Down and synthetic winterizer: which is better and warmer?
A down jacket is a comfortable, warm and necessary thing in a wardrobe. It would seem that the name itself implies the presence of fluff in clothes. However, manufacturers offer down jackets and other alternative materials as a warming "filling". Each of them has its own pros and cons.
Pooh warms even astronauts
Down jackets are perhaps the most common and most beloved jackets in Russia. They gained particular popularity in the difficult nineties. Almost a third of Russians were dressed in cheap and monotonous green and lilac clothes of dubious quality. Today, down jackets of this style and quality can no longer be found. Now, in addition to performing the function of warm clothes, they correspond to fashion trends, combine efficiency and convenience.
The peoples of the northern latitudes were the first to use fluff for sewing warm clothes. And the Norwegians were the first to figure out how to use fluff for sewing warm clothes. Back in the 15th century, quilted down pants and jackets perfectly saved the inhabitants of the cold seaside from the piercing wind and severe frosts. The warmest is considered to be the down of the northern bird of the eider. It is not without reason that it is used in the manufacture of space suits for astronauts.
Despite the invention of new materials, alternative to down, down still retains its position and remains the most popular material used for the production of warm clothing.
Eiderdown down jackets are considered the best. Their significant drawback is their high price. Duck or goose down fillings can be a good alternative. Manufacturers often add feathers to the down. This ratio is usually 70 and 30 percent. The lower the feather percentage, the warmer and lighter the jacket. Therefore, when buying, you should pay special attention to this.On the label, the presence of a feather in the product is indicated by the prefix feather to the word down. Here it will be appropriate to warn: when buying a down jacket, carefully examine it. No fluff or feathers should stick out of the seams. Otherwise, this product is of poor quality - it will not last long.
Try to carefully feel the sleeve or the piece at the bottom line of the down jacket. If there are a lot of feathers in the insulation, you will immediately feel them to the touch. You should not take such a down jacket: one day these feathers will come out.
If your winter is harsh, buy a jacket marked with 3 CLOs. It will be comfortable even in forty-degree frosts. Marking 1 KLO - for mild winters, if frosts do not exceed -15 degrees.
The great advantage of the down filling is that the jacket "breathes". You won't sweat in it in a store or subway.
It is worth paying attention to the Fill Power sign on the down jacket tag. It means the elasticity index of the down jacket, that is, its ability to take its original shape after compression. For good down jackets, this figure starts from 500 units. And well-known brands reach 900.
Modern technologies make it possible to produce very high quality down jackets with down and feather filling. With proper care, these garments can last fifteen to twenty years. To wash a down jacket, it is better to contact a dry cleaner. If you decide to wash it yourself, be aware that this is not such an easy task as it seems at first glance. Washing and drying products with down requires a special approach. Therefore, before you start washing, read the advice of practitioners on the Internet.
High-quality warm down jackets of various styles mainly come to us from China and Canada. If you are not limited in funds and style and fashionable appearance are important to you, then it is worth looking for models that are produced in Finland, Sweden or France.
Sintepon - the younger brother of fluff
It is difficult to find a person who would never have clothes with synthetic winterizer filler in his wardrobe. Invented in the 70s of the last century, this synthetic material competes with down today.
Products made of padding polyester retain heat well and are easy to wash. And if the ratio of feathers to down affects the thermal insulation qualities in a down jacket, then the thicker the down jacket on the padding polyester, the warmer. Manufacturers can hem one, two or even three layers of padding polyester. The temperature regime of the product is determined by the density of the padding polyester insulation: insulation with a density of 100 g / sq. m. is recommended at a cool temperature of +5 degrees; from -5 degrees it will be comfortable in a jacket with padding polyester insulation with a density of 150 g / sq. m. (such clothes are quite suitable for late autumn); but with the onset of frosts down to -20 degrees, the best option is a jacket with a padding polyester density of 250 g / sq. m.
If the frost is harder, even a three-layer down jacket will not provide a comfortable walk and you will feel cold. It is worth noting that the more layers of padding polyester in the jacket, the more bulky and inconvenient it is for movement. Remember how clumsy and defenseless little children look in thick padding polyester overalls.
Do not wash glued synthetic winterizer under any circumstances. Only dry cleaning is suitable for caring for it.
Sintepon is an artificial material. It is composed of polyester fibers. The fibers are bonded to each other in two ways: either by gluing or by thermal action. The synthetic winterizer on glue is easily deformed and caked. It is airtight. In addition, it is considered not environmentally friendly due to the presence of glue.
Thermally bonded synthetic winterizer is preferable, it "breathes" and is considered environmentally friendly.
Jackets with padding polyester are comfortable, durable and unpretentious to care for. However, they are more suitable for the off-season or mild winters. They are of little use for a harsh winter.
What is in synthetic fluff?
We have smoothly approached the consideration of another material that is used to insulate winter jackets.Logically speaking, judging by the unusual two-root word, it may seem that this is a material that consists of padding polyester and fluff - a combination of two classic materials in one insulation. However, the name of modern artificial insulation is correct - synthetic fluff. Down, but artificial, in terms of thermal characteristics is very similar to the real one.
Down on the tags of down jackets is indicated by the word down. Feathering means adding feathers to the down. The word intelligentdown means that the insulation combines down and synthetic filler. The designation cotton or polyester warns that cotton wool, batting or synthetic winterizer is used for insulation.
Synthetic fluff consists of a large number of polyester fibers. Like natural fluffs, the fibers have cavities. It is this air in the microtubules that helps retain heat. The material is environmentally friendly, without harmful impurities. In addition, thanks to the use of silicone in its production, it is resilient and highly elastic. Fibers impregnated with silicone emulsion are twisted into a spiral. When pressed, the crumple easily returns to its original form.
Clothes with synthetic-down insulation are warm, light, fluffy and airy. A distinctive advantage over real fluff is that the synthetic fluff does not roll up in dense lumps from washing and from prolonged wear.
Synthetic down, like down-feather fillers, easily "breathes" and perfectly permeates air, at the same time retaining warmth. Feathers will never come out of a synthetic-down jacket, water flows from it "like off a goose" and dries quickly.
For washing, you can use the services of dry cleaning, but it is not difficult to wash a padded down jacket at home. It is very comfortable to wear.
All options are good
Generally speaking, all of the listed fillers are good. Which one to give preference to depends on many circumstances, which are different for each person.
A padded polyester down jacket differs from just down. The difference is that it is warm, elastic and lightweight, environmentally friendly. Therefore, it is the best option for allergy sufferers. The advantages of padding polyester fillers are that such down jackets look very elegant, besides, they are very light, they are easy to wash and dry. They are warm and comfortable in the off-season, as well as in light winter frosts. Well, for those who prefer everything natural, of course, the best option is a jacket with down and feather filling.
Ideally, it is better to have three down jackets: for the off-season, mild winters and severe frosts. If their insulation will consist of different materials, you will be convinced from personal experience which of them is still preferable for you.
For the features of fillers for winter jackets, see the next video.
