I just purchased a down-filled jacket, on sale, for the price of $9.00! It's obviously not top quality, but for $9.00, why not, right? Well, I wore it to church last night, and when I took it off, my black shirt was COVERED in down feathers! (I see why it was so cheap!) Which leads to my question, Any ideas what I can do to stop the feathers from coming through the lining? For $9.00 I'll keep it, but it would be nice to find a solution.
What I have learned is to never pull the feathers out. Instead, pull the feathers back in. Pulling feathers out causes bigger openings in the fabric and resulting in more feathers to follow through.
Fluffing the coat in a dryer without heat for about 15 minutes seems to help. Most escaping feathers working their way out as a result from wearing and use.
I have a Rab Microlight Alpine which cost £180 (uk). I've had it a few weeks and have also found some external feather loss. I did my research before buying and weighed up my options against a synthetic equivalent.
The thing is this... it's just a fact that all down jackets with thinner pertex or ribbed stitches will lose some down. It may seem like a huge problem visually, but the down you see is actually a tiny proportion of the overall fill.
Make sure protruding feathers are 'pinched' back into the garment and not pulled outwards. This will prevent smaller holes being enlarged. Secondly, on cold heat, give your beloved jacket a 'fluff' up in the dryer for around 10 minutes. This will fluff the feathers, making it more difficult for them to pass theough the seams.
If you chose down, you have to accept that some birds will try and leave the nest quite often.
Is there a chance that you can return the jacket for a refund? If you don't have the receipt, you might be able to get a store credit.
A down-filled jacket is not supposed to lose feathers no matter what it cost.
I am sorry I don't have a solution for you. I just wanted to say that I have previously owned 2 down jackets and both of them lost their feathers on my clothes. The first one that I had only cost about $40. The new one that I purchased this year cost $150. So I don't think the price of the jacket has anything to do with it.
How about making a flannel lining for it? I don't think feathers would work through flannel.
I have a down coat that is doing the same thing...in fact I found this site because I was browsing the internet looking for a solution. It's so embarrassing to show up for work covered in feathers! My coat was about $80, so I don't think cost has anything to do with it either. My mother thinks it just means it's time to get a new coat - however, I just purchased the coat last year, so I don't believe that theory.
I just got a nice down filled jacket and I paid $300. Within 2 weeks the feathers are coming out, so price and time definitly has nothing to do with it, but I'm looking for a solution as well, because the biggest problem is that the feathers are getting stuck on the outside and it becomes visible which bothers me a lot.
I'm going to try to spray scotchguard on the inside of my coat to keep them in. I figure if it keeps dirt out maybe it will keep feathers in.
I have a mountain hardware sub zero down jacket. It'ssuper warm.
A single feather will NEVER leave the inside of the jacket. One escapes here and there on the outside of the jacket, but that's it. I was actually thinking of ways I could prevent that from happening.
Has spraying it with "Scotchguard" or like helped? What has helped because even though I love the coat I can't wear it to anyplace nice. Thanks!
Price really doesn't matter, I have a Liz Claiborne down jacket and the feathers are ridiculous, all over my shirts. I like my jacket, but hate those darn feathers, spraying it with scothguard does not help.
My boyfriend thought I was crazy when I said I was going to google my problem with the feathers! But I found this site. At least I know I am not alone. I am going to try the scotch guard. I love the jacket and hate to toss it! Thanks everyone.
I have a members only coat that was "leaking" feathers. I sprayed the inside with a light coat of spray adhesive. It has been 2 weeks and seems to be working.
I finally gave up on down coats/jackets and found a coat that is the equivalent in warmth of the down coat with modern technology. Columbia's Omni Heat is the thing. Wears well, is so light weight and keeps me warm in Minnesota!
I am going to sew a wind breaker lining into mine (it's a cheap one I bought to keep in my trunk in case of emergency). The jacket has a plastic lining so I am going to turn it inside out before sewing it in. I'll post my findings for whomever may be interested.
I just bought a Ralph Lauren light down coat. Feathers already coming on to clothing. This has been a relentless quest!
I purchased in £170 from "Go Outdoor", its very good, warm, but it disappoints me with the feathers sticking on my shirt/pullover. Its really disappointing..... I will never purchase another dawn jacket in my lifetime.
It all hinders on the jacket's construction during manufacture. If the baffles (which house the down feathers) of the jacket's thin outter shell is sewn together prior to the stuffing, there will be absolutely no issues with feathering. However this is time consuming and costly because each baffle is filled individually. The alternative to this (primarily to keep costs down) is "spread n sew". This method is performed just how it sounds, by spreading the feathers then sewing it up. The problem with this however is what you're experiencing, feather leakage. Where the feathers sewn into the stitch become loose from wear and come out. Since down feathers strands have millions of these little J-hooked hairs, they tend to bring others with. Another thing to consider is the needle, tension and thread used on the sewing machines during the garments manufactur process; were they the correct ones for that specific application.
Sources:
I worked for Moncler®, a French outdoor/ski company, from 1987 to 2003.
Same problem as everyone. Mine was a thrift store find and I washed it, following all care instructions. It survived the wash but my dryer got it, evidenced by the lint trap looking like two birds duked it out while pecking holes all along the seams. I did manage to seal most of the holes on the outside by placing on each a small drop of super glue gel and letting it dry. Exteriorly, the seam runs on the underside of the arms so it didn't affect it too much visually. I didn't see many feathers internally at first. Then I took it off. I looked like the losing bird. I'm going to get more glue and try out i to seal the inside.
Well mine is warm as heck but I paid 100 and some changes its beginning to shed what must I do
I have the same problem. I just bought a Calvin klein mid length down coat that I absolutely love and is so warm. I dont want to return it. I think I should have sized up one size. I think we flatten the feathers through daily use and they leak through. I read washing and drying the fluffs the feathers and stop the leakish some. But I think it will all happen just not as much.
Wash and dry in the dryer without heat!, to fluff the feathers. We flatten them and the leak out. :/
I wonder sewing an extra lining (cloth from a T-shirt) inside the coat will help..just a wild guess
I have the scotch guard in my hand...was about to buy it. But, someone here said that hairspray is better. I saw Canadians saying the same thing on Youtube. Going to go with the hairspray!
