Start with the garment, not a single loft number
Record whether the program is a lightweight layer, insulated workwear or a winter jacket. Give the development team the size range, target garment weight, shell and lining, baffle layout and care brief. An existing approved garment is useful only when its relevant material and construction details are known.
Separate the filling specification from the finished-garment approval. IDFL’s jacket guidance treats composition, species, loft, net fill weight and containment as distinct checks. A higher fill-power request does not by itself set the insulation of the whole jacket.
Turn design choices into an approval checklist
| Decision | Record in the brief |
|---|---|
| Filling identity | Duck or goose; appearance; recycled input category required by your claim policy |
| Composition | Down or cluster definition, target percentage, other components and tolerances |
| Loft | Target, unit, method, conditioning and acceptance rule |
| Garment filling | Net fill weight by size and allocation to body, sleeves, hood and other panels |
| Fabric and seams | Shell/lining reference, stitch and baffle construction, leakage approval method |
| Quality and documents | Cleanliness tests, lot identification, certificates and shipment evidence needed |
Use the sample in a realistic development trial
Check color show-through in the actual shell. Evaluate the handle, distribution and recovery of the assembled prototype. A fabric swatch alone cannot reveal every leakage path at seams and stitch lines; IDFL’s finished-product downproofness test specifically evaluates those locations.
Record the approved filling lot and garment construction together. If the factory changes the shell, baffles or fill quantity, review the approval rather than carrying forward the original conclusion automatically. Agree sampling and any repeat testing with your quality team.
Keep the commercial brief actionable
State the development sample quantity separately from the estimated production quantity. Give the delivery country and requested arrival date. Specify whether you need certification for the filling, the finished garment or both, so the chain-of-custody discussion starts at the correct level.
You do not need every technical field settled to make an inquiry. Mark undecided items explicitly. CIRCUDOWN can review the brief and propose a material for confirmation; no untested loft or finished-product warmth is promised by that proposal.
Questions, answered.
Is a 90/10 ratio enough to order jacket filling?
No. Confirm the composition definition and tolerance, species, loft protocol, cleanliness and documentation requirements as well as the application trial.
Should I choose white or grey down?
Assess visibility through the actual fabric. Appearance is separate from measured composition, cleanliness and loft.
Can I request samples before placing a bulk order?
Yes. CIRCUDOWN offers free material samples with customer-paid shipping and no minimum order quantity. Agree the candidate specification and delivery arrangements first.
Further reading & source references
These primary references explain terminology and testing or certification scope. Confirm the current method and applicable policy for your order; these links do not verify a specific CIRCUDOWN shipment.
IDFL — jacket testing ↗IDFL — finished-product downproofness ↗