Short answer: For its weight, a down jacket is warmer and packs down smaller, but it loses loft when wet and needs more careful care. Synthetic insulation is bulkier, but it insulates even when damp and dries faster. Choose down for dry frost and standing around in town, and synthetic for changeable weather, activity and skiing.
How do down and synthetic jackets differ?
| Property | Down | Synthetic (FURTHERM, THERMOLITE® EcoMade T-DOWN) |
|---|---|---|
| Warmth for its weight | higher | lower, the jacket tends to be bulkier |
| Packability | very good, the insulation compresses a lot | good to moderate |
| Wet snow and rain | wet down clumps together and loses loft | the fibres keep their shape and insulate even when damp |
| Drying | slow, needs thorough drying | quick |
| Washing | down wash and careful drying | gentle cycle and liquid detergent |
| At NORDBLANC | a few winter jackets and coats | most winter jackets and coats, ski jackets |
| Suitable for | dry frost, city, standing around outdoors | changeable weather, activity, skiing |
The table applies to the types of insulation in general. You cannot work out a ranking of particular models from it, because the amount of insulation, the cut and the fabric also affect warmth.
How do down and synthetic insulation keep you warm?
A jacket is not warmed by the insulation itself but by the air trapped in it, which your body heats. The more still air the insulation holds and the less it weighs, the more effective it is. Down and synthetic differ in how they build this airy structure.
- Down and feathers. Down consists of fine, quill-free clusters. They interlock into a fluffy layer that holds a lot of air and lofts up again after being compressed. Small feathers with a quill are flatter and less warm, but give the insulation resilience.
- Synthetic insulation. It is made of polyester fibres; in a hollow fibre there is air inside each one as well. The fibres barely absorb water, so the insulation keeps its shape even when damp. To be as warm as down, it usually needs more material, so the jacket is bulkier.
And the warmth scale? On NORDBLANC jackets you will find an indicative scale from 0 °C down to −30 °C or lower. It helps you compare NORDBLANC models with one another and is not a guaranteed temperature. Down jackets are rated on it down to −10 °C, down coats down to −30 °C or lower. Do not, however, compare the ratings of down and synthetic jackets with each other: warmth depends not only on the insulation but also on the amount of insulation, the length of the cut, the outer fabric and what you wear under the jacket. If you are unsure, you can try the jacket on in our stores.
What do 90/10 and 70/30 mean on a down jacket?
The pair of numbers gives the composition of the filling. A ratio of 90/10 is 90% down and 10% feathers, and a ratio of 70/30 is 70% down and 30% feathers. The more down, the fluffier and lighter the filling generally is. The ratio does not say how much filling the jacket contains or how good the down is, however, so two jackets with a 90/10 ratio will not necessarily be equally warm.
NORDBLANC down jackets have a ratio of 70/30 or 90/10, down coats 70/30. You will find the ratio in the product description. Down jackets are in the collections women’s down jackets and men’s down jackets. A longer cut is offered by the men’s down coats, and there is a down coat among the women’s winter coats too.
What is fill power (cuin), and is it worth looking at?
Fill power shows how much down lofts: how many cubic inches (cuin) one ounce of down fills after standardised compression and release. A higher number means fluffier down, and so more trapped air per gram.
- Figures from different methods are not comparable. European and US measurements calculate differently and give a different figure for the same down.
- The number alone is not enough. Warmth comes from the interplay of the down’s loft and the amount of insulation. A jacket with very fluffy down but little fill may be less warm than one with less fluffy down and a larger quantity.
We do not state fill power for NORDBLANC down jackets. For comparison, use the ratio of down to feathers and the warmth rating in the product description.
What happens when down gets wet?
Wet down clumps together and loses loft, and with it the ability to hold air. The jacket then keeps you noticeably less warm and dries slowly, because the water stays inside the insulation. Synthetic fibres absorb little water, so the insulation keeps its shape and insulates even when damp.
Moisture does not only come from outside, though. When you move you sweat, and water vapour from your body can settle in the insulation. Down is affected by this more than synthetic, which is why down jackets suit moments of rest better than intense sport.
