Eiderdown Duvet

Eiderdown is a unique and highly coveted type of down that is collected from the nest of the wild Common Eider (Somateria mollissima). These ducks live in coastal arctic, subarctic and temperate regions. Daniadown's eiderdown comes from Canadian eider ducks.

The collection of eiderdown is highly regulated to ensure lack of disruption to the natural activities of the ducks since these birds are a protected species.

Eiderdown has the unique ability to cling to itself, due to the soft barbs present in the down. This allows the down to entirely fill the duvet without gaps, providing superior insulation. In addition, the down is elastic and extremely light, allowing it to regain its shape after compression. With these unique qualities it is possible to create a lighter weight duvet with exceptional insulation and superior breathability.

As eiderdown is collected and sorted by hand it contains no feathers, thereby minimizing weight and maximizing the insulation. This is impossible to recreate with machine sorted duck or goose downs, further contributing to the remarkable insulating qualities of an eiderdown duvet.

During nesting, the mother eider duck will remove down clusters from her belly and line her nest with the down. This provides insulation to the nest from the cold outside air while simultaneously trapping her heat as she sits on her eggs.

Collection of the down requires great care, as disruptions to the nests can leave the eggs unprotected and vulnerable to the cold air. Harvesters must approach the nests from one direction, maintaining a steady pace, so as to not upset the mothers and repeatedly drive them from their nests. They must also provide time for the mother to cover her eggs with down before she leaves the nest. On average, only 5-7 grams of cleaned down is harvested from each nest (a King duvet requires 996 grams!). Harvesters are careful to only take a limited amount of down ensuring there is enough left to protect the eggs.