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A blanket for winter should be light, warm, soft and not prickly. It should “breathe” and not cause allergies. What kind of filler meets all these requirements?
Feather and down
Down and feathers of waterfowl (ducks and geese) is the most popular natural filler. It makes the blanket warm and very airy. The lightest models are made from live bird fluff. Cheap feather blankets (from 3 rubles) are usually heavy and short-lived; after a short time, a feather begins to crawl through the fabric. A high-quality blanket costs about 000-8 rubles. The down of a white goose or Icelandic duck is additionally treated with a dust mite compound – these products can be used by asthmatics and allergy sufferers. However, such impregnations can be washed out during washing.
Care: You can take it to dry cleaning, but you can also wash it – at + 60 ° С, , periodically turning over and shaking with his hands the stuck down fluff. Both pillows and blankets benefit from regular (at least once a month) ventilation in the fresh air.
The pen is not bad
If there was only one fluff in the blanket, it would simply not keep its shape, but “spread” like a pancake. Even the most expensive blankets contain feather (10%), it gives the product elasticity, airiness and volume. However, low-quality blankets are often mixed with a coarse feather – it is easy to recognize by touch. The optimal ratio is 60% down, 40% down. The higher the percentage of feathers in the blanket, the cheaper it is.
Warm blanket
Wool blankets are real doctors! They have a healing effect as they contain animal fat (lanolin). Woolen blankets are irreplaceable for people suffering from osteochandrosis, rheumatism and colds. Wool in contact with the human body is able to absorb up to 30% moisture (sweat), while remaining dry to the touch. Moreover, as soon as you get out from under the blanket, it will begin to actively evaporate moisture. Therefore, woolen blankets do not require additional drying. Finally, wool has a unique self-cleaning ability (dirt is shaken off the wool fibers). So forget about frequent washing!
Sheep’s wool
In addition to being warm and absorbing moisture well, sheep wool helps with sciatica, arthritis and back pain. Ideal for those who suffer from insomnia. Sheepskin blankets are much lighter than wadded blankets; under them it will be comfortable not only for an adult, but also for a child. In children’s production, sheepskin is used, woven in a special way, so that wool and lint do not come out of the blanket. However, be careful. Sheep wool can cause allergies in some children. This is the most budgetary option of all woolen fillers. A sheepskin blanket costs from 3 rubles, from lamb down (such a blanket is less warm, but more delicate) – from 000 rubles.
Care: it is better not to wash blankets made of sheep wool; dry cleaning will help to cope with stains. Sheep wool tends to cake over time, so turn the blanket over often and ventilate it in the fresh air.
Goat hair (fluff)
As a filler for blankets, as a rule, they use a delicate undercoat from the neck and chest of Kashmir mountain goats, which graze on the slopes of the Himalayas even in severe frosts. These are the warmest, softest and lightest woolen blankets. They perfectly relieve muscle tension by performing micromassage. Only 100-200 g of down is collected from one goat per year, so such a blanket is not cheap. The minimum price is 12 rubles. (for children – about 000 rubles)
Care: Delicate wash.
Camel’s wool
A camel wool blanket is lighter than a sheep’s. It is very warm and has medicinal properties. Due to the large amount of lanolin, it is recommended for those who have back problems and joint diseases. The service life of a camel wool blanket is 6–7 years. Choose a model made of combed wool, as the sheared one will cut through the pillowcase and prick.
A blanket with open wool costs about 4 rubles, a quilt: woolen – from 000, down – from 2 rubles.
Care: Delicate wash.
Blankets bought in specialized stores and having a certificate of conformity are covered only with natural cotton fabric. Most often it is cambric, satin, cotton with the addition of lyocell.
A blanket with synthetic filling is the best choice for allergy sufferers. Indeed, unlike wool and down, dust mites do not favor artificial filler.
Syntepon
Quilts made of synthetic winterizer are very light and cheap, but they do not guarantee you the quality of sleep, because this artificial material does not allow air to pass through well: the body does not breathe, and under such a blanket during the heating season you will feel like in a bath.
Holofiber, komerel
New generation polyester. Although it surpasses the same synthetic winterizer in price, it perfectly maintains the temperature regime, and weighs no more. A high-quality synthetic blanket breathes (of course, worse than natural fibers), does not electrify, does not accumulate dust and is easy to wash. A good quality product will cost at least 3 rubles.
Care: a blanket made of holofiber and comfortel can be easily machine washed, as well as a synthetic winterizer. But the latter becomes tougher over time from repeated washes.
Gagachi fluff
This is the most expensive, weightless and warmest (even hottest) filler. Its cost , because to get only 1 kg of fluff, you need to pick about 60 nests (!). The cover is made of silk – the finest fabric allows the blanket to take the shape of the body as much as possible. A blanket made of 100% eider down costs from 5 euros …
Blankets with “open” wool are very popular now. Soft and fluffy blankets “with fur out” are pleasant to use as a blanket. Falling asleep wrapped in such a blanket is a pleasure!
Wadding
An environmentally friendly filler that retains heat well, absorbs moisture and does not cause allergies. The disadvantages of a cotton quilt are its heaviness and the ability to absorb various odors. Although some simply cannot fall asleep unless they are crushed from above with a thick “grandmother’s” blanket. It’s a matter of habit!
Care: does not like washing (cotton wool gets lost in tight lumps) or dry cleaning (stains remain). All that remains is to regularly air the cotton blanket and dry it in the sun. Old blankets can be vacuumed and dust-free outside. However, it is better to think about your health and finally say goodbye to this overwhelming and rather dubious inheritance.