Down—the super soft, fluffy undercoat of geese and ducks—is widely recognized
as the gold standard of pillow and comforter fillings. Unlike regular flat feathers,
both goose down and duck down consist of fluffy, lightweight clusters that keep
you warm by trapping in your body heat. Down also wicks away moisture as you
sleep, which helps keep you cool in the summertime and cozy in the winter.
Lofty and luxurious, nothing feels quite the same as down. With the proper care,
the best down can last your whole lifetime.
So why would anyone pass up this miraculous material? Allergies. Some people
are sensitive to feathers. These days, however, down goes through so much
cleaning and processing that allergens are stripped away entirely—so what
people are really reacting to is, in all likelihood, dust from their home. Ack!
Don’t worry, there’s no reason to lose any sleep over that—just nab a quality
pillow protector and you’ll go sniffle-free all night.
Down alternatives make a great substitute for feathers. Even though down has
proven allergen-free in numerous tests, some allergy sufferers have a different
experience. Luckily, synthetic fibers have come a long way—these are not the
stiff foam pillows at your grandparents’ house. Manufacturers have been busy
creating pseudo super-feathers through a complex process of heating,
stretching, crimping and cutting. The end product? Soft, synthetic fibers that
trap air the same way down does. All without the specter of allergies. Best to
get a pillow protector anyway, as dust shows no prejudice between down and
down alternatives.

In the past, people searched for pillows based on soft, medium or firm. But we
now know that if you want to find the perfect pillow, you need to identify the
way you sleep. Why? Pillows help keep your head and neck properly
aligned—and side, back and stomach sleepers all have different alignment
needs.
Side sleepers need a firm, dense pillow to ensure your neck is well supported
and you’re sleeping evenly, like a horizontal line. If you don’t have enough
support, your head may dip toward your shoulder.
Back sleepers should opt for medium density pillows, which cradle your head
comfortably without propping it up too much. Imagine standing up straight from
head to toe—that’s the position you want your neck and head to be in when you
lie down on your back.
Stomach sleepers require soft pillows with slightly less filling. That will allow you
to breathe comfortably throughout the night and cushion your head and neck
with just enough support.
Calling all tossers-and-turners: If you shift around all night, a medium density
down pillow or down alternative pillow is the most suitable, though another
option is a memory foam pillow.
Memory Foam Pillows carefully cradle your head and neck by conforming to the
natural contours of your body as you sleep. Whether you lie on your back, side
or stomach, your neck and spine alignment remains intact, which ensures a
flawless night’s sleep. More ergonomic, the memory foam pillow is especially
kind to people with neck and back issues.

Pillow Protectors: Regardless of how you sleep at night or what your pillow is
filled with, you should consider picking up a high-quality pillow protector. They
increase the lifespan of your pillow by sealing out dust and allergens, helping to
keep your pillow clean and making it easier to care for. A high-quality pillow
protector will also prevent any feathers from poking out of the fabric—that’s
only a concern when your pillow contains feathers in addition to down, as down
feathers do not have quills.

The reason down insulates so well is because of its small, fluffy clusters that
trap air inside. The air—a.k.a. your body heat—is what keeps you warm at night.
So if you want to measure the quality of the down, you have to look at fill
power.

Fill Power measures the amount of space a single ounce of down occupies. The
more space it takes up, the more air it collects. And the higher the fill power, the
better the insulation.

The best quality down—which is collected from mature birds in some of the
coldest regions of the world—takes up more space inside a comforter than down
from younger birds. And it does that with fewer clusters.

600+ Fill Power: Good quality, above average loft, warm, lasts for years
700+ Fill Power: Excellent quality, exceptional loft, warmer, lasts many years
800+ Fill Power: Superior quality, luxurious loft, warmest, may last a lifetime

Where you live and how you like to sleep are also important details to consider.
Because your body temperature drops when you sleep at night, the weight of
your comforter can really make a difference. If you tend to be hot at night or
live in a warm climate, opt for a lightweight duvet. If you tend to be cold or live
way up north, choose a down comforter or down alternative comforter with
more weight to it. And if you’re lucky enough to have four distinct
seasons—hello from 59th Street—consider a lightweight comforter for summer
and an ultra-warm duvet for winter.

Every pillow and comforter comes with its own set of care instructions. If a
comforter says “dry clean only,” then you should certainly follow suit. But as a
general rule, down can be gently machine-washed in hot or cold water. Make
sure your washing machine is large enough to handle the job. Proper cleaning
can extend the life of a comforter or pillow, and pillow protectors also help
pillows to last much longer.