What is important to consider when we want to purchase a furnishing product made of real feathers and down? What are the key aspects? Here is a checklist to help you approach the purchase.

“Trust producers and retailers who offer information on provenance and are committed to a path of sustainability. Always look for the presence of the Assopiuma label, synonymous with transparency, reliability and quality.”

1. Durability and convenience:
Feather and down guarantee longer-lasting comfort over time compared to synthetic products. The expense for a down product may initially be higher than synthetic alternatives, but the performance over time allows the cost to be amortized, transforming it into a real investment for the future. Allocating a slightly higher budget has its reasons.

2. Comfort and thermal insulation:
Down is unique in its ability to provide comfort, warmth and lightness. The feather has natural insulation thanks to its morphological structure, which retains air. Furthermore, unlike synthetic materials, it is highly breathable, allowing the body to release moisture: this is why you don’t feel the sensation of sweat under a duvet. The down also offers support and lightness at the same time.

3. Maintenance:
Feather and down articles require simple periodic care which guarantees their long life over time. You need to move the feathers regularly to keep them in good condition and redistribute the fill. To learn more about this topic, read our blog article on care and maintenance.

4. No allergies:
Scientific studies (conducted by the University of Florence / University of Kiel, to name a few) have shown that properly washed and treated down does not cause allergies, but the real culprits are the mites that nest in household dust. With the coatings of Assopiuma branded products we guarantee high hypo allergenicity. With correct maintenance of the products, this anti-allergenic characteristic will be preserved.

5. Origin and sustainability:
Trust producers and retailers who offer information on provenance and are committed to a path of sustainability. Always look for the presence of the Assopiuma label, synonymous with transparency, reliability and quality. Consider that feathers and down are 100% biodegradable, so they can be used effectively at the end of their life in agriculture as nitrogen fertilizer. To find out more about our labels go to the blog article.

A conscious choice and responsible consumption also pass through these criteria, we hope to have given you some positive ideas for making the right choice for your lifestyle, your needs and your preferences.

Let’s explore the types of labelling provided by Assopiuma to guarantee compliance with the highest quality standards of down and feathers in certified products.

 “Feathers are 100% BIODEGRADABLE, as certified by both labels, Oro (Gold) and Avorio (Ivory), which bear witness to the high quality of the Assopiuma product and guarantee the full biodegradability of the raw material.

The feathers are transformed into nitrogen fertilizer for agriculture and are thus reinserted into the natural cycle they come from.”

ORO Label

All products bearing the ORO label are made with certified MADE IN ITALY and BIODEGRADABLE down and feathers that guarantee highly performing cushions. The label was conceived for padded furniture and confirms the following features:

• “VIRGIN WHITE GOOSE FEATHER”: the padding must contain a minimum of 85% goose feather and no more than 15% duck feather.
• DOWN: the padding must contain at least 5% “total down”. 
• FEATHER: the padding must contain no more than 5% feathers that are broken before the cushion is filled.
• According to the UNI EN 12934 standard, this type of padding falls within the category GOOSE, CLASS 1.

It is also used in the bedding and clothing industry and has the following features:

• DOWN: the padding must contain at least 90% down  
• SMALL FEATHERS: the padding must contain no more than 10% small feathers

AVORIO label

The AVORIO label, which was the first to be created, is used both in furniture and bedding, but less and less in padded furniture. It is, however, still widely used for bedding, and is very contemporary because it can distinguishes finished products made with partially or entirely recycled materials. As all other labels, it complies with very strict padding standards:

• the padding can contain no more than 20% broken feathers 
• the padding may not be mixed with synthetic materials
• the padding may be a mix of new and regenerated materials
• the padding may be made entirely of regenerated down/feathers

FUORIUSCITA ZERO (ZERO LEAKAGE) label

The Assopiuma “FUORIUSCITA ZERO” fabric is highly distinctive thanks to the logo printed directly on the fabric or, alternatively, the label attached to it. This fabric offers 100% coverage and thus guarantees complete protection against feather leakage and keeps out dust and mites. 

Its high quality is certified and registered and offers Assopiuma’s clients the peace of mind of its authenticity.

PRODUCER’S LABEL

The entire product supply chain is controlled and fully traceable thanks to a system of numbered labels.  This ensures that each production batch is recognisable and guaranteed in origin and quality. 

The label certifies that the feather was subjected to a sanitization process according to the regulations in force.

Care and maintenance of goose and duck down padded items: Assopiuma’s useful advice for ideal maintenance.

Feather/down padded design items are a luxury that offer unparalleled comfort and elegance. High-quality paddings guarantee a unique feeling of softness and warmth, transforming each feather padded item into a moment of pure relaxation. 

