“If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals.”
– Albert Einstein
Birds are the only animals with feathers. They use feathers not just to fly, but to attract mates, blend in, keep dry, stay warm, show off, and in exceptional cases, to sing. The number of feathers varies dramatically by species. A hummingbird has 1,000 feathers, swans have 25,000, while an emperor penguin houses up to 80,000 feathers. A duck lies in the middle of this range with 10,000 feathers, while its brethren, the Canada Goose, has double that number.1
Waterfowl, such as ducks and geese, are mid- to large-sized birds that are commonly seen around water, and have down feathers which grow under stiffer exterior feathers. Located near the bird’s skin, they have a distinct three-dimensional structure that traps air next to the bird’s warm body, which retains heat yet is exceedingly lightweight. Wool, cotton, and polyester are significantly heavier. At the same time, down is three times as warm as any made-made fiber. It is so efficient that humans have yet to create anything better.
The quality of down is measured by ‘fill power’, defined as the number of cubic inches that one ounce of down can fill. It usually ranges between 300 to 1,000. A higher fill power indicates that the down has more loft (fluffiness), can trap more air, and provides better insulation with less weight. Today down is used mainly in apparel, bedding, and outdoor gear. It requires the feathers of 75 birds to fill one down comforter. The size of the down market was $7.5 billion in 2023, projected to reach $16 billion over the next decade.2 270,000 metric tons of down are produced annually. 80 percent is produced in China, and 90 percent comes from ducks.3
Image credit: Wildsight/Shutterstock
The Upside of Down
As a material, down is compelling. It offers a unique set of properties that are hard to duplicate for its size and weight:
Down is readied for consumer use through the following process:
Sorting & Grading: Down is sorted by hand or machine from feathers and debris, then graded based on quality, determined by size, maturity, and loft.
Washing & Drying: It is then washed in large, industrial machines multiple times using detergents, soaps and/or antimicrobial agents to remove dirt, dust, oils, and other impurities. Tumble dryers are utilized for drying at controlled temperatures.
Sterilization & Treatment: This step utilizes heating and chemical treatments to remove bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms and assign favorable properties:
Antimicrobial and antifungal chemicals are commonly applied to protect against microorganisms and prevent odors during long-term use.
Bleaching agents may be utilized to whiten the down for aesthetic appeal.
Sticky ‘glue’ chemicals are sometimes used to bind dust and fibers to down clusters, increasing the perceived volume and weight of the product.
Silicon-based compounds are used as water repellents and to maintain loft and insulation when exposed to moisture.
Curing or heating processes are employed to set chemical coatings onto down fibers.
Blending & Packaging: Down is blended with flight and body feathers or other materials, then packaged in sealed containers for transport and use.
Down is sourced from different birds, offering varying attributes:
Goose down has larger clusters, which provide superior insulation and loft. Considered the highest quality down with fill power ranging from 600 to 900, it is used in high-end bedding, luxury jackets, and other premium products.
Duck down has comparably smaller clusters and is less expensive than goose down. With fill power typically between 300 and 700, it is used in mid-range bedding, jackets, and outdoor gear.
Eiderdown comes from the eider duck. The rarest form of down, it is utilized in luxury bedding and high-end garments. Although its fill power ranges from 400 to 700 (lower than high-end goose down), it is highly valued for its ability to naturally cling together and create an interlocking structure that is incredibly soft, and lightweight and provides exceptional warmth and insulation.
Falling Down
As a co-product of the meat and materials industry, the harvesting and production of down inflicts harm on animals, people, and the planet.
Animals
3.4 billion ducks and geese are slaughtered every year in the production of down and feathers for use in the fashion industry alone.4 There are three methods to remove down from a bird’s body – post mortem (taking feathers after the bird is killed for meat), gathering (collecting fallen feathers or brushing/combing to remove feathers), and live plucking (ripping feathers from live birds).
Live plucking is the most brutal of these practices, where a goose or duck is held down by their neck or wings as the feathers are torn from their skin. When skin rips, it is sewn up, usually without painkillers. This process begins when the bird is 10 weeks old, and repeats every six weeks until slaughter. Live plucking is the prevalent method, as it produces higher quality down material, fuelling greater use of the practice. These birds are typically kept alive longer so their down clusters get larger and thus offer higher fill power. According to a survey by the European Down and Feather Association (EDFA) and the International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory (IDFL), 98 to 99 percent of total production is a byproduct of the food industry.5 However, an investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) found that out of 66 Chinese suppliers, nearly half sold wholesale quantities of live plucked down.6 A Swedish documentary also revealed that 50-80 percent of the down on the market was coming from live birds.7
Gathering is no picnic either. Birds naturally undergo ‘molting’, whereby new feathers replace mature ones. While naturally shed feathers are collected, methods such as brushing and combing are sometimes used to gather the feathers that are about to be replaced. However, in most operations, hundreds of birds at different stages of molting have their feathers collected at one time. Similar to live plucking, this process also involves catching, carrying, and restraining birds. A European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) panel revealed that bones may be broken or dislocated during the gathering process and some birds suffocate. Further, live plucking ‘by accident’ adds to potential harm due to torn skin, hanging wings, and death.
People
Despite its ability to keep people warm, wearing duck and goose feathers can pose a risk to human health.8 Dust mites, which are microscopic, insect-like pests that live in house dust, can accumulate in down products over time, triggering allergic reactions. Down is often treated with chemicals and antimicrobial agents that bind dust and fibers to down clusters, known as ‘glue down’. This poses health risks, including respiratory issues and skin irritation. Prolonged use and improper storage of down products can lead to the accumulation of dust mites, bacteria, and other allergens. Thus, bacterial contamination becomes a significant concern. Over time, exposure to allergens may lead to more serious conditions such as lung inflammation, known as ‘feather duvet lung’.9 Symptoms can develop weeks to years after exposure to down, and if left untreated, can cause scarring in the lungs. Additionally, large-scale farming of animals fosters disease which can sometimes spread to humans.
