Getting Your Hands on the Most Luxurious Comforter – The Eiderdown Comforter

The standard bedspread is fine for most people, in fact it is the most affordable option for many, but getting into the world of comforters can make the difference between a twisting and turning night's sleep, and a good night's sleep.

Comforters are a great addition to any bed, customarily above the blanket on the bed, it gives a nice extra layer of comfort that can help people stay warm on those chilly nights, while being airy enough to still be comfortable in the summer. Like anything, comforters come in many styles, depending on what someone is looking for in terms of comfort, and price point. Artificial filled comforters are cheapest, but least comfortable, then there are goose down filled comforters, and heavy weight comforters. However, if someone is looking for the most luxurious of comforters, and aren’t afraid of the investment price, then they can’t get any better than Eiderdown comforters.

What is Eiderdown?

Eiderdown is one of the most luxurious downs available on the planet, and comes from the Common Eider Duck that is primarily available in Iceland. The special thing with Eider ducks is that their down is one of the softest downs on any bird, and is found in their nests as an insulation for their eggs and young hatchlings.

Eider ducks are protected by Icelandic law, so gathering eiderdown is a time and labor intensive process, because everything has to be done by hand, and from the Eider duck’s natural nests. Eiderdown farmers spend a lot of their time travelling between the 150 Icelandic islands, watching the Eider ducks' habitat, protecting them from predators and other threats, and gathering the eiderdown from nests that are no longer being used (after the hatchlings have left the nest.) Since all harvesting has to be done in an ecologically friendly, and non-invasive manner, it is much more costly to gather eiderdown than farm other types of down.

Processing the Eiderdown Properly

Eiderdown is so soft and delicate that to ensure only the most luxurious of eiderdown makes it into eiderdown comforters the eiderdown is processed by hand. 80% of the weight of material gathered from nests is debris, while the rest is the soft eiderdown. All eiderdown is cleaned manually, and processed manually in order to preserve its natural characteristics as much as possible. Eiderdown is not only used for comforters, but also pillows.

Protecting an Eiderdown Investment

Due to the amount of manual labor required for gathering eiderdown, the resulting comforter is a luxury product, and therefore quite the investment. Keeping an eiderdown comforter protected and in good condition is paramount to enjoying it for many years, even decades. Eiderdown comforters require special equipment to clean, and it is often best that a person try to purchase their eiderdown comforter from a company that offers in-house cleaning services to ensure it’s laundered by an expert.

Discover the Best Eiderdown Comforter

As with all luxury purchases, it’s important to know what to look for. An eiderdown comforter can be ruined if it's manufactured poorly. The best eiderdown comforter will have a luxurious silk shell, with at least 450 thread count, helping keep the eiderdown in place, and giving a soft lightweight feel. High fill power is important for a comforter to be airy and nice for all seasons; for an eiderdown comforter this means 800+ fill power.

Eiderdown comforters are a level of luxury that few reach to, but for those interested in them they should consider a highly reputable seller that has taken the care to produce a truly luxurious product that will last for years.