MINIMUM DOWN or DOWN CLUSTER %

The comparison chart is not a labeling standard. For full details, please see individual labeling standards.

* JIS BOLD: Minimum down % for bulk down/feather. ( PARENTHESIS: Minimum down % for finished products. )
** EN BOLD: Minimum down % includes 5% down fiber allowance. (PARENTHESIS: Minimum down % excluding down fiber.)
*** USA For down labels of 75%-95% Down the label format is: DOWN (MINIMUM XX % DOW N)

NOTES ON COMPARISON OF LABELING STANDARDS FOR FINISHED PRODUCTS

Japanese (JIS)

The Japanese Household Goods Quality Labeling Law allows a tolerance of absolute
±5% for finished product labels. To ensure an absolute ±5% tolerance in finished products, the Japan Down Products Corporative Association requires an absolute ±3% tolerance of the down portion in down and feather bales tested before they are manufactured into finished products.

The Japanese label for "DOWN" quilts has several groups, including:

NEW EXCEL, GOLD EXCEL & ROYAL EXCEL

These groups have minimum down content and minimum fill power values. The actual down content must be sub-labeled.

European (EN 12934)

The European system allows a product to be sold a as "DOWN" product if it has a minimum of 60% down. However, the actual down content must be sub-labeled according to the values in the chart.

The minimum down % in BOLD is calculated with the allowed absolute 5% tolerance of the l abeled down %. (2.5% absolute tolerance if labeled down is 20% or less.)

The new European Standard defines "DOWN" as allowing relative 5% down fiber. This relative 5% down fiber is included in the BOLD minimum, but is subtracted from the minimum down required, as listed in parenthesis.

Australia

This information is found in Australian Standard 2479 - 200X

China GB/T17685-2003

The Chinese standard allows a tolerance from labeled down: (Down > 40%, ±2%); (Down 30%, ±1.5%); (Down 10-15%, ±1%).

Swiss

This information is found in Swiss Standard VSB-Norm Nr. 1.05.

Taiwan

This information is found in Taiwan Standard CNS2119 N1034.

Canada

The minimum down % is calculated as relative 75% of labeled down %.

Old USA

The old USA/FTC minimum down % is calculated as relative 70% of labeled down %.

USA-2000 (New)

The American Down Association (ADA) and the Association of Bedding and Furniture Law Officials (ABFLO) agreed in March 1999 to require that a "DOWN PRODUCT" contain at least 75% down.

A sub-label is also required using "DOWN xx%" or "xx CLUSTER " to indicate the minimum percent of down cluster, nestling down, and plumules.

Blends allow no tolerance (a 50% down label requires 50% down/cluster content).