When it comes to choosing a good down product, be it a new duvet or a winter coat, a company’s reputation is worth its weight in gold (or Eiderdown!)
If you’re looking for a quality down product, you can start by looking for a company with a good reputation. A shortcut? Find out if they are a member of a quality association, like the Down Association of Canada (DOWNMARK®). The Down Association of Canada, audits their members (see below!) and makes sure that they are fulfilling their promise to the customers.
When you see DOWNMARK® on a product, you can rest assured that it is:
Genuine: what’s inside the product matches what’s on the label
Quality: the item meets standards & guidelines set by the Canadian government
Canadian: the item was manufactured in Canada
Ethical: the down was collected according to high animal welfare standards. Live pluck or foie gras down is absolutely forbidden under this commitment
Long-term: certification isn’t for someone who does the right thing today; certification is for companies with a long track record of quality & authenticity
Of course, if you know St.Geneve, you know that our commitment to quality goes beyond simply meeting the Down Association’s requirements: we always exceed them!
All of our duvets and pillows are made with love in our Richmond, BC atelier. We also offer a range of beautiful Canadian down fills.
We take this a step further by selecting farms that meet or exceed the highest humane practices for raising geese and ducks, like the Hutterite down used in our Lajord duvet.
We have been building our reputation for over 30 years. Our commitment to quality and our integrity is part of everything we do!
HOW THE DOWN ASSOCIATION OF CANADA ENSURES QUALITY
How do you know if what’s inside your new down product matches what’s promised on the label? You cut it open, of course! Because consumers can’t check the fill inside their goods, the Down Association of Canada has taken up the task for them. On an ongoing basis, the Down Association purchases down and feather items from retailers and sends them to an independent testing facility as part of the DownCheck program.
Failed items result in reports filed with the Competition Bureau of Canada (the agency responsible for enforcing labelling of products).
Here are a few examples of the types of failures that DOWNMARK® helps to flag for consumers & government agencies.
Beyond the Rack
Twin Duck Down Duvet SOLD AS: 80% White Duck Down / 20% White Duck Feathers TESTED AS: 15% Duck Down / 50% Feather / 35% Polyester
The Bay
Ladies Down Blend Parka SOLD AS: 50% Down/ 50% Feather TESTED AS: Virtually No Down 1/3 Feather / 2/3 Polyester 92% less down than claimed
Images & information courtesy of DOWNMARK® Canada
Please note, we can’t speak to the work that is being done by associations in other countries. If purchasing products manufactured in the USA or Europe, be sure to research how those associations track quality & audit their members!
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