Are Down Comforters Hypoallergenic?
Hypoallergenic is another way of saying super clean, and in the case of down comforters super clean actually has a very specific, technical definition. A hypoallergenic down comforter has an oxygen number of 10 or less and a turbidity rate of 300 mm or more. But what does that mean in plain language? Oxygen number and turbidity are the two tests that determine the cleanliness of down. Down processing plants frequently submit their products to labs that perform these tests to assure that their down is up to standards. In order for sellers to claim or label their down products as “hypoallergenic,” they must pass the strictest standards of cleanliness. Oxygen number determines the amount of foreign organic matter found on the surface of the down and feathers. To qualify as “clean” the oxygen number must be less than 10, but it must be less than 4.8 to qualify as super clean, or hypoallergenic. Turbidity determines the amount of dust in feathers and down products. Clean products have turbi
