pillows, whose fabric moves very little compared to duvets.

All of the fabric we use is down-proof and feather-proof to prevent leakage, regardless of thread count!

Achieving even alignment along the head, neck and spine is important for comfort during sleep. The level of support you need depends on your sleeping position but may also vary based on your body shape and size and personal preference.

Front Sleepers: Need the least support, and tend to prefer a softer, flatter style pillow that doesn’t puff up around the face. Front sleepers typically prefer a soft microfiber pillow or soft / medium down pillow.

Back Sleepers: Need moderate support and tend to prefer a supportive pillow that still has some ‘give’. Back sleepers typically prefer a medium feather, feather & down or microfiber pillow, or a firm down pillow.

Side Sleepers: Need the most support, and tend to prefer a heftier more resilient pillow. Side sleepers typically prefer a medium / firm feather or feather & down pillow.