Down is becoming an expensive commodity

[Tom Murphy]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303877604577379700948610514.html

[Pedaling Fool]

I find the below excerpt interesting, wonder if this could lead anyone to start raising these animals for down or maybe global warming will save them from it:D


"Behind those increases are changes in demographics and diet. China is one of the largest producers of down, a byproduct of raising geese and ducks for food. As the country's wealth improves, more people are moving from farms to cities, reducing farming, said Daniel Uretsky of Allied Feather & Down, a down distributor based in Vernon, Calif. Dietary changes around the world that favor meat and fish also are undercutting demand for geese and ducks, he said.

Meanwhile, clothing makers want more of it. Down jackets, once reserved for cold-weather sports like skiing and climbing, have become a winter fashion item around the globe."

[hikerinnc]

Wow! Thanks for posting. Guess this is why I've seen a pretty decent price increase on a lot of down bags lately.

[Wise Old Owl]

Yea Lands End charges outrages costs for duck down and still has a huge amount of regular feathers in it... really low quality... go figure.

[rocketsocks]

I bought a down coat this past winter at good price reduction 70% off,glad to have it though knowing what I was getting was not top quality,I can feel the quill ends in the coat.... but only when I pinch at them,so now I don't pinch at them no more.Still kept me warn.

[Connie]

I got a great Brooks-Range down half bag on discount at Climb.

If the down prices are going up, I had better get the 900-fill sleeping quilt I have wanted to purchase.