|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Duvet factory |
| Rebecca visits one of Australia's oldest down factories to discover just what goes into making a duvet. |
|
|
|
|
There's nothing like snuggling up in bed with a warm duvet. And according to feather down lovers, you won't find anything warmer or lighter. Rebecca visits one of Australia's oldest down factories in the outer suburbs of Sydney to discover just what goes into making a warm and cosy duvet.
The feather down duvet has been around for hundreds of years and Australia adopted the "continental quilt" in the late 1950's. One of the early down makers is Snugl'down, run by the Edwards family of St Marys since 1958. The business is three generations old and was started by James Edward's father. In fact, several staff members are in their third generation too.
Snugl'down mostly manufactures feather downs but to stay ahead in today's competitive market, they also make polyester, cotton and wool duvets as well as pillows and stuffing for sofas. Down is the underpart of the goose or duck neck and chest feathers, and is preferred for duvets because it's light and water resistant.
Downs originated in Europe centuries ago as a simple bag of feathers. As the years went by, the bags were cross stitched to stop the feathers moving around. The entire process was done by hand, including washing the feathers, separating them and stripping them from the quill.
The "channel" quilt (feathers stitched into rows) was popular for decades, but in the past eight years or so has been outdated by the "cassette" duvet. This new technique comprises small sewn squares that compartmentalise the feathers and stop them moving to the bottom of the duvet.
Every day in the Snugl'down factory, 44-gallon drums full of wet feathers are brought inside. These are stored in cool rooms, to ward off bacteria. Most of the feathers are bought locally and some are imported from Asia and the United States.
The feathers are put into large vats then washed and sterilised in a biodegradable detergent seven or eight times. Then they are treated in "fabric softener" to fluff and soften. It's essential that the feathers are dried completely or they will rot when made into duvets.
Snugl'down is a converted ammunitions factory, chosen for its high ceilings. The extra room is needed to blow the feathers into the air, allowing them to separate by weight. The feathers are channelled through the factory in an overhead tunnel. The heaviest feathers settle in the first section, until finally the 100% down (the lightest feather) is left floating in the air. At this stage, they dispose of any feathers that have quills.
The next step is to eliminate any allergens and dust mites. This is done in the duster and repeated twice. When this process is complete, the feathers are ready for bagging. The feathers are machine blown into 20kg hessian bags. These bags contain baffles, which are fabric membranes that protect against the cold.
The next step looks rather primitive, but it's a lot of fun. The sewn bags are bashed against tables using wooden instruments, brooms and hands, to evenly spread the feathers. Finally, they're packed and branded for various retailers.
Snugl'down also remake old quilts, especially in the summer period when they're not rushed off their feet. They can revamp tired old duvets with new stuffing, a new case or an updating in style from channel to cassette. They can also remove and clean the stuffing, then sew it back into place.
Snugl'down's Sales Manager, Helen Powderly says a good airing is the best way to clean your duvet at home. If you want to wash your duvet, take it to a reputable dry cleaner or a laundromat and dry the duvet in a large drier. Add tennis balls to the drier so the duvet doesn't bunch. Don't wash your feather downs too often because the fabric will wear.
|
More Info
Snug'ldown
116 Dunheved Circuit
St Marys NSW
Ph: 02 9623 9377
Snug'ldown duvets can be bought from retailers such as David Jones, Mansours, Harvey Norman and Holy Sheet as well as many other smaller stores.
|
Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
|
|
|
|
|
