An Icelandic eiderdown duvet is made to provide exceptional comfort for many years. With its remarkable lightness, warmth and natural breathability, eiderdown requires surprisingly little maintenance. A few simple habits will help preserve its unique qualities and keep your duvet beautifully soft and comfortable for as long as possible.
Gentle Care for Lasting Comfort
Eiderdown is an exceptionally delicate natural material. Unlike ordinary down, the tiny fibres naturally cling together, creating a light, cohesive layer that provides remarkable insulation without unnecessary weight.
To preserve this structure, your duvet should always be treated gently. Avoid sitting or lying on top of it, jumping on it, wrapping it tightly around yourself or compressing it unnecessarily. Repeated pressure can gradually affect the delicate structure of the down and shorten the lifespan of the duvet.
You should not shake or beat an eiderdown duvet vigorously. Simply handle it gently and allow it to regain its natural shape.
Let Your Duvet Breathe
Regular airing is one of the best ways to care for an eiderdown duvet.
Choose a dry day and place the duvet outside or in a well-ventilated area. Sunshine is perfectly fine, although prolonged exposure to strong sunlight should be avoided.
Depending on how the duvet is used, airing it anywhere from once a week to once a month is a good routine. This allows moisture accumulated during sleep to evaporate naturally and helps keep the duvet fresh.
When airing your duvet, avoid beating or vigorously shaking it. Eiderdown responds best to gentle handling.
Everyday Care
Always use a high-quality duvet cover and pillowcase to protect your eiderdown duvet and pillows. Lightweight, breathable fabrics are particularly suitable, as they allow you to fully experience the natural lightness and temperature-regulating qualities of eiderdown.
At King Eider, we particularly recommend lightweight covers made from natural materials such as silk, bamboo or fine cotton.
When changing your duvet cover, occasionally turn the duvet so that the opposite side faces upwards. This helps distribute everyday wear more evenly over time.
In the morning, allow your bed and bedroom to air before covering the duvet completely. Opening a window for a short while and turning back the duvet allows warmth and moisture from the night to escape.
Storing Your Eiderdown Duvet
If you are storing your duvet for an extended period, for example during the warmer summer months, place it in the breathable cotton storage bag provided with your King Eider duvet.
Never compress or roll the duvet too tightly for storage, and avoid airtight plastic bags or containers.
Eiderdown needs to breathe. Moisture trapped inside a compressed duvet for a prolonged period can eventually damage the natural down.
Before storing your duvet, make sure it is completely dry and well aired.
Cleaning Your Eiderdown Duvet
One of the advantages of eiderdown is that frequent washing is unnecessary. Regular airing and the use of a high-quality duvet cover are normally sufficient to keep your duvet fresh.
If an accident occurs and more thorough cleaning becomes necessary, we strongly recommend taking the duvet to a professional cleaner experienced in caring for high-quality down products.
An eiderdown duvet can be washed in exceptional circumstances, but it must be handled with great care. A sufficiently large washing machine should be used so that the duvet is not compressed inside the drum. Choose a short and very gentle programme, such as a hand-wash or wool programme, and use a detergent specifically designed for down.
The water temperature should never exceed 30°C (86°F).
After washing, the duvet must be dried thoroughly. If possible, allow some of the moisture to evaporate naturally before placing it in a large tumble dryer. During drying, remove the duvet several times and gently loosen and redistribute the filling.
It is essential to ensure that the eiderdown is completely dry before the duvet is used or stored again.
Please note that washing a King Eider duvet voids the product warranty.
A Natural Treasure Worth Caring For
Icelandic eiderdown is one of nature’s most remarkable insulating materials. Each King Eider duvet represents extraordinary craftsmanship, carefully collected eiderdown and generations of knowledge passed down through Icelandic eider farming families.
Treat your duvet gently, allow it to breathe and protect it from unnecessary washing and compression. With proper care, its exceptional warmth, softness and lightness can be enjoyed for many years to come.