Insulation as light as a feather – one of the wonders of nature

For the fill in your VAUDE products, we only use down from high welfare sources that is certified by the RDS Down Standard. This is extremely important to us. It’s as simple as that.

Down forms a natural layer of insulation for waterfowl such as geese or ducks. The colder the climate, the "fluffier" and warmer the down the birds have. Technically this is called loft and is measured in "cubic inches" (cuin).

Because birds need to be able to fly despite their thick layer of thermal insulation, down is also extremely lightweight. No other material achieves such comparably high thermal insulation at such a low weight.

Down is a natural product and a renewable resource that is biodegradable. At the same time, it is also a waste product of the food industry. In addition to its outstanding technical qualities, this makes its use very efficient from an ecological perspective.

Down can even be easily recycled. Read more here.

However, like any "industry" the procurement of down also has downsides. The welfare and feeding of geese and ducks hasn't always met the standards we would expect for the appropriate treatment of animals.

VAUDE has committed itself to a clear standard: We only use down from slaughtered animals that were neither live-plucked nor bred for foie gras.

VAUDE is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified. Since the launch of the Summer 2016 Collection, VAUDE has exclusively used down that has been certified in accordance with the RDS.

All products with RDS-certified down are designated with the RDS label.

The RDS is supported by the independent non-profit organization, Textile Exchange. A Textile Exchange-accredited testing institute audits the entire supply chain of our down, from the rearing to the slaughterhouse and to our down processes.