Patagonia claims 1000FP rating for "their own processed" down in their priciest "encapsil' parka.
Here's copy lifted directly from a write-up in "Outdoor" mag. I'm posting this here because no matter the claim of in-house R&D in the text, if the insulation is real then it is likely to be offered commercially in the future.
Waterproof down made a big splash this winter. Many companies started using durable water repellent (DWR) treated down. Other companies asked questions about the treated down—from whether it would last over time, to whether or not DWR treatment reduces down’s warmth rating, to what the environmental impact of the product is.
Patagonia, which has stringent company-wide environmental parameters that all products must meet, took a pass on DWR-treated down and developed a new method of waterproofing that the company says is green. Patagonia is using its new down in one garment this season—the [1000FP] Encapsil Down Belay Jacket.
<snip>
According to Patagonia, its waterproof down offers a significant advantage over other waterproof down solutions. Silicone-free Encapsil, the product that Patagonia uses to treat its down, is fluorocarbon-free (DWR typically contains fluorocarbons). Patagonia agitates its plumes with low-level radio frequency waves to shift the molecular structure of the down’s surface. Then it adds a tiny amount of siloxane to each bit of down. The silicone sticks to the down permanently. The result: hydrophobic down that is 25 percent stronger and loftier than untreated down.
Bookmarks