There are plenty of things to feel guilty about. Ordering takeaway four nights in a row. Forgetting your Dad’s birthday.
Your doona shouldn’t be one of them.
But as conversations around ethical production and animal welfare get louder (this is a good thing), bedding has quietly entered the chat. And with good reason. What we sleep under every night isn’t just a comfort decision anymore. It’s a values decision too.
Enter ethical down. A term you’ve probably seen on product tags or in our Facebook ads. But what does it actually mean? Is it marketing propaganda or something worth caring about? And why do some doonas cost twice as much as others, even though they all claim to be the same?
Let’s pull back the covers.
What Are Down Feathers and Where Do They Come From?
First things first. Down is not a fancy word for feather.
Down comes from geese and ducks, and specifically from the fine clusters found beneath their tougher outer feathers. These clusters are what make down so ridiculously warm and lightweight. They don’t have quills, so there’s nothing sharp or spiky, just an airy structure that creates pockets of insulation.
This is why down is the material of choice for high-end bedding, puffer jackets, and sleeping bags. It performs better than almost any synthetic alternative, especially when it comes to warmth without the weight.
But here’s the part no one likes to talk about: where it comes from, and how it gets from bird to product. Or in our case, bird to bed.
How Is Down Harvested?
The short answer? It depends on who’s doing the harvesting. The long answer is a little murkier.
Even though the down we collect would otherwise be waste from the poultry industry, we feel it is our responsibility to also account for the welfare of the birds.
Older birds will molt and shed, just like a dog or a snake. Traditionally, this material would be collected as these birds naturally molt on smaller farms and sold as a very high quality high fill power down. But, some industries actually exploit this natural system and implement truly shocking and hard to stomach practises to unethically collect down.
Live-plucking is one of them. As the name suggests, it involves pulling the down from ducks or geese while they’re still alive. It’s painful. It’s seriously disgusting and upsetting. And yes, it still happens in some parts of the world.
Another issue is force-feeding. You’ve probably heard of it in the context of Foie Gras. Foie Gras means 'fatty liver'. It's a food product produced from the livers of force-fed ducks or geese. While this is a totally different market, in some cases down comes the from birds of the Foie Gras industry.
This is why many consumers are starting to ask harder questions. How are down feathers harvested? Where does this filling come from? And is it possible to enjoy the comfort of down without contributing to animal cruelty?
The good news is yes. But it requires a bit of label reading. (Don't worry, we've done the hard work for you)
So What Is the Responsible Down Standard?
Think of the Responsible Down Standard, or RDS, if you’re into acronyms, as the adult supervision of the down industry. It exists to ensure that the ducks and geese behind your doona were treated with care. Not just at the point of collection, but throughout their lives.
The RDS bans live-plucking and force-feeding. It requires that animals be raised in healthy conditions and treated humanely at every stage. It also demands full traceability. That means you can follow the down from the farm to the factory, all the way to the finished product. Nothing shady. Nothing hidden.
The standard is run by Textile Exchange, a global non-profit that works across the fashion and textile industries to improve sustainability. They work with independent certification bodies to inspect and audit the supply chain. So if you see the RDS label on a doona or a pillow, it’s not just a marketing claim. It’s been checked. Properly.
How is it tracked?
If the idea of animal welfare isn’t enough to convince you, let’s talk about quality.
Brands that go to the trouble of sourcing RDS certified down tend to be the same ones that care about performance. They work with higher-quality fill. They avoid mixing in feathers or low-grade materials. And because RDS down is fully traceable, it often comes from suppliers with better practices and cleaner production systems.
There’s also peace of mind. You’re not left wondering where or how your bedding came from. You know the answer. And that makes a difference.
At Bonny, we source all our down from RDS certified farms. It comes from ducks in China, where more than 80 percent of the world’s duck population is raised. These ducks are part of the food system, the down is a by-product, and they’re raised on farms that have passed strict third-party audits. We chose these suppliers not just because they meet the standard, but because they align with our values. And yours too, we’d hope.
Why should I care about RDS?
If the idea of animal welfare isn’t enough to convince you, let’s talk about quality.
Brands that go to the trouble of sourcing RDS certified down tend to be the same ones that care about performance. They work with higher-quality fill. They avoid mixing in feathers or low-grade materials. And because RDS down is fully traceable, it often comes from suppliers with better practices and cleaner production systems.
There’s also peace of mind. You’re not left wondering where or how your bedding came from. You know the answer. And that makes a difference.
Here’s where things get tricky. A lot of products say they’re ethical. Fewer actually are. So what should you look for? The RDS logo is the easiest clue. If it’s not on the label or mentioned clearly on the website, ask questions. Ethical brands should have no problem telling you where their down comes from. If the answer feels vague or strangely hard to find, it’s probably not a good sign.
And no, “natural down” doesn’t mean ethical. Neither does “sustainably sourced.” These are not regulated terms. They sound nice, but they don’t guarantee anything. The rule of thumb? If a brand is genuinely doing the right thing, they’ll be proud to show you how.
We get it. Not everyone wants to read a deep dive into the supply chain before buying a doona. But if you’re here, you probably care (at least a little) about where your products come from.
Ethical down is a small decision with a big impact. And honestly, it’s just a nicer way to sleep.
At Bonny, we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between comfort and conscience. You can have both. That’s why we use RDS certified down in every doona we make. It’s warm, it’s light, and it’s sourced in a way we’re proud to talk about.
Because a good night’s sleep shouldn’t keep you up at night.
At Bonny, we source all our down from RDS certified farms. It comes from ducks in China, where more than 80 percent of the world’s duck population is raised. These ducks are part of the food system, the down is a by-product, and they’re raised on farms that have passed strict third-party audits. We chose these suppliers not just because they meet the standard, but because they align with our values. And yours too, we’d hope.
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