Down jackets, sleeping bags, and blankets are known for their incredible insulation properties. Commercial down, commonly made out of goose feathers, has its pros and cons. It is an excellent insulator but loses its properties when wet. But what if there were a down that could solve both issues? Enter eider down. Harvested from common eiders, this down has incredible insulative properties, and harvesting it is 100% renewable. We sat down with Árni Örvarsson, managing director of Icelandic Eider, a company focused on bringing eider down into the mainstream. We learned the ins and outs of eider down and are here to say we are sold.
What is it:
Eider down is a down product harvested from common eiders. In Iceland, it is a practice that is passed down from generation to generation. Icelandic Eider is the only company that has brought eider to the market as a consumer product. Making duvets and now select jackets, the properties of eider down make it an excellent choice for warm and lightweight blankets and apparel. While six subspecies of common eider are found throughout the world, the ones in Iceland are plentiful. Since 1847, common eiders have been protected, leading to substantial numbers and abundant nesting birds.
Why Eider:
Common eiders, specifically the Icelandic common eider, have special properties that dramatically improve their down insulation. This is partly due to the harsh environments they live in, where temperatures regularly dip below zero. Compared to goose down, eider down offers a more malleable, cohesive, and oiler product. The result is a much more compact down that traps air inside and improves insulation. In addition, the oils in eider down make it the only hydrophobic down available. When incorporated into garments, this means that even when wet, the down maintains its insulation properties.
The performance of eider down insulation translates to a lighter and thinner final product. Despite the thinner construction, its ability to trap air makes these garments significantly more insulative than the same-size goose jacket. In the world of down products, this is measured by fill-power. The term fill-power indicates down quality commonly used for sleeping bags, duvets, and jackets. However, due to the nature of wider down and its exceptional performance, the fill-power rating does not accurately reflect Eider. As a result, Icelandic Eider is working to create a new standard that accurately reflects the performance of the common Eider down. Additionally, eider down is one of the only hypoallergenic down products.
How Eider Down is Harvested:
Eider down is unique in that it is 100% renewable. To achieve this, down is harvested from nesting common eiders in the first days of June. The down feathers are the warm under feathers used to keep these birds warm. Once they lay eggs, the birds will molt and drop these feathers. The feathers are then used to surround the eggs and regulate nest temperatures. With the aid of cameras, Icelandic Eider is able to see when the first chicks begin hatching. At this time, they begin the harvesting process.
The process of harvesting eider down is an intimate one, involving physically lifting birds off nests, removing the down, and placing the bird back. This is a highly regulated process and has no negative impacts on the birds. Don’t believe us? The University of Iceland completed a study (found here) confirming this does not harm birds and ensures that eider populations will remain healthy for generations to come.
Once down is collected, it undergoes extensive processing. First, it is immediately dried before an initial hand cleaning. Here, they remove larger debris such as sticks, leaves, and large non-down feathers. Then, the down is baked in an oven for four days at 130 degrees Celsius. Next, the down is hand washed and finally redried for a finished product that is nearly pure down. The end result is the best down product commercially available in terms of performance and overall quality.
What’s Next for Eider Down
The incredible properties of eider down make it one of the best insulators in the world. Icelandic Eider has taken the down and turned it into premium duvets that are lightweight and incredibly warm. But with such an incredible product, what’s next for the mainstream consumer? As hunters are obsessed with technical hunting apparel, we can only hope this technology will be transferred to outer garments.
