Down feathers for pillows and duvets are often obtained through live-plucking of geese and ducks, a painful process repeated multiple times during an animal life.
Live-plucking, which yields a larger quantity of usable feathers than post-slaughter collection, causes acute pain and skin laceration. Geese are live-plucked up to four times before slaughter. Despite certification schemes, supply chain verification is difficult and fraudulent labeling occurs. Consumers can eliminate this welfare risk entirely by choosing certified RDS down or synthetic alternatives.