Down insulation is derived from the underfeathers of ducks and geese. Live-plucking and force-feeding practices in some supply chains cause significant suffering.
Down welfare concerns centre on live-plucking — a practice the industry claims is marginal but investigations suggest is more widespread than certification bodies acknowledge. The welfare harm of live-plucking is acute and unambiguous: birds are restrained while feathers are pulled from their skin, causing pain, bleeding wounds, and extreme distress. RDS certification reduces but may not eliminate this risk given the complexity of the supply chain and limited audit depth. The most welfare-certain options are recycled down, synthetic insulation, or down from certified sources with transparent farm-level auditing.