Chemical analysis of feather and down textile materials

LIEBER, M. J. LIEBER and C. L. LIEBER International Down and Feather Laboratory, USA 

Feathers and down are two of nature s most marvelous products. Together they form the bird s plumage, but they are very different in structure. A feather has a two-dimensional structure, a quill from which barbules extend in two opposite directions like vanes and a compact and flat tip (EN 1885,1998,p4). Down has no quill but a small core, from which small clusters of barbs (with barbules and nodes) extend in three dimensions (EN 1885,1998, p 4). It would be erroneous to assume that down is a small feather or would eventually develop into a feather. 

Feathers form the outer, protective coat of the animal s body. They have structural functions, best seen in the strong wing and tail feathers. They are highly resilient. Down, only found in waterfowl, provides the necessary warmth insulation for the bird. The barbs are fluffy-elastic and at least as resilient as feathers. Thanks to its structure, down can trap a large volume of air, resulting in an almost unsurpassed heat insulation capability with respect to weight. 

Few people buy commodities knowing everything about them, nevertheless most consumers would like to feel comfortable understanding what is on the product labels. This is important because the standardized information provided on the labels enables producers and merchants of down- and feather-filled products to inform customers of their products quality, and thus sell more goods. 

In order to write, read, compare and understand the quality or performance data of down and feathers in a universal language, the International Down and Feather Bureau (IDFB), together with international and national standardization organizations, has developed methods and published standards for both testing and 

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Chemical analysis of feather and down textile materials... 

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