Eiderdown
Nature’s purest down
Eiderdown is the soft warm layer beneath the feather coat on the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima). The female eider naturally sheds her down during the nesting period to increase the heat transfer from her body to the eggs and to insulate the nest. Eiderdown’s natural purity is a remarkable exception to other types of down. Most down on the market originates from duck and geese farms in China and Eastern Europe, where it is largely a byproduct of meat production. There, the plucking and/or sorting process inevitably causes feathers to mix with the down, resulting in the highest quality still containing 5-10% feathers. In comparison, eiderdown contains 0% feathers, which makes it softer and lighter than any other down on the market.
Let’s get scientific
The physics of Eiderdown
Eiderdown is highly efficient, extremely lightweight and very soft to the touch. It sticks together via millions of microscopic hooks, making it incredibly cohesive and free of cold bridges. Moreover, its high fill power (a measure of good insulation) makes it one of the best thermal protectors nature has to offer. For centuries it has helped both bird and man brave the cold in the unforgiving Arctic climate. The insulating capacity gives eiderdown its unique property: That it keeps the perfect temperature! Finally, due to its flexibility it can retain its quality for decades.
The ethical way
The human-bird symbiosis
Eiderdown collection is a gentle collaborative practice between a wild bird and a human. The wild eider voluntarily nests in our bird sanctuary, a place we protect against natural predators and human disturbance. While nesting, the female eider’s body-temperature rises and the down comes loose from her chest. She strokes the beak along her chest and lines the nest with down. Towards the end of the nesting period, we walk around the sanctuary and by hand carefully replace some of the down with hay. The eiders are accustomed to these visits and do not feel disturbed. When the eider returns to sea with her young, the remaining down is left behind for us as a final gift. This symbiotic relationship—cultivated at Hraun á Skaga now for four generations and in Iceland for over nine centuries–signifies an extraordinary partnership between bird and human, a unique interspecies bond that leads both of us to thrive.
It just makes sense
A rare treasure
Eiderdown is a rare commodity with the yearly world production fluctuating between four and five tons. To put this in perspective, a similar amount of gold is being mined each year. The rarity of eiderdown in combination with its sustainable origin, high quality and long lifespan make it the most valuable and highly priced down in the world. These same properties make eiderdown the supreme duvet choice for the conscious and quality-minded consumer.
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If you have any questions, we’d be more than happy to talk to you. You can email us on [email protected], or call (+354) 835 9600.
