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Durability: unknown
Versatility: pros eiderdown is exceptionally soft, insulates well, lightweight, used to make comforters, pillows and bedding
Affordability: cons eiderdown is extremely expensive, eiderdown comforters can cost around $16,000
Eiderdown is….
- Versatile
- Expensive
- Rare, hard to find, exotic
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- Mend & Patch: A Handbook to Repairing Clothes and Textiles
- Reinvention: Sewing with Rescued Materials
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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
ENVIRONMENT
Fiber source: natural, eiderdown is a natural fiber source, consisting solely of small, soft feathers from the breast of the female eider duck, it takes 55 nests to create one kilogram of eiderdown
Biodegradable: yes, eiderdown is biodegradable
Destruction: unknown
ANIMALS
Kills: potentially eiderdown ducklings if nesting is taken before hatching, eiderdown production requires taking the soft feather nest created by the mother eider duck meant to cushion and protect her eggs and keep her eggs warm and cozy as they incubate, ducks come to land just once a year to nest and lay eggs, if eider mothers are disturbed or frightened while nesting they may emit a brown oily liquid with an odor onto the nest, if it touches an egg it will be refused and discarded by its mother and even hungry animals
Harms: potentially female eiderdown ducks, female eiderdown ducks pluck the feathers from their chest to create a nest for their eggs, when the nest is removed by humans the mother may attempt to pull even more feathers from her chest, exposing her skin to the harsh nordic air and winds
Indirectly kills or harms: seagulls, foxes and mink, Icelandic or Canadian landowners with nesting eider ducks on their property may shoot eider predators in the name of protecting eider duck nests for profit
Eiderdown is….
- Not Vegan
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Eiderdown…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
eiderdown…
For every 5 garments produced, the equivalent of 3 end up in a landfill or incinerated each year!
One reason for such wastefulness society’s ever growing desire to acquire. Fast fashion (creating low-priced items at high volumes) is problematic for a number of reasons and promotes the attitude that clothing is nearly disposable.
But another component of such a quick turnaround on clothing is because it’s just not lasting long enough. Snags, stains, warping and shrinkage render items unusable and unacceptable for the donation pile. Avoid such problems by buying better quality, more durable, long lasting materials. Timeless wardrobe favorites that last for years and years are more sustainable and reduce the need for replacements.
Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of textiles burns or goes to landfills…
Keep minimalism in mind and buy less, borrow and buy items second hand. Thrift shops offer many inexpensive, unique finds that have already proven to stand the test of time!
eiderdown may or may not be sustainable.
Animal materials are a natural fiber and biodegradable unless heavily treated with chemicals. However, they are not at all eco-friendly or sustainable due to the overwhelming strain on natural resources; the water needed, food needed and land usage that must happen for such abundant amounts of animals to live.
With the high number of animals unnaturally bred onto the planet in the name of human utilization, specifically ruminants (cows, sheep, goats, deer, camels, etc.), they emit high volumes of carbon emissions and contaminate air, soil and water with their waste (excrement). This is also toxic to ecosystems and wildlife.
Animal agriculture is not good for the environment, human health and of course, the animals themselves. Thus, animal derived, non-vegan materials are not only cruel and inhumane but environmentally unsustainable.
That’s not to say that all vegan materials are sustainable. There are many vegan yet unsustainable fabrics, materials and textiles. Most of us don’t realize that washing one synthetic garment releases about 2,000 plastic microfibers which then enter the ocean and food chain…or that 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion comes from endangered and ancient forests. So because a fabric is vegan it does not necessarily mean that it is sustainable, eco-friendly and so on.
Natural fibers like cotton are actually really harmful IF they are not organic. How? Cotton seeds are often GMOs that require pesticides, which are extremely toxic! In fact, up to 16% of the world’s pesticides go to non-organic, GMO cotton farming every year. The chemicals degrade soil and pollute water as well as poison cotton pickers.
Wow! …So it’s time to start using sustainable fabrics, materials and textiles.
Vegan and sustainable fashion near you is easier than ever with this: Vegan Clothing Brands Per Country List
eiderdown is not vegan.
Cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, ducks and foxes are animals commonly subject to exploitation for their skins, hair or feathers. In fact, BILLIONS of them die every single year simply in the name of fashion.
Before buying a pair of shoes, a sweater, a purse, check the materials. Common and unfortunately popular animal-derived materials include:
These materials often come from places like India and China where there can be NO animal welfare laws or enforcement. If the item does come from a more developed area of the world, such as the United States or Europe, that animal was likely a victim of factory farming. In such overcrowded farms there is confinement, disease and animals sometimes live their entire lives indoors, never seeing the light of day.
Material from animals may involve slaughtering like leather and fur production, for instance. In regards to wool or feathers, animals struggle while workers hold them down and beat them in order to shear their coat or rip feathers from skin. This leaves them bloody and wounded in pain.
Dressing and decorating vegan is easier than ever with this: Vegan Fabrics, Materials and Textiles List
eiderdown is a material that may or may not have labor issues.
Did you know that the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? Whether agriculture involves crops or animals, the labor behind each and every product made from cotton, leather, wool, etc. cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, sweatshops and child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence. Unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives simply by being mindful to buy items that are certified fair trade.
Sources:
Sew Guide: Fabric glossary
The weird magic of eiderdown
Textile School: Textile fabric types
PETA: Vegan Fabrics: Organic Cotton
The Spruce: Types of fabric A to Z: What are you wearing?
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future
