Shopping for a new comforter can be a bit overwhelming with all of the choices on the market. At Ogallala you can't go wrong with any of our luxurious products; but which one is perfect for you? Read our tips on how to choose the comforter that will help you catch the most Zzzz's.
Here's the 411...
What is Down?
Down clusters are the soft, three-dimensional puffs of fluff that form a fine layer under the tougher exterior feathers of a bird. Down acts as a thermal insulator to help keep birds comfortable in any climate. After all, ducks and geese manage to stay toasty warm in cold climates, so why not put that same insulating, cozy warmth to work on your bed?
What About Fill Power?
Fill power is the amount of space one ounce of down will occupy. The larger the down cluster, the higher the fill power is; taking up more space or volume. Therefore, your fluffiness, durability, quality and warmth also improve.
Then What is the Fill Weight?
Unlike fill power, fill weight has to do with how many ounces of down go into the product itself. The higher the number of ounces of down put into a comforter - the warmer, more voluminous, and fluffier your comforter will be. At Ogallala our warmth levels include: Extra Lightweight, Lightweight, and Warm. However, you can also completely customize any comforter to fit your fill preference.
What's In The Box?
A comforter without extra stitching would allow the down to shift, creating lumps and pockets instead of an even spread of fill. To prevent this, we feature two different constructions to keep the down contained evenly.
Baffle box: The most voluminous and generally most luxurious comforters have baffle-box construction. This means there are small fabric baffles constructed in a checkerboard pattern inside the comforter to hold the down in place, while still allowing it to remain lofty and plush.
Sewn-thru Box: Sewn-thru construction is sewn completely through the fabric, creating a secure hold to ensure the down will stay exactly where it is intended to be. A sewn-thru construction is perfect for ultra-lightweight products, like our Flora comforter. The sewn-thru design naturally envelops the down, giving it a light, blanket-like style.”
Thread Count, Counts...
A quality down comforter fabric is light in weight to allow maximum loftiness of the down. It also has to be durable enough to last a long time, yet remain breathable. We recommend that you look for a thread count fabric that is 280 to 485. Anything higher than that number has a greater chance of "leaking" down over time, because the stitching is too finely woven. We prefer fabric that is Oeko-Tex certified. The certification standard assures that the fabric ticking was manufactured to the highest environmental standards in the world. Also note: down comforters labeled "Dry Clean Only" have most likely been finished incorrectly. This means, regardless of the cleaning process, they will probably lose down by "leaking".
We hope this makes it easier for you to choose the best comforter for you! For more questions or specifics, be sure to read our website or contact us - we want to make sure you get the bedding that gives you better sleep.
-Blair Cissell