Down-filled coat shedding feathers

Q: I am always cold and purchase down coats for the cold weather. Over the past several years, I’ve noticed that the down and feathers escape their sewn, quilted pockets, and I find them all over my clothes. The gloves in the pockets are also filled with feathers. I’m not referencing just a few feathers but a lot all over my clothing.

I purchased a Rud by Rudsak coat from Macy’s last year and spent over $400 on it, thinking it would be better. It sheds as much as the others that I bought. I do not recall this happening with the coats that I purchased five to 10 years ago.

Could you please recommend a manufacturer that has a down or down and feather combination coat that has an extra lining so the insulation doesn’t come out?

A: I’d march myself back to Macy’s pronto with that featherbag and ask for my money back!

That’s your first move. If denied, ask for a manager! That’s way too much money to spend on a coat that sheds.

Over the years, I’ve had the same feather leakage problem with some of my down coats. And as you point out, a higher price doesn’t guarantee good quality.

But I’m thoroughly happy with the quality and price of the two “ultra light” down “compact” jackets and a sleeveless vest I’ve bought at Uniqlo (uniqlo.com).

No trail of feathers whatsoever. I buy them big, so I can layer them depending on the temperature. And they come with a pouch that (with difficulty) you can squish the jackets into, making them perfect for travel.

Uniqlo also sells heavier “puffer down,” full-length coats at a reasonable cost, although I haven’t tested them yet. When it’s time to pull out the heavy winter artillery, I’ve been pleased with the durability (no feathers flying around) of my cinch waist Laundry by Shelli Segal thick puffer that I bought three or four winters ago. When it’s brutally cold, I wear a couple of Uniqlo jackets underneath it.