How to choose a down jacket? According to the National Standards Committee: “First, look; second, feel; third, smell.”

According to reports, GB/T 14272—2021 “Down Apparel” was released on March 9, 2021, and officially came into effect on April 1, 2022. Compared with the 2011 national standard, the new standard has been refined and enhanced in several key areas, including down quality requirements, labeling of down types, testing and evaluation of down‑proof performance in finished garments, and requirements for alkylphenols (AP) and alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APnEO).

Highlight 1: “Down content” has been revised to “down content.”

Down content and down‑ball content are both key indicators for assessing down quality: down content refers to the mass percentage of down balls and down filaments in the overall feather‑down mixture, while down‑ball content denotes the mass percentage of down balls within the total feather‑down. Specifying the down‑ball content provides a more intuitive measure of down quality and aligns with international market standards.

Highlight No. 2: Distinguishing Down Types

When classifying down, it is sufficient to distinguish between duck and goose; color—whether gray or white—is no longer a differentiating factor. Overall, the quality of down depends not on its color but on factors such as the internal structural space of the down clusters and the fineness of the down fibers.

Highlight 3: Down‑proofness Evaluation

The evaluation method for down‑proofness has been revised from the fabric‑pouch friction test in the previous standard to the finished‑garment tumbling‑box test, enabling a more comprehensive assessment of the product’s down‑proof performance and better reflecting consumers’ real‑world wearing experience.

Highlight Four: Addition of Ecological Security Indicators

For down fillings, new testing requirements have been introduced for alkylphenols (AP) and alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APnEO), aligning with relevant international eco‑textile standards and meeting the industry’s drive for sustainable development as well as consumers’ demand for green, health‑conscious purchasing.

After the new national standard is implemented, when purchasing down apparel, consumers can follow a three-step approach: “first, look; second, feel; third, smell.”

“Take a look”—check the down jacket’s certificate of conformity and care label.

First, check the applicable standard indicated on the certificate of conformity. Products that comply with GB/T 14272—2021 “Down Apparel” demonstrate a significantly higher overall quality compared to those meeting the 2011 national standard, with notable improvements in down quality, down‑proofness, and environmental performance.

Second, consider the type of down. Currently, there are two main types of down used in down jackets: goose down and duck down. Geese typically have a longer rearing period than ducks and are primarily fed a vegetarian diet, so goose down usually has a milder odor than duck down. Moreover, the global goose population is roughly 15% of the duck population, resulting in a much lower yield of goose down compared to duck down. For the same fill power, goose down generally commands a price about 1.8 times that of duck down; consequently, it is predominantly used in mid‑to‑high‑end down apparel.

Third, consider the down content. On the market today, common down‑content levels for down jackets are 90%, 80%, and 50%. The higher the down content, the softer the fabric feels, the greater its loft typically is, and, under comparable conditions, the better its warmth retention.

Fourth, check the fill power or the down content indicated on the care label. The fill power of a down jacket significantly affects its warmth: jackets with 100 g or less of down are typically suitable for temperatures above 0°C; those with around 140 g are generally appropriate for temperatures above –5°C; those with approximately 180 g are usually designed for temperatures above –10°C; and those with about 200 g are typically intended for temperatures above –20°C. In addition, a down jacket’s warmth also depends on the windproofness of the outer fabric, the garment’s style, and its length. Ultimately, the specific temperature range for which a down jacket is suitable should be determined based on the finished product’s warmth‑performance test results.

“Second touch” — press, pinch, knead, and lift the down jacket with your hands.

First, press the down jacket with your hand. Lay it flat and let it return to its natural shape for three minutes, then gently press it again and quickly release. Observe whether it bounces back swiftly to its original fluffy state. The shorter the time it takes to regain its initial loft after pressing, the higher the down’s fill power and the better its insulation performance.

Second, feel the surface of the down jacket by gently squeezing it with your hands. This will help you gauge its softness: the higher the down content, the softer the fabric; conversely, the lower the down content and the higher the feather content, the rougher the texture due to the presence of quill shafts (commonly referred to as “feather stems”).

Third, rub it with your hands. Use both hands to gently knead the down fabric and the quilted seams; if any down feathers poke through, it indicates that the down jacket has poor down‑proofing.

Fourth, assess the down jacket’s weight by holding it in your hand. Weigh it while also gauging its volume. The lighter the weight and the larger the volume, the more lightweight and comfortable the jacket will feel when worn.

“Three Smells” — Use your nose to detect the odor of the down jacket.

Bring your nose close to the down jacket and take several deep breaths to check for any unusual or unpleasant odors; a garment with no odor is ideal. If you detect a noticeable smell, it’s best not to purchase it.