Planet
Untreated, down is biodegradable and environmentally friendly compared to petroleum-derived fabrics such as polyester and water-intensive natural fabrics like cotton. However, chemical treatments such as dyes, waterproofing, or anti-microbial finishes significantly reduce its biodegradability. Synthetic dyes release toxic substances that harm the environment while waterproofing agents like polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) persist in the environment without readily degrading.10
Large-scale geese and duck farms as well as slaughterhouses consume significant amounts of water and discharge blood, feces, antibiotics, and other pollutants directly into waterways.11 Disproportionately located in low-income areas, they contaminate drinking water and cause health issues like asthma, infections, birth defects, and cancer in nearby communities.12 Animal agriculture releases ammonia, methane, and other gases into the air which can negatively impact the quality of air and also contribute towards climate change. Further, converting natural habitats to duck and geese farms can lead to a loss of biodiversity.
Raising Our Standards
Ethical down certifications include the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) and the Global Traceable Down Standard (GTDS). Both certify farms where birds are free from unnecessary harm, including no live plucking or force-feeding, with respect for the Five Freedoms of animal welfare: (a) freedom from hunger and thirst (b) freedom from discomfort; (c) freedom from pain, injury or disease; (d) freedom to express normal behavior; and (e) freedom from fear and distress. Patagonia started GTDS, while RDS was started by a partnership that included The North Face. In addition, the DOWNPASS certification developed by the European Down and Feather Association (EDFA) focuses on responsible and sustainable down production that incorporates criteria from the Five Freedoms assessment. While these organizations deserve credit for charting an incrementally better path forward13, the Five Freedoms model has its limitations given its focus on the lack of negative states, an alternative model such as Five Domains may be better placed to address animal welfare systematically.14
RDS certifies both home goods, such as pillows and comforters, and clothing, while GTDS primarily certifies clothing. GTDS certification is slightly stricter than RDS, as it reaches further back in the supply chain by certifying farms where waterfowl are kept, even if down is not harvested there. Products that are RDS- or GTDS-certified are labeled as such and can be traced using the Track My Down service to verify their authenticity. Other certifications exist as well such as DOWNMARK, a Canadian certification, focusing on quality standards and ethical harvesting practices or approval from the American Down and Feather Council focused on accurate labeling.
Looking Upward
Fortunately, a range of down alternatives exist. According to the Material Innovation Initiative (MII), at least 15 companies are working on innovative solutions in this area using both plants and synthetic materials.15
Natural plant-based fibers like cotton, bamboo, and Tencel (made from wood pulp) are well suited to provide warmth and breathability. Bamboo, which ranks highly on sustainability, is particularly interesting. Global bamboo fabric providers such as ProECO (United States), Tenbro (China) Well Fabric (Vietnam), and Spinning King (India) offer an ample supply that can be utilized for a panoply of products. Other alternatives include:
Synthetic solutions for both textiles and insulation are emerging as well. These include ThinsulateTM (3M), THERMOLITE® (The Lycra Company), ThermoPlume® (Primaloft), Power FillTM (Polartec) and Ecodown® (Thermore).16 Several are made from recycled materials and offer superior properties for specific applications such as packaging, insulation, and clothing. However, utilizing recyclables creates the issue of an unreliable supply chain, and eventual degradation of the utilized materials resulting in disposal into landfills in the long term. The promise of creating a truly circular process remains elusive, though these materials move us in the right direction. Ongoing research is essential to provide ever-better alternatives to down.
Learning to Fly
It is a curious twist of human nature that when we do something long enough, it takes on an air of normalcy even in the face of absurdity or cruelty. An industry has been created that plucks feathers from live birds, force-feeds them until their livers bulge to ten times their size (to produce foie gras), creates allergy and disease in humans, and harms our communities and the planet. Particularly disturbing is that this happens when viable alternatives exist that reduce or eliminate these outcomes. Down may seem innocuous at first glance, but it is a lucrative co-product of the meat industry, increasing the value of each bird, thereby funding practices that harm animals, people, and the planet.
One way to evaluate our current path is to consider the consequences if everyone adopts the same path. What if everyone used clean energy? Or drove electric cars? It is not difficult to imagine a better world by altering our actions. Consumers can impact the down industry with their purchasing power and practices by (a) raising awareness about issues with down production, (b) educating themselves on down alternatives to make more informed choices, and (c) if compelled to purchase down, do so only from certified suppliers. The only way to move forward is one step at a time, even if it seems like a small one. The downside of down products is beyond question. A better path exists; it’s time we chose it.
TreeHugger
Future Market Insights, Down and Feather Market Outlook 2023-2033
FAO numbers reported by Textile Exchange
Material Innovation Initiative
European Down and Feather Association (EDFA), International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory (IDFL)
The Guardian, ‘Ethical down’: is the lining of your winter coat nothing but fluff?
Gentle World Organization
Kawada et. al. (2019), An Integrative Evaluation Method for the Biological Safety of Down and Feather Materials
Liu-Shiu-Cheong et. al. (2019), Feather Duvet Lung
Manteco
Center for Biological Diversity
Winders & Abrell (2021), Slaughterhouse Workers, Animals, and the Environment
New York Times – Wirecutter, What is Ethical Down?
World Animal Protection
Material Innovation Initiative
Material Innovation Initiative