What to look for when purchasing your next Down Comforter.
Updated 9/2023
In the below article and video, we explain some of the limitations and issues associated with many styles of the down comforters sold in the market. At the bottom of this page, we also provide a link to another page on our site that shows one how to tell if it time to replace your down comforter.
We hope this information will help you make a more informed decision when purchasing your next down comforter.
There are several different styles of down comforters available for purchase, with several different price points and different countries of origin.
Some of these construction styles are better than others.
At Vero Linens, all of our down comforters are made in the USA. A vast number of down comforters and sleeping pillows sold in the US are imported from China, where guidelines for cleanliness and other regulatory requirements may not be as strictly adhered to as those comforters and pillows made in the US.
Below, we offer an overview of some of the more popular styles. We also explain the benefits of a baffle-box down comforter (which we believe is the best style), at the end of this article.
The Ring Stitch Down Comforter:
Just as the name implies, the quilting pattern of this style of down comforter is stitched in rings.
- While the size of the rings in this down comforter may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, the down inside the comforter is constrained inside the circle, and the down outside of the ring is unconstrained, as shown in the image below.
- As a result, the clusters of down can/will migrate to the outboard edges and foot of the down comforter. Leaving the center of the comforter void of down and offering little, if any, insulating value.
- As a side note – down does not produce heat. It acts as an insulator, holding body heat in.
- With this style of down comforter one will need to continuously shake the comforter to redistribute the down.
The Channel Construction Style Down Comforter:
As shown in the photograph below, the channel down comforter is made with long channels that contain down and run from the head of the comforter to the foot.
- The down is somewhat constrained in that it will not migrate from one channel to the next. Over time, the down will find its way to the foot of the channel, causing one to have to continually shake the comforter from the foot of the bed to move the down back to the head of the comforter where you want the down to be.
- When looking at a cross-section of this style comforter, it is apparent that there is no down at the sew line of these channels, and the valleys between the channels contain less down than there is middle of the channels.
- This will result in cold spots.
The Sewn Through Down Comforter.
This is likely the most popular construction style in Down Comforters.
- The down in the various compartments will not shift from one compartment to another.
- Here is how it is made:
- Two large sheets of fabric are sewn together around the perimeter.
- Down is then blown into the large compartment via a small hole that (left unsewn).
- Once the appropriate amount of down is blown into the comforter, the hole is sewn shut.
- The down is then evenly distributed, and the comforter is run through a quilting machine that quilts smaller squares.
- As shown in the below photos, (as with the Channel quilt), with the sewn through down comforter, there is no down at the quilt sew line, and less down in the valleys that exist at the edges of each compartment.
The Baffle – Box Down Comforter
Hands down, the Baffle -Box down comforter is the best construction style.
This construction style is a premium style and generally costs a little more, but we feel it is worth the additional cost.
- The Baffle–Box Comforter utilizes the same basic concept as the Box Stitch comforter in that the compartments are generally square. As shown in the below image, with this style of comforter, each compartment has side wall creating a 3-dimensional box.
- The benefits of these boxes are threefold.
- The Down will not migrate from one compartment to another.
- With these 3-dimensional compartments, the down can loft to its fullest, providing superior insulating value. That 6-sided box (top, bottom, and four sides) allows the down more area to loft.
- As shown in the below images, there are no cold spots with this construction style.
- Baffle-Box construction also gives the Duvet Cover a much fuller look.
