The advantage of down jackets is that they are easy to wear, while at the same time having a high insulating capacity, thus keeping the wearer warm even on cold winter days.
The concept of fill power can be useful to know when choosing a used down jacket. This is a measure that indicates how tightly the down is packed, as well as how much the down jacket contains – higher fill power gives a
warmer jacket.
If your used down jacket needs freshening up, it is sometimes enough to air it out, as repeated washing will degrade the insulating and water-repellent properties of down. This is because the natural oils in the down, which contribute to its fluffiness, are washed away.
Ideally, store the jacket hanging on a hanger when not in use, as this allows the down to spread out so that the jacket retains its nice shape.
Washing down jacket
- Avoid fabric softeners, as they can affect the texture of the down and damage it.
- Always follow the washing instructions on the accompanying label, if available. Usually the jacket should be washed at a maximum of 30°C.
- Also turn the jacket inside out before washing, and close zippers and any Velcro to prevent wear.
- Use detergent specifically designed for down, or one third the amount of regular detergent.
- Wash the used down jacket with similar colors.
- Set the machine to an extra rinse to ensure that any detergent residues are removed.
- For longer durability, the jacket can be sprayed with impregnating agents specifically designed for down.
- Dry cleaning is a gentle option that results in very little wear and tear.
Tumble drying down jackets is highly recommended to restore the jacket’s resilience and shape, and to ensure that the down is properly dried between the down and the jacket’s surface layer. There is specific advice to follow when tumble drying down jackets:
- A second-hand down jacket can be tumble dried without any problems – just make sure you have at least three tennis balls in the dryer to distribute the down evenly.
- To avoid static electricity when drying, a small ball of rolled aluminum foil can be inserted together with the down jacket.
- Make sure that the jacket has dried completely. This may take several hours.
- Once the down jacket has dried, distribute the down evenly by gently patting the outside and inside of the jacket.
If the down jacket is tumble dried, it is important to wait until it is completely dry – otherwise the down may clump together, which is difficult to dissolve afterwards. For the same reason, it may be worth checking if you are buying a second-hand down jacket whether it is water resistant. This is usually the case for most variants. However, if this is not the case, you can wear a thinner rain jacket on top during rain and snowfall.
