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" When I was a kid growing up, warmth in bed usually meant lying pinioned beneath lots of heavy wool blankets and waking up groggy and stiff. Sleeping under a soft comforter or duvet (the French word for down) seemed to me hedonistic, reckless, grand. Still, I envied friends who made their beds simply by fluffing the comforter. Comforters have been in European bedrooms for centuries, but Americans have been slower to recognize their virtues...until recently, that is.      Sleep like a baby with luxury goose down pillows from Cuddledown.     Defining Down So what exactly is down? It&amp;#039;s the fluff that grows on the breasts of waterfowl. Unlike a feather, which has a stiff quill, down is formed in various clusters of soft filaments (called plumules). Clusters of down have a three-dimensional structure allowing them to &amp;quot;loft&amp;quot; (or puff out) and trap air. This provides you with optimal insulation without adding comparable weight. Down clusters are very light-a single ounce has thousands of fibers that interconnect to form nature&amp;#039;s most efficient insulator. Unlike man-made fibers, which typically don&amp;#039;t breathe, down adjusts to your body temperature by expanding when you need it and evaporating moisture so you don&amp;#039;t get too hot. Quality Matters Shopping for down can be overwhelming, especially if you&amp;#039;re navigating several aisles of seemingly identical white comforters in clear bags. When assessing the quality of down, consider its fill power and cleanliness first. A &amp;quot;hypoallergenic&amp;quot; label is usually preferred. When deciding which down to buy, also look at the fabric envelope in which the down is placed (called ticking) and the weight. Other attributes, like the value of its area of origin, are not as easy to judge. Generally, the colder the climate, the bigger the bird, the larger the down clusters, the warmer the comforter.  Goose down is considered superior to duck down because its clusters are larger. And, though it&amp;#039;s not better at insulating, white down is preferred to gray because it&amp;#039;s less likely to show through the fabric envelope. Fill power is a crucial measure of quality. The term refers to the space that 1 ounce of down fills, measured in cubic inches. A higher fill power means the down clusters are bigger and more durable, providing optimal insulation. The average fill power ranges from 500 to 550. More upscale merchandisers offer a range from 575 to 650, but top-of-the-line fill power can go up to 800. As far as weight is concerned, you should select the most comfortable for you-depending on where you live, whether you plan to use the comforter year-round, and whether you are a person who is usually cold or warm. The fabric envelope should be a natural fiber, either 100 percent cotton or linen or a blend of the two. The higher the threadcount, the more tightly woven the shell, the less chance there will be bits of down flying around your bedroom. Look for a threadcount of at least 230 or higher. If the Price is Right A queen-size down comforter will set you back from $99 to $500, but you can pay as much as $2,000 or $3,000 for a duvet made of expensive cloth and hand stuffed with the highest-quality fluff from molting birds, which shed their feathers.        Down comforters from Garnet Hill and Eddie Bauer Home add a splash of color as you prepare for sweet dreams.     Keeping it Fresh Whether you&amp;#039;re rescuing an ancient comforter or just whipping your tired down into shape, use a restoring service. Professionals will remove dust and decomposed down, wash the remaining down, replace the ticking, and add new down as required. Prices usually start at $100.  Random Flow Down Fill that you can adjust by hand in any direction to increase or decrease insulation and warmth. Contained Flow Down Fill you cannot adjust by hand. The insulation and warmth is more evenly controlled. Vertical Flow Down Fill that you can adjust toward the top or bottom of the comforter only (for shoulders and feet). Fill Power The ability of down to regain its shape when pressure is released. Also known as the down&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;memory.&amp;quot; The higher the fill power, the more insulation provided. Baffled Wall   A separate piece of fabric sewn to each layer of a comforter&amp;#039;s ticking to create a deeper interior so the down can trap air to maximum fullness. Threadcount   Total number of threads in 1 square inch of fabric. The higher the count, the thinner and more finely woven the cotton or other fiber must be to remain smooth.   Egyptian Cotton   Longer-than-average cotton fibers produced by the climate and irrigation techniques in Egypt, which result in a strong, fine fabric with a lustrous appearance.   Piped Perimeter Cording   Sewn into the outside perimeter of a comforter or pillow for increased binding strength. Happily, the best way to care for a down or feather product is to barely care for it at all. The basic rule? Keep it covered and wash the cover. (Think of it as a pillowcase.) Regular fluffing is essential for maintaining the air pockets necessary for best insulation. Don&amp;#039;t store your duvet in plastic-it prevents the down from breathing. Use a linen or muslin sack instead. Air pillows and comforters outdoors (away from direct sunlight) on a dry, breezy day to circulate the down and remove trapped moisture. As for dirt, try spot cleaning first and wash only when absolutely necessary; let years go by between washings. Wash down items in a commercial-size washing machine without an agitator. Squeeze the comforter to make sure it gets thoroughly wet-the natural oils on down repel water. Use a gentle liquid soap, rinsing an extra time so that there&amp;#039;s no soap residue. Place it in the dryer with a couple of clean tennis balls to fluff the down.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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