Featherbeds

As the name implies, featherbeds contain feathers harvested from birds. Feathers are light and fluffy, and they form the bulk of a featherbed's fill when it contains natural materials. Feathers are different from down in that they don't contain the same waterproof and insulating properties as goose down. Feathers create the plush feeling in a featherbed.

Down featherbeds contain authentic goose down with larger feathers. Down featherbeds don't usually have 100 percent down in them, as it makes them too compact and heavy. Feathers combine with down to keep the materials from flattening out when you lay on them. This way you get to have a soft, plushy featherbed rather than a firm one. Down featherbeds are very warm, so they offer a quick way to warm up your bedding during winter months without investing in electric blankets or adding heavy layers on top of your body.

Down alternative fibers combine with feathers to reduce the possible allergies associated with authentic down. These fibers combine with feathers in a 50-50 mix to make sure you have a cushy layer beneath you. Fiber fill is much like the material you find in pillows, so down alternative fibers and feathers make it feel as if your entire body is resting on a comfortable pillow.

Most featherbeds have cotton outer coverings to keep the feathers and fibers safe on the inside. Look for higher thread counts when you want a slicker feel, a glowing sheen, or tougher stitching on the outside. Cotton is flexible enough and sturdy enough to keep the inner materials safe and secure while remaining pliable.

Featherbeds have stitching in them to keep the inner fill materials in place. Baffle channels are vertical channels sewn along the entire length of a featherbed. Baffle channels give inner fill materials a chance to move around more, which allows you to move the feathers to certain areas that need more support. You get to customize your featherbed a bit more when you select one with baffle channels.

Baffle box construction has a more even design when it comes to fill material. Instead of long channels, the featherbed features a grid pattern of squares. Fill stays put within each square, and this helps give you support all over the featherbed, no matter how fill shifts around at night. You may find a deeper, more restful sleep with a balanced amount of fill.

Overfilled featherbeds look poufier and thicker compared to others. The fill indicates how high baffle boxes rise above the surface of the featherbed. These types of featherbeds may have airier materials and a plusher, cozier feel as opposed to a flatter design.

A gusset is a strip of fabric sewn into the featherbed to keep it straight or strengthen the materials inside. The gusset runs across a featherbed from side to side, rather than the entire length of the bed from your head to your feet. A gusset is usually a sturdy strip of cotton, and you may see a gusset along with baffle channels to keep fill materials in place.

Reversible designs mean you can flip the featherbed from one side to another. Rather than rotating your mattress every six months, you can rotate your featherbed. One side may have a slightly different color, such as off-white, ivory, or lemon, so you can tell the difference between the sides.