WHAT IS A TOG?

The definition of “Tog” according to the Oxford English Dictionary is:
“A unit of thermal resistance used to express the insulating properties of clothes and quilts”.
So tog relates to the amount of heat/warmth a quilt can trap. The higher the tog rating, the warmer the quilt. A common misconception is that tog refers to the quality of the quilt, this is not the case.
In order to select the correct tog the following questions should be asked:-
1. Is the quilt for the summer, winter or all year round?
2. Do you have a warm or cold bedroom?
3. Do you share a bedroom? (body heat generated by a second person adds considerably to the warmth factor). Men generally release more body heat than women, men therefore tend to prefer lower togs to women.
At Feather & Black we essentially stock the 5 most common tog ratings on the market, which are:
•         4.5 tog. A lightweight quilt suitable for the summer season.
•         10.5 tog. A quilt for the autumn or for winter where customers will have their central heating on whilst sleeping.
•         13.5 tog. One of the most popular winter togs on the market.
•         15.0 tog all seasons. This quilt includes a 4.5 tog summer option, plus a 10.5 tog spring/autumn option. When combined they create a warm winter duvet. It can be used for all four seasons.
Over a period of time, derived from usage and washing, duvets will loose their original tog rating.

OUR DUVET FILLINGS

Quilts are essentially filled with either a natural or synthetic filling.
NATURAL DUVETS
There are basically two species of filling used on quilts: goose and duck. The goose is the bigger bird of the two producing larger feathers and down. A goose quilt will be lighter than a duck quilt even though they offer the same tog rating. Due to the goose quilt being lighter than the duck it is classed as a premium and so tends to be more expensive.

Natural filled quilts maintain the insulating properties for a long period of time, for example, a goose down quilt can last up to 40 years.
It is the trapped air in the quilt that retains the heat. Down traps more air than feather and is the better insulator. However, goose and duck feather, which is naturally curled, also traps air and is a relatively good insulator. The higher the Down content in a quilt, the lighter the quilt will become for a set tog.

A new European regulation has just passed indicating the percentage of down and feather, which needs to be present in quilts. Any product containing more than 60% down can be classified as a down product. A good quality quilt will contain 80% down or above. It is unlikely that 100% down quilt can be truly achieved unless hand picking of the filling takes place. This is not very cost effective and would make the quilt costs unrealistic. Hungarian goose down is a premium quality as the size of the down from the Hungarian goose is even bigger than that of the standard goose, therefore the weight of the quilt can be reduced to offer the same insulation as that of a standard goose or duck.

Natural filling has the ability to absorb body moisture lost during the nights sleep and has the ability to release it in the morning when the quilt is aired.
All of Feather & Black natural duvets have 100% cotton cambric casing. 100% cotton allows the body to breath, is absorbent and comfortable. The cambric is a 240 count (very fine tight weave) construction, which is finer, lighter, prevents filling from escaping (down proof) and also acts as a barrier to dust mites. On the Hungarian quilt the count of the fabric is even finer 280-300 count which is even lighter but commands a premium in price. Natural duvets also have a piped edge to neatly finish off the product and add extra strength.
All natural duvets have a 10 year guarantee when used correctly, covering the quality of the cambric case, the fillings and the manufacturing, for example, stitching. It does not cover misuse or damage caused by the customer.

WASHABLE DUVETS
It has now been medically established that the vast majority of allergy sufferers actually react to allergens excreted by the house dust mite.
Polyester is a non-allergenic, which means that it is now known to stimulate any allergic reaction in people. Dust mites can not survive on polyester, however, it will exist on particles of dead skin that are broken down by fungal mould and bacteria. The best way to eliminate and control the dust mite is by regular shaking and washing (above 55 degrees) to destroy them. Anyone concerned about such allergies should be taking action to protect their mattress as well as duvets and pillows and also regularly cleaning other areas such as carpets and furnishings.
Amicor fibre combined with Polyester Hollowfibre now provides an anti allergy product that eliminates dust mites and provides anti bacteria properties.
Natural quilts with their woven cambric cover helps prevent mites getting into the quilt.
People that have feather allergies actually react to the bloom which is a powdery deposit left on the feather and are not allergic to the feather itself. Feather & Black feather products go through many washing cycles to eradicate the bloom from the feather so no customers should have a reaction to any of our feather products. The cheaper products on the market tend to be washed just once and so the bloom is still present and that may be why customers believe that they are allergic to feathers.