NORDBLANC down jackets state neither a membrane nor a water column, and their waterproofness is listed on the product at the ‘Light rain’ level. The outer fabric of down coats repels water, but no water column is stated. For wet snow and persistent rain, therefore, choose synthetic, or wear the down jacket under a waterproof one. What the water column and breathability figures mean is explained in the guide Water column and breathability.
What are FURTHERM and THERMOLITE® EcoMade T-DOWN?
FURTHERM is the name of a synthetic insulation made of hollow polyester fibre. It is the most common insulation in NORDBLANC winter jackets, coats and ski jackets. The air is held between the fibres and in the hollow centre of each one.
THERMOLITE® EcoMade T-DOWN is a synthetic insulation from The LYCRA Company. The manufacturer states that it is made from recycled PET bottles and keeps you warm even when damp. It is meant to replace down, but contains none. You will find it in some NORDBLANC winter jackets, winter coats and ski jackets.
Both insulations are synthetic, so what matters more than the choice between them is whether you want down or synthetic. The insulation of each model is stated in its description. You will find synthetic winter jackets in the collections women’s winter jackets and men’s winter jackets, and for skiing among the ski jackets.
How do you wash and store down and synthetic jackets?
The label in the jacket decides; the general principles are these:
- Down jacket. Wash it only when it is really dirty; otherwise airing is enough. Use a down wash, a gentle cycle and no fabric conditioner. Drying is the most important part: the down must dry completely, otherwise it stays clumped. If the label allows, dry it in a tumble dryer on a low heat with a few dryer balls, and shake it out and knead it repeatedly while it dries.
- Synthetic jacket. Wash it with liquid detergent on a gentle cycle and without fabric conditioner. It dries faster; hang it on a hanger away from heaters and direct sunlight.
- Storage. Do not leave the jacket compressed in a small bag over the summer, or the insulation will lose loft. Store it clean and dry on a wide hanger or loose in a breathable cover. Shake out a down jacket after unpacking it and hang it up so that the down can loft up again.
You will find the procedure for each material on the Product care page.
When should you choose down and when synthetic?
- Dry frost, city, long spells standing still. Down is light and keeps you warm well. Down coats are designed for longer spells standing outdoors. The guide Winter coat, parka or jacket? discusses whether to choose a coat or a shorter jacket.
- Alternating frost and sleet, wet snow. Choose synthetic: damp bothers it less and it dries quickly.
- Activity and sport. Synthetic suits hikes, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing. NORDBLANC ski jackets have synthetic insulation and a water column of 10,000–30,000 mm.
- You do not want to worry about drying. Synthetic insulation forgives more mistakes in washing and in drying.
You will find general advice on choosing a winter jacket by where you wear it, size and cut in the guide How to choose a winter jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is a down jacket warm when wet?
Noticeably less so. Wet down clumps together and loses loft, and with it insulation. So hang the jacket on a hanger in an airy place away from heaters and direct sunlight, and do not wear it until it is completely dry. Shake it out and knead it from time to time while it dries so that the clusters break up. Synthetic insulation insulates even when damp.
Is THERMOLITE® EcoMade T-DOWN down or synthetic?
It is a synthetic insulation and contains no down. The manufacturer, The LYCRA Company, describes it as a replacement for down made from recycled PET bottles that keeps you warm even when damp. At NORDBLANC, some winter jackets, winter coats and ski jackets have it. You can tell a particular model by the insulation in the product description.
Is a down ratio of 90/10 or 70/30 better?
A ratio of 90/10 generally means a fluffier and lighter filling, but warmth is also determined by the amount of filling and the cut. You will find both ratios among NORDBLANC down jackets, and on NORDBLANC’s indicative scale they are rated down to −10 °C. When choosing, therefore, compare finished jackets, not just numbers.
What should I do if the down has clumped after washing?
Most often it stayed damp inside. Dry the jacket thoroughly again and break up the clumps: in a tumble dryer on a low heat with dryer balls, if the label allows, or by repeatedly shaking and kneading it on a hanger. It is done when the jacket is dry inside and the down is fluffy again.
Can a down jacket be worn under a waterproof jacket?
Yes, a light down jacket works well as a warm middle layer. The outer jacket must not be tight, however, because compressed down is less warm when there is less air left between the clusters. You can choose, for example, from the waterproof jackets with a membrane in the collection outdoor jackets.