Pour comprendre nos choix de construction et de technologie de tissu, nous avons utilisé ce guide pour décortiquer les décisions technologiques et de construction derrière votre doudoune Montane préférée. Nous voulons que vous sachiez d'où provient notre duvet dans notre démarche continue vers plus de transparence, en examinant la certification par des tiers concernant l'origine de tout le duvet que Montane se procure. Cela inclut un audit annuel selon la norme RDS (Responsible Down Standard) (pour nous-mêmes, les usines avec lesquelles nous travaillons et notre fournisseur de duvet), garantissant que nous adhérons continuellement aux meilleures normes possibles.
Que vous aspiriez à vous lancer dans votre propre aventure arctique, ou que vous cherchiez simplement une veste d'hiver fiable cette saison, utilisez ce guide pour comprendre la technologie du duvet et comment elle fonctionne pour vous garder au chaud et protégé.
« Le duvet a souvent été imité, mais jamais égalé. Le duvet reste l'isolant le plus efficace pour les applications de vêtements haute performance. Exceptionnellement durable et résistant, il est de loin l'isolant le plus compressible et offre le meilleur rapport chaleur/poids de tous. C'est pourquoi il reste le choix numéro un pour les environnements extrêmement froids. »
- Liam Steinbeck, responsable des matériaux Montane
Isolation en duvet Montane
D'où vient le duvet ?
Premièrement, le duvet est une fibre naturelle que l'on trouve sur le ventre des oiseaux aquatiques, le plus souvent les canards et les oies (mais pas les poulets ni les dindes). Il est composé d'amas, qui isolent en emprisonnant l'air, offrant un rapport chaleur/poids optimal qui maintient les oiseaux au chaud et protégés. Souvent, les marques proposant des produits en duvet utilisent un petit mélange de plumes, appelé rapport duvet/plumes. Tout le duvet vierge Montane est 90/10, c'est-à-dire 90 % de duvet et 10 % de plumes. Par exemple, voir notre Doudoune à capuche Anti-Freeze Lite pour homme
. Le rapport duvet/plumes du duvet recyclé que nous utilisons est de 85/15, ce que l'on peut voir dans notre Doudoune Tundra.
Il est important de noter que le duvet est un sous-produit à 100 % de l'industrie de la viande. S'il n'était pas utilisé pour les produits en duvet, il serait finalement jeté comme déchet (ou broyé pour devenir un engrais). En conséquence, c'est actuellement l'isolant le plus naturel, le plus durable et le plus efficace que l'on puisse trouver sur la planète. Pour ceux qui sont fortement opposés à l'utilisation du duvet, nous produisons également des Vestes isolantes synthétiques pour hommes et femmes
chez Montane, qui offrent une bonne alternative pour vous aider à rester au chaud en mouvement.
Duck Down VS Goose
As we’ve just discovered, the down we use in our Montane winter jackets come from either ducks or geese - but what exactly is the difference? Well, yields from ducks are roughly 25% of that from geese. However, there is a lot more duck down widely available than goose down (owing to higher consumption from humans).
Generally, goose down provides a higher fill power than duck down (more on that in a second!). However, research and extensive testing carried out by the IDFL
and Downlite
indicate there is not much difference at all between the quality of down produced by these waterfowl species. What they found was that the main difference in warmth is actually determined by the baffle width and amount of down used. That’s because larger channels (baffles) provide more space for the down clusters to maintain their structure (loft), and maximise their potential - in turn helping to keep you warmer.
What is down fill power?
Fill power is important when it comes to thinking about down filling, as it’s one of the key characteristics that indicate the performance of the down (and in turn how warm it will keep you!). Fill power tests the volume in cubic inches that one ounce of down fills under pressure.
This measurement reveals how much loft and strength the down clusters have, and therefore how much air (or warmth) they can trap. A smaller down cluster will trap less air, and therefore have a lower fill power. Larger down clusters trap more air, and achieve a higher fill power. Where lower fill powered down is used, using more down can improve warmth, but will also increase weight (and cost). High fill powers achieve the greatest warmth with the lowest weight, but do cost more for this premium! As larger birds, geese produce larger down clusters, which typically provide a higher fill power than small duck down clusters.
While higher fill power down is theoretically possible, in reality it is next to impossible to achieve except under a strictly controlled dry laboratory environment. Higher fill powers struggle to fulfil their potential due to the weight of the fabric that envelopes them, by natural moisture vapor from the environment or even moisture evaporating from the person wearing the garment.
What is HyperDRY™?
Goose and duck down has an unbeatable warmth-to-weight ratio, however when it gets wet it loses its loft, and therefore its ability to trap air and keep you warm! This can be particularly troublesome for those navigating extremely cold and wet environments, where the performance of your kit is paramount.
To help counteract this, all Montane down is treated with HyperDRY™ - a water-resistant treatment that’s similar to a DWR (Durable Water Repellency), and is free from fluorocarbons. This helps the down to stay lofted for longer when exposed to changeable, wet elements. Ultimately, HyperDRY™ helps you stay warm and protected as you explore. However, when faced with wet conditions, we would recommend a waterproof jacket is worn to help further protect your down jacket!
Recycled down insulation
Recycled down is an alternative to virgin down, and has a lesser carbon footprint. Whilst it has been available for a long time, the recent surge in interest for more sustainable kit and recycled content, means there are now more schemes to collect and wash down. This in turn boosts its availability globally. Montane, therefore, introduced recycled down into our range for the first time in aw22, which can be found in our Tundra down jackets and gilets.
Recycled down comes from 2 avenues - first, as part of pre-consumer garments that haven’t made it to the market owing to technical faults or other issues. The majority of recycled down however comes from post-consumer use, collected from products such as sleeping bags and pillows, before the fill is extracted and processed (i.e. sterilised), so it can be used again.
For those who love a popping colour palette - recycled down is also, unfortunately, less suitable for bright-coloured jackets. This is due to a mix of white and grey down, which is visible through the fabric in light or bright colours. All down has some show through on very light colours, though this is less visible when virgin down is used because this can be bought in white or grey.
RDS Certified
The RDS (Responsible Down Standard) enables consumers to be confident in the conditions of where their down has been sourced from, regarding the welfare of the birds.
Significantly, all virgin down we use across our range is RDS certified. We choose to take this extra step to give us the confidence and peace of mind that we are providing the most responsible options for our kit. You can learn more about the Responsible Down Standard on their dedicated website.
As the origin of recycled down is unknown, it is not possible to gain this level of knowledge about welfare. This is why recycled down cannot be certified to the RDS.
TrackMyDown
All of the down that Montane sources, whether it is RDS certified or recycled, comes from one supplier - Allied Feather and Down - who we have worked with for many years. It is also all assigned a lot number, which is printed on the hangtags of Montane down products.
By entering the lot number to www.trackmydown.com, you can learn in detail about the actual fill used in your individual product. This transparency platform is known as TrackMyDown, and was developed by Allied Feather and Down.
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