The cold-proof performance of down quilts has been proven over time. So how do you choose a suitable down quilt? Golden Dream Sources shares some tips: you can judge the quality of a down quilt through simple steps: Press, Pat, Touch, Smell, Squeeze, Weigh and Rub.
1. Press: Lay the down quilt flat and let it recover naturally for 3 minutes. Press it with your hand and then release quickly. Check if it rebounds rapidly to its original shape. The faster the rebound, the better the down quality. If there is almost no elasticity, the filling is likely chicken feather or crushed long feathers.
2. Pat: Gently pat the quilt several times to see if any dust escapes. The less dust, the better. A large amount of powder coming out of the stitches indicates poor-quality down.
3. Touch: Feel carefully with your fingers. If you feel many hard quills like matchsticks or pins, the down content is below 30%. For around 50% down content, you will still feel noticeable quills but no impurities. If the feel is soft with almost no quills, the down content is above 70%, indicating good quality. If the whole product is extremely soft with no quills at all, it may be filled with crushed down.
4. Smell: Take a deep breath close to the quilt and check for odd smells or odors. No smell means excellent quality. A strong foul odor means the down has not undergone proper processing, washing and disinfection, and may be made from raw feathers.
5. Squeeze: Higher down content means better quality and greater compressibility. A good down quilt can be compressed to the size of a pillow core.
6. Weigh: Hold the quilt and compare its weight with its volume. The lighter the weight and the larger the volume, the better the quality. Conversely, the heavier it is, the poorer the quality.
7. Rub: Rub the quilt with both hands to see if down escapes through the fabric. If so, the fabric is not down-proof and should be avoided. Gently rub the front and back with your thumb and forefinger: if it becomes thinner but is hard to separate fully, the quality is good; if it separates easily and you can feel both inner layers, the down content is low; if you feel a thick layer that cannot be rubbed apart, it may contain acrylic cotton instead of down. Down feels smooth, while acrylic cotton feels rough.