What to do of old worn-out down comforter?

12 years ago

Hi,
I have had this down comforter for more than 16 years and it's now showing its age. The cotton shell is wearing out in several places thus exposing the down inside, and it's coming out from several places.

(It started out as a high quality comforter but my kid has been very harsh on it).

It's torn at so many places that it's not possible to mend it.

Is there a place/way for me to get it "refurbished" or is there a nice way to recycle or repurpose it for anything else?

All ideas welcome!

Featured Answer

liriodendron

12 years ago

Google down refurbishers. I believe there are still some in NYC.

It may not be worthwhile to refurbish it, however, if the original down wasn't very high quality.

Refurbishing is pretty pricey, but was quite common when expensive goose down was the commonest filler. That was before down comforters were for sale at Target!

There may be some places which will make a sewed-on recovering (as opposed to a duvet), but these tend to the comforter uncomfortably heavy.

Can you mend it by hand? Many of my down comforters have been in service for nearly 75- 90 years, and they have scads of mends. I do have three real goose down comforters and there were recovered in the 70s by my MIL. They are my "best" ones, saved for guests beds.

I believe my comforters have always been washed, not dry-cleand (certainly all the ones I have owned, and my inherited ones once the came in to my care.)

I doubt a down comforter would be welcome at an animal shelter since shelter bedding must be able to stand up to frequent and vigorous washing. Washing a down comforter is a labor-intensive and time-comsuming job.

Some possible uses of a comforter no longer useful because of excess wear:

Keep a clean one, not compressed, in a plastic bin in your car during the winter. If stranded it would keep you warm.

You could roll it up into a semi-firm bolster, encase it in a tight cover and use it on a day bed to lean against.

If all else fails: rip it apart and compost the down. It will provide nitrogen for your garden after it decomposes. I have done that with some old feather pillows that had become terminally musty.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

chelz0r
12 years ago
If you don't need it for personal use, you can always donate it to your local animal shelter. I know mine is always thankful for old blanket/comforters/towel donations for the animals!
Annie Deighnaugh
12 years ago
You may be able to mend the cover so it doesn't leak feathers by using iron-on stabilizer or a stitch witchery with another fabric to kind of glue the shredded spots back together, but then you'd need to use a duvet cover to keep the comforter protected and attractive.
Related Professionals
Fayetteville Interior Designers & Decorators · Quincy Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Chambersburg Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Corpus Christi Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Coldwater Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Lebanon Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Utica Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Madison Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Atlanta Furniture & Accessories · Macon Furniture & Accessories · New Orleans Furniture & Accessories · Worthington Furniture & Accessories · San Angelo Furniture & Accessories · Kalispell Furniture & Accessories · Leamington Furniture & Accessories
User
12 years ago
You can remove the down and use it to fill pillows or add it to pillows that need topping up. Use PAPER grocery bags. Slice open each compartment and scoop out the down onto the bag. Do it outdoors on a CALM day.

You can pack it firmly for storing - fold the top of the bags over twice and staple them.

Animal shelters do NOT like down-filled or poly-filled blankets because of an animal rips it open, it's all over the place.
Jamie
12 years ago
I know a dry cleaner will replace the ticking or cover on down pillows. It is my understanding that when I get my pillows back they have the same down inside. Not sure whether they'd do the same for a comforter?
localeater
12 years ago
Nobody could be harsher on their comforter than my DS. He is 14. I bought the down comforter for him when he was 5. To this day, he drags it around the house. Kittens and dogs jump on top of the trailing edges 'for a ride'. It is used for sliding down stair cases. I have found it on the lawn, in a tree, and I found out he brought it to sleep away camp(where they sleep in a lean-to.
He also refuses to use it with a comforter cover- 'it doesn't feel the same".
So yes, it is patched. I patch square by square as needed. I patch with whatever I have lying around as long as it has a very tight weave. Sometimes, I double the patch. I stitch the tear, glue over the stitching, then cover the ripped square with a decorative fabric patch. This boy will be sleeping under this comforter in his first apartment and I think the patches will represent a road map of his childhood.
I can't imagine any seamstress telling you it cannot be salvaged. Good down is expensive and a resource that should not be wasted. I hope you can get it fixed near you- good luck!
Fun2BHere
12 years ago
Localeater, what a sweet post. I love your son's attachment to his comforter and your determination to keep it patched up. It reminds me of one daughter's attachment to a furry Snoopy pillow. Just like your son, the daughter couldn't go anywhere without it. I fought to find times to wash it when it wouldn't upset her. Then, one day, I actually found a duplicate pillow. I was overjoyed because I thought I would be able to switch them out and be able to wash them more often. Sadly, the new pillow just didn't feel the same and languished unused while the old pillow remained velcroed to her hand. I smile when I remember. Thank you for reminding me.
localeater
12 years ago
Fun2BeHere: Your wording 'velcroed to her hand' is so apt. It made me laugh out loud- truly.
As my son's obsession has lingered I have gotten much more deliberate about my patch selections. The latest was the logo off a Lax tournament t-shirt. I had to line it because it was just a cotton t-shirt, but I hope it will make him smile when he is 25!
Lisabeth Rosenberg
5 years ago
Definitely time to throw this out. What the shell degrades to such a degree down will continue to leak. A good comforter can give up to 20 years of use if it was filled abundantly with a high grade of down, had a superior shell and is well-maintained. However, under the best of circumstances over time the fibers of the down break down, thus loosing loft. A quality comforter is a long term investment properly cared for.

Taking a look at some review sites showing products with high review scores by Casper and Brookline . I owned a luxury linen store and these comforters are OK but using the minimum standards. When down i s not specified we can assume that they are using duck down.

Let's just say that there is a WIDE range of standards when it comes to quality in a down comforters. This type of comforter is more like a thick blanket.

The finest comforters are filled with goose down, and it is billowy and light. The shell woulds be of a Batiste Swiss cotton. It fluffs up as it fills with air and feel very light and they are very very warm.. Heavier mixes have a higher feather content always maintaining the strictest standards for cleanliness.
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Hopefully disposition of the old comforter has been sorted by now, as this thread is fast approaching turning seven years old.
teresa Cruz
4 years ago
My mother put every used blanket and old clothes into beautiful quilts when we we

kids. They were warm and loved because of the familiar fabrics. My sister and I still have ours 50 yrs later. Not sure what happened to the ones my brothers had.