Buying down in Europe

[Latt]

I'm having a hard time finding reasonable priced down in Europe. I've searched a lot and get a lot of hits on American and Canadian sites which source European down. I've heard a lot of good about Polish and Hungarian down, but apart from extremetextiles.de, I can't find any good sources of down in Europe.

Anyone here know of any suppliers? Doesn't have to be European down - I just want to be able to purchase it in Europe, so I don't have to go through the expensive chore of importing with taxes and what not.

(And I'm even interested Rose Feather down of 850+ fp quality, but I can't even find any way to purchase that any longer, since they removed their offering from amazon.co.uk)

[Latt]

How utterly depressing that noone seem to be able to help me out

[hutzelbein]

As far as I know, ExtremTextil is the only shop that sells down for outdoor gear use in Europe. There are quite a few bedding shops that sell down, but they don't use ratings like fillpower or cuin but rather give the relation of down to feathers. You can even buy eider duck down for 5500€/kg I bought 650cuin down off a bedding shop for a pillow and was happy with it -- but it was not a ton cheaper than ExTex if you consider the lower fillpower. If you wanted to find +800FP down cheaper than ExTex sells it, you would have to buy wholesale and/or outside the EU.

By the way, I think ExTex down is very reasonably priced. Don't forget that European fillpower is different from US fillpower. I haven't found a conversion table, but my guess is that 860cuin EU is close to 900cuin US. If you keep that in mind, the prices are fairly similar to what is sold in the US.

[GadgetUK437]

I just want to be able to purchase it in Europe, so I don't have to go through the expensive chore of importing with taxes and what not.

UKHammocks sell down,
https://www.ukhammocks.co.uk/collect...and-roll-items

Or use aliexpress, never paid import taxes with them,
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-lb...620384989.html

[GadgetUK437]

How utterly depressing that noone seem to be able to help me out

Time to get your S.A.D. lamp out?!! LoL

[Latt]

Now my S.A.D. lamp if off Thank you for the replies guys. I had specifically hoped you two would reply and neither of you left me disappointed

ExTex prices are probably ok if you're just doing one or two quilts for yourself and a couple of mates. I have other stuff in mind hence why I'm not completely satisfied with their prices (I'm spoiled I suppose )

I once read an explanation of the difference between CUIN and FP and that you're right that the European way of measuing the quality is in lower numbers than the same down measured the US way. Which is a bit nuts, considering I've got some European stuff in 1000 quality (PHDesign) ... but I derail myself.

I'll take a look at the alienexpress stuff - Thanks!

[hutzelbein]

Maybe contact ExTex and ask if they give a discount when you buy a large quantity of down.

If you are looking for wholesale, I'd say visit a trade fair. Or call up the big manufacturers. You would probably have to order *a lot* of down in that case, though.

When ordering from Ali (Express or Baba) for the purpose of re-sale, make sure that you know the laws. I would think that EU-laws are more strict than Chinese laws. It also doesn't hurt to talk to your customs office beforehand. I believe the tariff for down is 0%, but of course you'll have to pay VAT, and you might have to prove that it complies with EU-regulations.

[Latt]

Maybe contact ExTex and ask if they give a discount when you buy a large quantity of down.

If you are looking for wholesale, I'd say visit a trade fair. Or call up the big manufacturers. You would probably have to order *a lot* of down in that case, though.

When ordering from Ali (Express or Baba) for the purpose of re-sale, make sure that you know the laws. I would think that EU-laws are more strict than Chinese laws. It also doesn't hurt to talk to your customs office beforehand. I believe the tariff for down is 0%, but of course you'll have to pay VAT, and you might have to prove that it complies with EU-regulations.

Absolutely! To begin with it's prototyping. When I'm venture into actual import (which I would've loved to avoid by being able to get it from EU but that doesn't seem so easy) I'll have a chat with the Swedish customs first.

I'll shoot ExTex an email to see what we might be able to figure out

[GadgetUK437]

For retail orders, AliExpress have a habit of putting a price on the import label that is below the level that attracts tax. Obviously, that is less likely with wholesale orders.


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Gadget