It is important to allow your goose and duck down padded products to ‘breathe’. You should open windows regularly to allow for natural ventilation. The best time of the day is early in the morning, since the air is fresher and the sun is not excessively strong. This will help eliminate all odours and maintain the padding light and full of volume.

However, to maintain these marvellous objects in their original state, it is essential to provide adequate care and maintenance. In this article, Assopiuma will share precious advice to take care of all your interior design items in goose and duck feather: from the duvet on your bed to the feather cushions on your sofa, in order to enjoy them for a long time.

1. Shake regularly: To maintain the beautiful volume of your cushions or duvets, it is important to regularly “move” the feathers. Delicately squeeze the padding to make it go back to its original shape. This simple gesture will help keep the goose feather distributed in a uniform manner and will prevent the emergence of flat or deformed areas. Avoid shaking the padded objects too violently (do not use a beater), because the feathers may break and lose their natural volume. Carefully brush the seams.
2. Protect from liquids: Avoid exposing your feather padded furniture to liquids and substances that could stain it. In case of accidents, immediately dab the area with a clean and absorbing cloth, without rubbing, so the stain does not penetrate even further.
3. Professional cleaning: To maintain your goose down padded furniture clean and fresh you can use professional cleaning services. Make sure you contact a specialist in the field who uses techniques and products that are suitable for this kind of padding. This will ensure in-depth yet delicate cleaning without damaging the feathers. In any case, always avoid bleaching.
4. Home cleaning: duvets can be cleaned in the washing machine with a delicate cycle at 40°C (pay attention to the label of the item and any specific instructions for use for the surface fabric in the case of quilts). Use liquid detergents (not powdered laundry soap) and do at least 2 rinsing cycles after the wash. Hang to dry outdoors, but not in direct sunlight, or indoors but not on heat sources.
5. Fresh air and ventilation:  It is important to allow your goose and duck down padded products to ‘breathe’. You should open windows regularly to allow for natural ventilation. The best time of the day is early in the morning, since the air is fresher and the sun is not excessively strong. This will help eliminate all odours and maintain the padding light and full of volume.
6. Change of season: to store your products away during the summer, let the feathers breathe adequately (as explained in point 5), then cover them with a cotton cloth or put them in the dedicated bags they come in upon purchase. This will protect your padded items from dust. Always avoid plastic bags or wrappings, since they will prevent the feathers from breathing. 

With these few and simple rules, your feather padded design items will live a long and prosperous life. 

Cover photo thanks to: Molina

This year, Assopiuma will once again be an essential part of the Milano Design Week with an installation based on a design by Ilaria Marelli at the historical Palazzo Visconti, in via Cino del Duca, 8 in Milan. 

Within the marvellous XVII century aristocratic building, the spectacular installation entitled WHITE LIGHTNESS will offer visitors an immersive experience in the name of“lightness”. In the middle of a vortex of dancing down and feathers, the stars will be two soft whitequilted islands, surrounded by the lively green colour of lush vegetation, a symbol of the natural origin and total sustainability and biodegradability of feathers. 

“the spectacular installation  – designed by Ilaria Marelli – entitled WHITE LIGHTNESS will offer visitors an immersive experience in the name of lightness”

The ultimate goal of Assopiuma’s project – an association founded in 1981 to promote and certify luxury paddings and bedding for interior design – is to intuitively express the values of sartorialism, comfort, biodegradability and sustainability of high-quality, 100% Made in Italy feather and down products, certified for the end consumer’s safety.

Assopiuma | White Lightness
Design Variations 2023
Palazzo Visconti, Via Cino del Duca 8, Milan
18/23 April 2023, 10.00 – 20.00
17 April Press preview, 12.00 – 19.00

Assopiuma’s year comes to an end with important results and plenty of attention from the press. The brand’s values and identity triggered the interest of many magazines and publications, both printed and online. Several articles about the association’s projects came to life throughout the year, including its new coordinated image, conceived by Ilaria Marelli, and the association’s participation in the 2022 Milano Design Week, within the exhibition Design Variations, with a set-up conceived to show and let visitors ‘get a first-hand experience’ of the quality of the products and processes.

The “decompression chamber” set up has been an at once concrete and dream-like vision that found its way into many post-event articles and reports by Italian and international journalists dedicated to the Milanese fair. 

The constant attention on behalf of the press, both general and trade, confirms the close bond between Assopiuma and the world of design, which is the true recipient of the manufacturing and qualitative skills of the companies that are part of the association. Feather and down paddings certified according to the highest quality standards are in fact a strategic asset of Made in Italy production: an indispensable element that distinguishes all brands operating in the high-end segment of this industry.

Together with a constant commitment to research and innovation, the businesses in the association have succeeded in remaining true to their artisanal calling, a solid base later to be enriched by new cutting-edge skills and workmanship and honed largely with the help of increasingly advanced technology to meet the demands of clients’ projects.

