Down with down

Guest Blogger and Girlie Girl Army Boy Sgt, Ari Solomon (creator of our absolute favorite candle line A Scent of Scandal ) sheds some light on the often under looked down feather industry.   Prepare to be schooled.

The other day, I was listening to my favorite podcast, Vegetarian Food For Thought hosted by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. The topic of this particular episode was about down and feathers – as in your down coat, your down comforter, pillows, feather boa, even your seemingly innocuous feather duster. It’s an area of animal exploitation that is rarely discussed, and after this podcast, I understood why.

First let’s be clear about what animals we’re talking about when we discuss down and feathers. Both come from ducks and geese. Feathers or “vaned feathers” cover the exterior of the bird and “down” refers to the feathers that grow underneath the exterior feathers. Over 70% of down/feathers used in the US come from China. The second largest exporter is Hungary. Now I know most of us have this idea that feathers naturally fall off the birds and that farmers benignly collect said feathers and that’s what becomes your fabulous comforter. Well, strap yourself in girls, because nothing could be further from the truth.

Think about it, if you’re taking feathers off a bird, there are two ways two do it: you can rip them off while they’re still alive, or you can rip them off after they’re killed. The feather industry considers feathers from live birds better quality, hence they’re more valuable. The result is that geese and ducks get “live-plucked” 3 to 4 times a year. This happens from the time they are 10 weeks until they’re 4 years old at which time they’re sent to slaughter for their flesh. Ducks and geese in the wild have a lifespan of 12-15 years. The “ripping” (as the industry calls it) of feathers causes the animals immense pain and stress. A website called AgroWeb Hungary points out that “plucking should be done in relaxing conditions, because the stress and fear in the animals could make the plucking of the feathers more difficult.” Relaxing conditions? Are these people deranged? To make matters worse, a portion of the geese used for their down/feathers in Hungary are also used to make foie gras. Yeah, you heard me, foie fucking gras. And we all know how “relaxing” that is for the birds.

In 2009, a Swedish investigative television series went undercover in a geese farm in Hungary. Their footage revealed screaming birds bound so they could not bite or scratch, birds who’d suffered big sores from the brutal handling who were sown back together with needle and thread on the spot without any anesthetic, birds laying on the ground after plucking who were completely numb from terror and pain. Upon watching the undercover video Swedish vet, Dr. Johan Beck Friis had this to say, “geese feel pain just like all other animals/people, and this is nothing less than qualified torture.” And let’s be clear here: It takes the feathers of 75 geese to make one down comforter.

In addition to ducks and geese, ostriches are also bred for their feathers and need to be mentioned. Remember that feather duster I mentioned earlier? Ostrich, bitches. Ostriches are also “live-plucked” and slaughtered for their flesh. In the wild, ostriches have a 75-year lifespan, but on farms they’re killed at 12-14 months old. If you’ve ever seen or worn ostrich leather, you’ve noticed the round markings in the skin. That comes from the scarring that occurs from feathers having been ripped out while the animal was still alive. Isn’t that glamorous?

This Organic Kapok Comforter offer an excellent alternative in terms of loft and warmth to down! Available @ gaiam.com, approx $200.

So the next time you go to buy a new comforter or a warm jacket or a sleeping bag or some throw pillows, think first. There are so many amazing alternatives to down. In fact, so many people are allergic that manufacturers now have a huge selection of down-like products that are labeled hypoallergenic. They are easy to find! Other synthetics will keep you just as warm as a feather filled bag of cruelty. Check out this  Cruelty-free Directory for some great alternatives.   (EDITORS NOTE: I am fond of those made from sustainably harvested seeds from kapok trees, which produce silky, hypoallergenic fibers similar in loft and insulation to down. So you aren’t only buying something that’s better for the animals, and your skin, but you are using your buying power to support a way more eco friendly and organic product!) This is a very easy animal product to avoid. Down with down!

Ari Solomon is the President and co-creator of the celebrated vegan candle line A Scent of Scandal . After graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Ari first worked as an actor in New York and Los Angeles, and later hosted the wildly popular ARI’S HOLLYWOOD UPDATE on Miami’s Y-100FM. Now a prolific activist and writer for animal and human rights, Ari’s letters have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and The Advocate.

Hunky Guest Blogger, Ari Solomon

Tags: A Scent of Scandle, allergies to down comforters, Alternatives to Down, Ari Solomon, Comforter, Cruelty-free, Down, Down Allergy, Down Alternative, Down comforter, Luxurious comforter