Eiderdown – the Best Down for Lightweight Summer Duvets and Comforters
With the warmer months fast approaching in the Northern hemisphere, you might be wondering what to do when it comes to your sleeping situation. Light summer sheets can prove a bit too chilly as the temperature drops into the night.
And the thick, heavy duvets and comforters that keep you snug and cozy during winter will make your summer nights sweaty and sleepless.
For most duvets, that is.
Eiderdown is different. It comes from the eider duck, a sea bird that lives in the Northern Hemisphere - Canada, Scandinavia, Siberia, United Kingdom and, of course, Iceland.
Eiderdown is a 100% featherless down found in luxury, high-end duvets and comforters. And it has miraculous properties that make it soft, insulating, durable and, for reasons we’re going to explain, the perfect filler material for summertime.
Breathable: it stops you getting hot and sticky
100% pure, authentic eiderdown is surprisingly breathable. Unlike synthetic or low-quality down, it lets body moisture escape while keeping you at a comfortable temperature.
This is because eiderdown’s microscopic feather barbules intertwine chaotically, creating small gaps for heat and moisture to escape through the material. So, if you’re a hot sleeper or you want to avoid the sweaty summer nights, it’s a great choice.
Thermo-regulating: it maintains just the right temperature
When it’s warm outside, eiderdown shrinks to keep you cooler. And when it’s chilly, it expands to create warm, insulating pockets. In other words, it’s reactive to your body heat. The eider duck spends 10 months living in the Arctic sea, so for its own survival, its down needs to keep it at a constant temperature.
These same miraculous temperature-regulating properties make for one of the most flexible filler materials. It means that you can purchase a medium-fill eiderdown duvet or comforter, use it from summer through to winter, and sleep at just the right temperature throughout the year.
Lightweight: it ‘practically floats’ above you
One of our customers once described their eiderdown duvet as ‘floating above us, doing its amazing “Goldilocks” temperature control’. When you feel eiderdown in your hand, you’ll understand. The material has a strange lightness that is unrivaled by any material on the planet.
During the summer, there’s nothing worse than a heavy duvet weighing you down, overheating you. Eiderdown duvets and comforters are soft, light, and help you have a comfortable sleep - no matter the season.
Customizable: make yours just right
Typical, commercial duvets come in fairly standard ‘fill weights’ (aka TOG ratings). At Icelandic Down, we custom-make every single one of our duvets and comforters. That means you can pick a custom fill weight, or choose from different fill weights - light, medium, and warm.
Light works great for hot sleepers or warmer climates. Medium is a good choice for year-round sleeping. And warm is ideal for cold sleepers or colder climates.
Have different preferences than your partner? We’d be happy to create your duvet with different fill weights on each side to keep both of you happy and well-rested.
If you’re interested in learning more about eiderdown, our products, or how to customise your duvet, don’t hesitate to get in touch.