Silk or Down -- Comforters for Today
A comforter is a type of bedding— a soft flat bag used on a bed as a type of bed cover. It is filled with either an artificial material (such as polyester batting) or a natural material such as down.
A comforter usually doesn't cover the pillows or box spring of the bed. Its purpose is primarily decorative, since comforters don't provide much warmth, unlike blankets whose purpose is to provide warmth. A similar type covering made from feathers (often including down) is generally referred to as a duvet.
Silk comforters are luxurious Chinese bed coverings. Regular Chinese comforters are usually filled with shorter cotton fibers. Only the rich families can afford a comforter with silk filling. The long silk fibers are combed, aligned and stitched together loosely into thin layers. The silk fiber layers are then stacked together and sealed inside silk or cotton fabrics to form comforters of varying thicknesses. The result is extremely light-weight despite the silk comforter's thickness. A silk comforter is warm but the fibers let moisture pass through easily. Thin silk comforters are used even in the summer. The silk comforter is protected by a washable envelope. The comforter itself is seldom washed, but dried under the sun a few times each season.
Even in modern times, when artificial fibers of various characteristics are readily available, silk comforters are still practical and considered a kind of status symbol in Chinese communities.
In the U.S., silk comforters are mainly imported from China or Taiwan and are priced roughly the same as down comforters. However, many Chinese people dislike the odor of goose down, and hence a silk comforter is preferable.
Sample Articles
Down comforters are one of the more popular ways of staying warm when the chill of winter fills the air. Made from duck or goose down, they are available in a wide range of prices, depending on the type of down and the surrounding material, among other things. There are a few things you should
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My mother used to tell me, “There are two things in life for which you should spare no expense, your bed and your shoes.” Her reasoning was that if you are not in your bed, then you must be in your shoes, and your health and quality of life is greatly affected by either one.
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In times gone by, silk was used for comforters in China- but
could only be afforded if you were of the wealthy, noble class.
But those days are gone, and now almost anyone can own a
gorgeous silk comforter!
What were silk comforters so coveted by the Chinese?
Most comforters were filled with cotton fiber, but the longer
fiber
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