AllerGuard and down
Did you know:
Repeated studies have measured the Der p 1 level on pillows with synthetic filling and pillows with down filling that had been on the same bed for more than six months. Up to seven to eight times higher levels of Der p 1 were found on synthetic pillows compared to feather pillows. In another study of dust mite allergens in individual parts of bedding, dust samples were collected from 65 duvets, 81 pillows and 65 mattresses from 34 children and 31 adults. The study again showed that synthetic pillows contained much higher levels of Der p 1 than down pillows, and synthetic duvets also had significantly higher Der p 1 levels – up to 15 times more than down duvets.
However, British studies found exactly the same results in the UK, where the level of house dust mite allergens is about 20 times lower than in New Zealand. They also discovered that feather pillows contained much lower amounts of cat and dog allergens than synthetic pillows.
The use of synthetic duvets has increased significantly in recent years and today the vast majority of duvets in use are synthetic - probably due to price. But it comes at a price with greater risks for allergy sufferers.
AllerGuard allergen-proof pillows and duvets with down filling.
We use the high density of the fabric twice. It is a barrier against allergens and dust mites that do not get into the duvet, but it also stops 100% of the down used as filling.
Thanks to AllerGuard, microparticles from down that can cause allergic reactions in allergic people are trapped inside the duvet/pillow, and you can benefit from the unique properties of natural 100% goose down.
Every body temperature, season, and room temperature requires its own duvet.
There are two criteria that must be met when choosing your duvet: the quality of the down filling, and the filling weight used in the duvet.
The higher the filling weight, the greater the down filling's ability to insulate and thus keep you warm. And consequently, the higher the filling weight, the higher the warmth class of the duvet.
Seasonal choice of filling for duvet
Winter: Warm Filling. 190g/m2
Our winter duvets are available with a warmth class of 6 or 7 and a filling weight of up to 250gr/m2 - and higher if desired. These duvets will keep you warm during cold winter nights and are perfect for room temperatures below 18°C or for those who tend to feel cold at night.
Year-round: Medium Filling. 130g/m2
Our year-round duvets offer the perfect balance between warmth and comfort, so it can be used all year round. Depending on the filling weight, these duvets are between 3 and 5 on our warming scale. Our year-round duvets are perfect for room temperatures between 18-22 °C and a moderate climate like the Danish one.
Pillows
AllerGuard pillows with Light, Semi-Firm or Firm filling are available to suit the individual's body type, sleeping position and individual preferences.
FIRM Filling (firm filling)
For those who sleep on their side most often:74% of all people often sleep on their side. In the side position, you feel most comfortable with a firm pillow to keep your ears in line with your shoulder. This reduces the strain on your neck and brings your spine into a straight position.
SEMI-FIRM Filling (semi-solid filling)
For those who typically sleep on their backs:10% of all people often sleep on their backs. As a back sleeper, a medium support pillow will help you keep your neck and back in a neutral and comfortable position, providing a perfect alignment with your spine.
AllerGuard Semi-Firm – a soft pillow with a generous amount of filling that provides medium/high head support. This is the most chosen pillow by adults. Ideal when you usually sleep on your side.
AllerGuard Firm – a very soft pillow with more down in the inner chamber that allows it to adapt to the shape of the head and neck. This versatile pillow provides medium support.
AllerGuard® down pillows are exclusive products made from the highest quality materials, so they are exceptionally soft, elastic and durable.
They are designed to provide the highest level of sleep comfort while minimizing contact with allergenic microparticles.
All AllerGuard pads have 3 chambers.
The outer chambers are always filled with new, white, polished 90% goose down.
The inner chamber is filled with 15% and 30% goose feathers.
Marking of pillows with down filling.
Firm version: 3 chambers (90% + 15%).
This means that there is 90% down in the outer layer. There is 15% down and thus 85% fine feathers in the inner chamber (the feather percentage is not shown).
Semi-Firm edition: 3 chambers (90% + 30%).
This means that there is 90% down in the outer layer. There is 30% down and thus 70% fine feathers in the inner chamber. (the feather percentage is not shown).
100% POLISH WHITE GOOSE DOWN
AllerGuard's down products are only white, hand-sorted Polish goose down in Class 1.
100% goose down is highly valued for its extreme lightness and excellent heat storage properties.
In duvets, you only have to look for class I down. Lower grades are suitable for filling decorative pillows or upholstered furniture, and they should not be used for the production of bedding. Unfortunately, such products are still available in the market
Our supplier is one of Poland's large poultry slaughterhouses, so none of AllerGuard's down is plucked from live animals.
There are two types of down on the market; New down and recycled down. Only new down guarantees a long product life and safety, so of course AllerGuard only uses new down.
Recycled down is widely used for inexpensive products, but it has a very large number of harmful deviations, and its origin and plucking can be downright shocking.
The channels in AllerGuard duvets are always thermo-welded at a minimum of 140 °C and not sewn to prevent the passage of dust mite allergens through the sewing holes.
At the same time, the welding reduces the extent of cold zones and increases sleeping comfort in duvets with sewn channel walls.
The duvets are made with bolsters in AllerGuard fabric, so you don't have to buy an allergen-proof duvet cover. You can make do with a cotton duvet cover for comfort and longevity.
Remember, you are usually not allergic to feathers or down, but instead to the dust in the down/feathers as well as to residues of biological material. This can cause symptoms, which is why the oxidation number is so important.
The down in our pillows and duvets has one of the highest oxidation numbers on the market, 850 Cuin, which shows that the down has been washed and rinsed very thoroughly (at 120°C and 4 bar).
All our products are OekoTex certified, so you can be sure that the product is completely free of disturbing chemical substances and can be used by adults and children with allergies and sensitive skin.
