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Feather Facts & FAQ's

Down and Feather Pillow Facts:
Some information about your pillows which you may find useful and possibly entertaining!

Feathers have been around a while. Ancient amber dating back to the time of the dinosuars has contained remnants of downlike feathers. It is doubtful that early man constructed pillows similar to those used in today's world but it is conceivable that they may have slept with domesticated feather covered animals enjoying their comfort and warmth.

Before people realized the comfort of down and feather pillows they used straw as a filler material. (in China they would use wood or stone for their pillows -no filler required!)

There are 3 basic types of pillows: Bed, Orthopedic and Decorative. Down and feather fillers can be used in all types depending on the desired degree of support.

In the US there are 3 standard pillow sizes for bed use: Standard (20x26 inch) Queen (20x30 inch) and King (20x36 inch)

European Pillow sizes range from 26x26 inch all the way to the 36x36 inch favored in Germany (that's a lot of feathers.. and also a popular size for pet beds.. ).

Back to the Chinese for a moment.. In ancient China, the 'shitou zhentou' was a pillow made out of jade and it was believed that as you slept on it you would gain intelligence, be cured of headaches and depression.

Down is not only extremely soft but it's also the world's best insulators retaining heat in the many small air pockets naturally created by it's structure. Down does have a 'down-side' and that is if it gets wet. If you give your uncle -who is known to drool when napping- a down filled pillow, please include a moisture proof cover!

Down pillows are extremely soft, compressing easily. These make for ideal bed pillows for the stomach sleeper. They spring back to form with a quick fluff in the morning and await their tired owner's head at bedtime.

Feather pillows have a bit more support for the back and side sleeper. Feather pillows have a reputation of being pokey or leaking but that is only true with old or inferior quality products. In old England it was considered lucky to have a few feathers escape your pillow during the night (hmmm... sounds like an early marketing ploy to me!)

Down and feather pillows sometimes get a bad 'rap' when it comes to allergies. Studys indicate that it is in fact not the feathers causing the problem, but dust mites which have infested the pillow due to improper feather pillow care. There are people who do suffer feather allergies but they are rare. We have special pillow covers which assure a safe and comfortable nights sleep.

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