MONTEBELLO – ALLIED Feather + Down has secured both Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification and bluesign approval for its ExpeDRY Ultra Dry Down. Developed to outperform hydrophobic down reliant on chemistry-based coatings, ExpeDRY uses gold micro-particle technology to reduce moisture without introducing PFAS or other potentially toxic substances.
The company said the innovation is both safer and more effective in real-world use, offering faster drying and better warmth retention in wet conditions.
“As material innovation evolves, globally recognised certifications play an increasingly important role in supporting sustainability claims and building trust,” said Daniel Uretsky, president of ALLIED Feather + Down. “These approvals bring credibility to what we already know: ExpeDRY takes down – arguably the lowest-impact insulation on the market – and elevates it to the highest performing, with less impact than traditional hydrophobic chemistry.”
The technology works by slowing the formation of water droplets and accelerating evaporation inside the insulation chamber. The gold used is inert, non-toxic and applied in such minute quantities that a full jacket contains the equivalent of only two grains of salt. This has enabled ALLIED to achieve both certifications for the product.
Andrew Peterson, CTO of FUZE, said the system avoids the toxicity associated with older metal-based treatments such as silver, zinc and copper ion technologies. “By using pharmaceutical-grade gold meta material, ExpeDRY addresses all environmental and safety concerns – and we are glad to see the certifications backing this technology,” he said.
Demand for ExpeDRY has already overtaken that for ALLIED’s original hydrophobic down, with brands adopting it across outdoor and lifestyle collections. The company will present the material at upcoming trade fairs including Performance Days and ISPO Munich.
Founded in 1987, California-based ALLIED Feather + Down is a long-time leader in responsibly sourced and processed down.