Originally reserved for the Japanese high-end market, down is now available to European consumers and is supplied by renowned German, Scandinavian and Asian bedding manufacturers.
Production and factory quality control are carried out in full compliance with ISO standards - quality control systems (ISO 9001 certificate No. 0198100 00171). Our down and feathers are supplied by our Polish supplier, who is the main recipient of the raw material from breeders in Poland.
The down first undergoes an intensive cleaning process until it reaches transparency (in the purity test) that meets the requirements of the Japanese standards JIS K0102 1981, then the stage is sterilization and drying at 120 ° C and 4 bar.
Down is a unique material made in accordance with the highest Japanese standards of quality and purity, and 100% goose down is highly valued for its lightness and excellent heat retention properties. Such comfort and sufficient insulation will provide even a very small amount of down in the duvet.
At AllerGuard, we do not use down and feathers from live plucking of animals.
AllerGuard's standard for down quality
1. AllerGuard Goose Down Quality – 300g
2. Andedun – 300g
Difference: Different volume with the same weight. Due to its size, goose down is more elastic and retains more air than duck down. This allows us to use less down while maintaining the same volume.
We only use hand-sorted down from Polish white geese, continuously supplied by our affiliated down laboratory, which together with our producer, is located in Eastern Europe.
We use Class I down of "Exceptional Quality", and thus also appeal to allergy sufferers. They can use our down products because our technology does not contain dust or other contaminants.
Down consists of keratin covered with lanolin – these are substances that are also found in our body and are not allergens.
All kinds of biological contaminants such as bacteria, dust, mold, etc., that can cause allergies to anything, are usually found in poorly washed down or recycled material.
Down purity test
The method of determining the purity of down is generally determined in Europe and Japan by the recognized "purification test". The test involves placing a certain amount of down in a glass cylinder, refilling it with distilled water, and determining the transparency of the water after the rinsing process.
Transparency depends on the ability to visually recognize the standardized 30x30 mm cross at the bottom of the glass cylinder.
In White Tech's laboratory, three glass cylinders with a height of 1000 mm are used (in h. T. JIS K0102 1981 standard, then sterilization and drying at 120º C and 4 bar). Add 3 grams of down and 300 ml of distilled water to them. The whole thing is shaken vigorously, and then another 700 ml of water distillate is added and the cylinders are placed in a shaker for 45 minutes. Then the visibility is read. In Europe, the down quality of "standard down" is determined using 300 ml glass cylinders and "down quality" using 500 mm high cylinders. The AllerGuard test is only performed with 1,000 mm high glass cylinders and will therefore be one of the few down products classified as "Super Clean Down".
Many down manufacturers add optical whitening to the cleaning process to give the impression that the product is cleaner and of higher quality than it actually is.
Of course, AllerGuard down does not contain optical bleaches!
100% POLISH WHITE GOOSE DOWN
Is it possible? Down consists of millions of microscopic rays that are good at retaining air and heat. But over time and after several years of intensive use, the rays begin to crumble into microscopically small particles. These micrometer-sized particles escape from traditionally made cotton down comforters and pillows and enter our airways. They can cause irritation and allergic reactions in sensitive people.
However, the AllerGuard fabric traps these so-called "down fluff" inside the duvet. Thanks to this, we do not come into contact with them and the duvets and pillows retain their anti-allergic properties throughout the entire period of use, even after 50 washes.
In addition, the AllerGuard duvets' channels are thermo-welded, so there are no pinholes - potential places where dirt can enter and exit. It is unique to AllerGuard.
Longevity – is another extremely important feature of AllerGuard products, as they have to serve us for a very long time. We provide a 10-year warranty on AllerGuard products!
We recommend replacing duvets every 5-7 years and pillows every 4-5 years for hygiene reasons.
But often the products are still in very good condition after this time. For this to happen, you do not need to lie on top of the duvets, and they should be aired often and washed regularly. Pillows should also be washed and shaken regularly every morning.
The products' long life and high comfort of use are due to the very high down quality that we use, in combination with the extremely strong and durable AllerGuard fabric.
AllerGuard down is new, polished 100%, grade I goose down, which is subjected to additional cleaning processes. It is a unique raw material with many advantages and no disadvantages.
The basic functions and parameters of down are:
NEW DOWN – two types of down are available on the market; new down and recycled (used) down. Only new down guarantees a long product life and safety. Recycled down is usually widely used by other and cheaper products and colleagues. It has a very large number of harmful emissions, and its origin and plucking can be downright shocking. Therefore, deliberately search for new goose down.
POLISH GOOSE DOWN – is one of the most prized down species in the world. Due to the suitable climate zone for birds in Poland, Polish goose down has very high quality parameters. It is exceptionally light and durable, and it insulates perfectly. Its elasticity reaches 850 QUIN.
100% DOWN - the percentage value means "down content in down". There are blends of different proportions on the market and e.g. 70% down consists of 30% feathers and 70% down.
Feathers are not needed for filling duvets. It has no insulating properties and is relatively heavy, but works well as a pillow filling. Of course, 100% down is selected down and is the best insulation material available.
DOWN, CLASS I – the down class tells us directly about its quality. In duvets, you should only look for down in class I. Lower classes are suitable for filling decorative pillows or upholstered furniture. They are not to be used to produce bedding, but unfortunately such products are still available on the market.
SUPER CLEAN DOWN - Down is a material of animal origin, so it is especially important that it is well washed, cleaned and disinfected.
Our down is washed and cleaned according to the highest Japanese standards, making it completely safe even for people prone to allergies.
Laboratory tests and thousands of satisfied customers confirm the effectiveness of AllerGuard products.
