Feather and Down Pillows: Safe for Consumers with Allergies

Several years ago, manufacturers of synthetic-filled bedding began advertising that their products provided a healthier night’s sleep than feather and down-filled products because synthetics don’t exacerbate sleepers’ allergies. For years, many doctors advised allergy sufferers to remove down and feather products from the bedroom, speculating that they readily harbored microscopic dust mites, a common allergen.

Now, people who love feather pillows and down bedding can relax. It is a fact that less than 1% of all people are allergic to down or feathers.

Recent scientific studies revealed absolutely no evidence that feather and down-filled products made with cleaned feathers and down aggravate allergies at all—and today, virtually every feather and down bedding product sold in the U.S. is made from thoroughly cleaned materials!

While it’s true that allergies can worsen at night because of bedding, the culprits are not feathers and down, but dust and the dust mites. Compared to pillows and bedding made with synthetic fill, studies have confirmed that pillows and comforters made with synthetic-fill harbor significantly more allergen-aggravating dust and dust mites than do their natural feather and down filled competitors.

Indeed, in one study that measured levels of pet dander in various pillows, pillows filled with synthetic materials turned out to have more than 6 to 8 times the levels of pet dander than levels found in the down and feather varieties.

If you suffer from allergies, see your doctor. If allergy tests confirm that you are allergic to dust and your suffering is increased by the activities of dust mites, consider purchasing closely-woven pillowcases and comforter covers that make it difficult for mites to enter pillows and comforters, and remove dust catchers such as books or boxes from your bedroom.

By keeping your bedroom as clean and dust-free as possible, you’ll increase your chances of restful, allergy-free sleep.

The good news is that if you love the feel and quality of down filled pillows (and duvets), you can sleep soundly knowing that the feathers will not irritate or worsen your allergies. One word of caution when shopping for down filled bedding and pillows: always look for quality, luxury products that are clearly labeled as hypoallergenic. For example, the down feather products sold at MyLuxuryMattress.com are lab tested (turbidity 550+ / oxygen number 1.6) and exceed standards for hypoallergenic labeling laws.