Over time, all companies associated to Assopiuma have become equipped with technologies aimed at streamlining manufacturing processes with a constant commitment to research and innovation.

Processes have been developed to optimize the feather calibration and dosage to precision cutting and sewing with extremely tight stitches to avoid the leakage of any feathers or down and shield off any dust or mites. Furthermore, materials and processes have been perfected to reach the right degree of breathability thanks to the use of a fabric with a specifically designed warp and weft structure to guarantee this particular function. The ideal mix of the different components ensures the creation of uniform products, with clearly defined thicknesses and carefully studied finishes, destined for an increasingly demanding market that seeks specialisation and expertise in developing every detail of each project.

Thanks to digitalization, errors and waste can now be significantly reduced, making each stage in the production process more efficient and protecting the planet at the same time.

A quickly evolving industry that expresses itself creatively through made-to-measure production to meet the often highly customized demands of prestigious brands, designers of upholstered furniture, and contracts. 

Assopiuma is taking part in Fuorisalone 2022 with an installation at Circolo Filologico Milanese June 6 to 12. The project is signed by architect Ilaria Marelli. The installation proposes a metaphorical decompression chamber to treat oneself to a moment of suspension from the daily frenzy. “My intent was to create an oasis of comfort in which the lightness and softness of the materials express the values of Assopiuma certified products,” explains Ilaria Marelli, who has been in charge of the Association’s strategic image since 2021. “A welcoming room to dive into a sensory experience and get in touch with the excellence of these productions”.

Assopiuma will be at Milan Fuorisalone with an installation: “Decompression chamber” designed by architect Ilaria Marelli to enhance the values ​​of tailoring, comfort and sustainability.

 

Soft padded walls create a muffled environment where you can be enveloped in a pleasant tranquillity. A few essential elements to visualize the values of tailoring, comfort, and sustainability, made with Assopiuma-certified down and feather cushions and quilts for high quality furnishings. This room, which is dominated by a restful and pure white colour, hosts a tree in the centre to symbolise the naturalness and sustainability of the material, while projected images tell visitors about a 100% made in Italy manufacturing reality of excellence.

In 2022 Assopiuma opens up to social networks, specifically Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, to spread the association’s key message to consolidate feather padding as high-quality padding, highlighting the values of sustainability, comfort and traceability.

Social media are part of a communication program designed to open up to a constant dialogue with designers, users and upholstery companies, aiming to create a community capable of offering ideas to interior designers and product designers.

Social media are part of a communication program to highlight the values ​​of comfort, sustainability, traceability so to open up to dialogue with designers, users and upholstery companies.

 

Assopiuma recognizes the importance of new communication tools and is committed to a continuous process of updating and disseminating the values ​​upheld since 1981.

Assopiuma is an association created to promote and certify feather and down products according to the highest quality standards. The association incorporates a group of companies that distinguish themselves due to their high quality custom-made manufacturing for the design and fashion industries. 

In addition to a constant commitment to research and innovation, which has made them true forerunners of their industries, these companies also preserve a strong hand-crafted vocation which represents an internationally acknowledged added value.   

A well-balanced combination of traditional know-how and state-of-the-art technology allows them to guarantee valuable, tailor-made, reliable and long-lasting products, with specific attention to sustainability. Well-structured and articulated productions use sophisticated machineries and production plants to create top-of-the-range products that stand out thanks to the choice of noble and natural materials, precision assembly, tailor-made finishes, and a careful choice of details: all this declined according to the specific needs of each customer, in collaboration with designers and architects.

A well-balanced combination of traditional know-how and state-of-the-art technology.

Patented technologies allow Assopiuma’s companies to manufacture custom-made products with the highest precision in the stages of cutting, filling, and the definition of thicknesses, shapes and profiles. Each piece is embellished by hand- and tailor-made processes such as stitching, insertion of webbings, and application of finishes. This leads to endless combinations to satisfy any kind of request.

The long-time commitment of Assopiuma to enhancing and promoting the quality of feather/down paddings is focused on the material’s environmental sustainability. In response to designers’, furniture manufacturers’, and end consumers’ growing demand for products that respect and safeguard the environment, the association has chosen to certify the biodegradability of 100% natural feathers and down by means of strict laboratory tests. Following these tests and a certification of conformity issued by the specialized testing laboratory Hohenstein, Assopiuma has collected scientific data concerning the times and ways of degradation of feathers/down, which is now certified as ‘100% biodegradable’.

The feathers and down that were tested degraded in 5 months. This information is highly relevant since it allows us to calculate the transformation times of the material in composting plants at the end of its life. Feathers and down are turned into nitrogen fertilizer for agriculture and home gardening, thus reintegrating with the biological life cycle without contaminating the soil or groundwater.

Strict laboratory tests certify the biodegradability of 100% natural feathers and down in 5 months.