How to Choose a Down Duvet and Pillows

We've designed this guide to help you choose the duvet and pillow that best suits you.

We offer three types of duvets and four kinds of pillows. Here is a comparison of the three main types of down duvets we offer:

	JAMES BAY	LAJORD	LAROCHE
Loft	700+	850	600
Type of down	Canadian Wild Goose Down	Canadian White Goose Down	Canadian White Duck Down
Allergies	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic
Cover thread count	400 Thread Count	400 Thread Count	400 Thread Count
Cover fabric	100% Cotton Jacquard Cover, Oeko-tex Standard 100 – Class 1	100% Cotton Sateen Cover	100% Cotton Sateen Cover
Weight	105 gm /m² (3.1 oz/yd²)	110 g/m² (3.2 oz/yd²)	110 g/m² (3.2 oz/yd²)
Duvet prices	$1775 - $3395	$698 - $1388	$474 - $886

 

We offer four types of pillows:

	JAMES BAY	LAJORD	LAROCHE	CHATEAU
Loft	700+	850	600	n/a
Type of down	Canadian wild goose down	White Goose Down	Canadian Duck Down	White Goose Down outer layer with 20% Duck Down/ 80% Duck Feather Core
Allergies	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic	Zurguard Certified Hypoallergenic
Cover thread count	300 Thread Count	300 Thread Count	300 Thread Count	300 Thread Count
Cover fabric	SoLoft™ 100% Cotton Twill Cover	SoLoft™ 100% Cotton Twill Cover	SoLoft™ 100% Cotton Twill Cover	SoLoft™ 100% Cotton Twill Cover
Other features	Includes a 100% Cotton Jacquard Protector			Chambered pillow with a centre of 20% down / 80% feather and an outer layer of white goose down.

A good quality duvet is made from down.

Down is the soft under plumage that geese and ducks grow to keep them warm. A down cluster is a puff, and does not have the stiff quill of a feather. Feathers are flat and two-dimensional, whereas down is three-dimensional, with tiny filaments that reach out, interlock with one another, and form pockets to capture warm air. This is why down is such a powerful insulator and why St.Genève chooses down for all of our luxurious products.

Important things to know about down

• Down from mature birds has more filaments and is larger, which results in higher density and superior cling. This means that the down can trap more pockets of warm air. All of St Genève’s downs are mature downs.
• Downs are measured by their fill power, which is also referred to as loft. Loft is the measure of fluffiness of a down, and is also a good way to gauge the quality of the down.
• Loft refers to the number of cubic inches that one ounce of down fills.
• Higher quality downs have a higher loft. A higher loft does not mean that the duvets will be heavier, they will mean they are light, fluffy, and warm.
• Loft is tested in a lab under specific conditions – such as temperature and humidity – that can be recreated. Mature birds have higher loft down, and products with lower loft come from younger, immature birds. This type of down is weaker and more brittle, and will need to be replaced more frequently.
• Bargain or department store down can measure as low as 300-400 loft. Good quality products start with a loft factor of about 550, and extraordinary down clocks in with a loft of 850 or higher.

Why choose down?

Here are some of the wonderful qualities of down:

• Renewable and biodegradable: Unlike polyester, which is made from crude oil, down is a sustainable fill for your bedding needs. In a few decades, when you no longer wish to keep your duvet or pillow, the cotton coverings and down fill are both natural and completely biodegradable. 
• Hypoallergenic: There is a popular myth circulating that down is a poor choice for people with allergies. Research proves that this is false. High-quality down, like that used in St.Genève down products, goes through a rigorous cleaning process which renders the down hypoallergenic. Studies published in the British Journal of Medicine have concluded that down is a better choice for asthmatics as it does not support dust mites, unlike the polyester alternatives.
• Long-lasting: Quality down can last for decades and St.Genève warrantees our down comforters for 20 years. Michael once recovered a duvet that dated back to the American civil war. The fabric was worn, but the down was still in excellent condition! You can take a worn down comforter and have it recovered with new material or repurpose it into pillows.
• Affordable: Down is one of the least expensive bedcoverings available when you factor in the cost per use over 20-30 years of comfort and warmth.
• Insulated: Down can trap more air for its weight than any other material for incredible insulation.
• Resilient: No other material can compress and then spring back to its original volume the way down does. This is important because resiliency also helps maintain down’s ability to insulate.
• Breathable: Down allows water vapour to pass through, without allowing the warmth to escape. You will stay more comfortable and won’t get ‘clammy’ because the down will gently wick away the moisture. This is why down duvets are warmer in the winter, as well as cooler and more comfortable for the summer.

This information was provided by St. Genève. Shop our selection of St Genève down duvets and pillows.