Down jacket
Quilted winter jacket insulated with down feathers for warmth.
The down jacket, often called a puffer, is a quilted winter coat filled with duck or goose feathers. The feathers create air pockets that trap warm air.
Hikers and backpackers favor down because it compresses small for packing and offers the best warmth for its weight. Loft is measured by "fill power": one ounce of 700 fill-power down fills 700 cubic inches. Higher fill power means better compression and lighter weight for the same warmth. Goose down is usually loftier than duck down. "Box construction" baffles are warmer than "sewn through" ones. However, wet down loses its loft and warmth until dry. Some jackets have durable water repellent (DWR) coating, which resists light rain for about an hour. Others use hydrophobic down, coated to delay water absorption. These properties can be added at home. "Downproof" jackets leak fewer feathers than standard ones. Real down is warmer and more compressible than synthetic, but synthetic resists water better; both are equally durable.
The first down jacket was worn in 1922 by Australian chemist and mountaineer George Finch, made from balloon fabric and eiderdown. In 1936, Eddie Bauer created a down jacket after a near-fatal fishing trip; he sold it as the "Skyliner" and patented the design in 1939. In 1937, designer Charles James made a similar quilted white satin jacket for haute couture, calling it the "pneumatic jacket." It was hard to reproduce and restricted movement due to thick padding, which was later reduced around the neck and armholes. James thought his contribution minor.
The jacket remained popular in winter sports for a decade. In the 1940s, it was marketed to the wealthy as evening wear. In the 1970s, Norma Kamali reimagined it as the "sleeping bag jacket" for women, using two coats sewn together with synthetic down. In the 1980s, bright neon puffers were worn in Italy. In the 1990s, ravers wore them all night in winter, and U.S. hip-hop artists adopted the large jackets into the early 2000s. By 2020, designers favored knee-length jackets in subtle beige over cropped bright ones. Influencers praised its versatility. A 1990s resurgence helped it dominate, with artists like Kanye West and Drake wearing it in recent music videos. In 2024, cropped puffers remain in fashion.
- first credited wearer
- George Finch (1922)
- first patent holder
- Eddie Bauer (1939)
- haute couture designer
- Charles James (1937)
- athleisure innovator
- Norma Kamali (1970s)
- primary insulation
- duck or goose down feathers
- key property
- highest warmth-to-weight ratio among insulators
Lore & Background
George Finch, an Australian chemist and mountaineer, is credited with first wearing a version of the down jacket in 1922, originally made from balloon fabric and eiderdown. In 1936, outdoor adventurer Eddie Bauer created a down jacket following a hazardous fishing trip during which Bauer almost died of hypothermia; he invented an outer jacket encased with feathers, originally sold as the 'skyliner'. Bauer was first to create, sell and patent his design in 1939. In 1937 designer Charles James developed a jacket with a similar design for haute couture, made of white satin with a quilted design, which he labelled the 'pneumatic jacket'. James's design proved hard to replicate and thick padding made upper-body mobility difficult, later remedied by reducing padding around the neck and armholes.
Reader's Guide
The down jacket's significance lies in its combination of exceptional warmth, compressibility, and light weight, making it favored among hikers and backpackers. Its warmth-to-weight ratio is superior to synthetic alternatives, though synthetic down offers better water resistance. The garment evolved from utilitarian mountaineering gear to a fashion staple: in the 1940s it was marketed to the wealthy as an evening layer; in the 1970s Norma Kamali reimagined it as an athleisure jacket for women; and in the 1980s bright neon versions were worn in Italy. The 1990s saw a surge in popularity among ravers and later hip-hop artists in the United States. By 2020, designers favored longer, knee-length layers in subtle beige shades, though cropped puffers remained in fashion in 2024. The jacket's ability to work with every outfit occasion has helped it dominate pop culture, with artists like Kanye West and Drake wearing it in recent music videos.
Did You Know?
- Down jacket is named after down feather, which is used in the jacket.
- Fill power measures how many cubic inches one ounce of down fills; 700 fill-power down fills 700 cubic inches.
- Goose down is usually loftier than duck down.
- Real down has better warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility than synthetic, but synthetic has better water resistance.
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