Better Materials.
The best protection.
We don't chase gimmicks or fads. We search out the finest fabrics in the world, looking for the best combination of weight savings, weather protection, and longevity. Here's every fabric we use, and why.
Every fabric, matched to its purpose.
We use different fabrics in different products because each has different demands. A summit jacket needs different materials than a duvet cover. Here's how the fabric library breaks down.
Sleeping Bag Fabrics
Four distinct shells across three-season, ultralight, fast-and-light, and winter expedition use. The lightest sits at 7-denier; the burliest stands up to the harshest conditions.
View Sleeping Bag Shells →Apparel Fabrics
From buttery-smooth Eos jackets to expedition-grade Pertex® Shield®. Each tier balances weight, weather protection, and durability for its intended use.
View Apparel Shells →Bedding Cottons
OCS-certified organic cotton sheets and duvet covers, plus 400-thread-count cambric cotton for our comforters and pillows. Soft, durable, downproof.
View Bedding Cottons →Sleeping Bag Fabrics
The right fabrics for the job.
Our sleeping bags use four distinct shell fabrics, each chosen for a specific role in the line. The right shell depends on whether you're counting grams, sheltering from a storm, or pushing into expedition territory.
Pertex® Quantum® with YFuse technology is woven from yarns with unique Y-shaped filaments that create a tightly interlocking structure. This structure allows for a fabric with increased downproofing and water beading properties, even after years of use and washing. Soft to the touch and easily packable, YFuse makes a great shell for three-season sleeping bags.
- 20 denier
- 36.5 g/m² fabric weight
- Bluesign® Certified
- Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certified nylon yarn
- DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS
We pair this ultralight Pertex® Quantum Pro® fabric with 950+ fill power down for one of the lightest sleeping bag combinations available. Water-resistant, breathable, and surprisingly durable for its weight class.
- 7 denier + 30 denier ripstop weave
- 25 g/m² fabric weight
- Water and wind resistant Pertex® Quantum Pro® coating
- Made from recycled nylon yarn
- DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS
The same base fabric as our UL but without any added coatings to weigh it down. We use this whisper-light Quantum® in the Tanager, built for the kind of trips where every gram is the difference between making the summit and bailing.
- 7 denier + 30 denier ripstop weave
- 23 g/m² fabric weight
- DWR finish
- The lightest sleeping bag shell we use
Pertex® Shield® combines water resistance with exceptional moisture vapor transport. The soft fabric allows the down to achieve maximum loft, while the protective coating handles condensation, frost, and snow that would soak a lighter shell.
- 15 denier + 40 denier ripstop weave
- 53 g/m² fabric weight
- Pertex® Shield® waterproof-breathable coating
- DWR finish
Found as an inset panel on our winter and expedition sleeping bags, our highly air-permeable electrospun fabric acts as a vent, letting out excess moisture while keeping heat in. This combination is what allows you to stay warm and dry on the coldest of nights.
- 7 denier + 30 denier ripstop weave
- 45 g/m² fabric weight
- 3-layer laminate construction
- DWR finish
Quick comparison at a glance
All four sleeping bag shells, side by side.
| Fabric | Denier | Weight (g/m²) | Series | Why We Use It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pertex® Quantum® 7No coatings · Whisper-light | 7 + 30 | 23 g/m² | Tanager CFL | Crazy light, and when every gram matters, there's nothing better. |
| Pertex® Quantum Pro®Recycled · Coated | 7 + 30 | 25 g/m² | UL Series | Quiet, ultralight, and a fantastic pairing with 950+ fill power down. |
| Pertex® Quantum® YFuseY-shaped weave · GRS · Bluesign® | 20 | 36.5 g/m² | YF Series | Buttery smooth, and due to its structure, exceptional downproofing and water beading properties for years to come. |
| Pertex® Shield®Waterproof-breathable | 15 + 40 | 53 g/m² | Winter & Expedition | Exceptional water-resistance, breathability, all while allowing the down to loft to its full extent. |
Apparel Fabrics
Protection without the weight.
Three apparel shell tiers across the line, from the buttery-smooth Eos to the rugged Pertex® Shield®. Each tier is matched to its garment's intended use, with shared design priorities: weight savings, weather protection, and PFAS-free DWR.
Super light and buttery smooth, this brushed nylon with a 12×20 denier weave and DWR coating makes our Eos jackets and vests feel like a dream. Lightweight enough for backpacking; refined enough for everyday wear.
- 12 × 20 denier
- 37 g/m² fabric weight
- Water and wind resistant Pertex® Quantum® finish
- DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS
- Bluesign® Certified
Robust enough to stand up to cold-weather adventures, yet light enough to keep total garment weight down. The water-resistant breathable coating sheds rain and snow while staying breathable on uphill efforts.
- 20 denier
- 41 g/m² fabric weight
- Water and wind resistant Pertex® Quantum Pro® coating
- 60% Bio-Based Nylon
- DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS
Made for rugged use in harsh environments. This durable 20-denier fabric pairs with a Pertex® Shield® membrane laminate to achieve top-end waterproof ratings, without sacrificing breathability or down loft.
- 20 denier
- 70 g/m² fabric weight
- Highly water resistant and breathable Pertex® Shield® membrane laminate
- Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certified yarn
- Enhanced Pertex® Endurance® DWR finish made without intentionally added PFAS
Quick comparison at a glance
The three main shell fabrics we use for apparel.
| Fabric | Denier | Weight (g/m²) | Series | Why We Use It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pertex® Quantum®Quantum® Finish · Bluesign® | 12 + 20 | 37 g/m² | Eos Series | Supple, quiet, and delightfully durable while being lightweight. |
| Pertex® Quantum Pro®Bio-Based Nylon · Coated | 20 | 41 g/m² | Helios Series & Down Booties | It doesn't feel like a typical nylon. It's supple, durable, while allowing down to loft fully. |
| Pertex® Shield®Waterproof-breathable · GRS | 20 | 70 g/m² | Winter & Expedition | Harsh and extreme conditions (snow, wind, extreme cold) demand something more robust. |
Innovation doesn't stop with the exterior.
Our lining fabrics are sourced from environmentally-responsible and forward-thinking partners. Each combines recycled or repurposed nylon yarns with advanced textile engineering. Lightweight comfort, lasting durability, and verified sustainability.
Lining made from recycled fishing nets.
NetPlus® works with fishing communities to collect worn and torn nets, breaking them down and reforming them into nylon pellets before processing into high-quality yarns. The result: a downproof lining that helps keep plastic pollution out of the ocean.
Used in: YF series three-season sleeping bags · ES series winter & expedition sleeping bags · Helios apparel · expedition apparel
Inspired directly by feedback from the thru-hiking community, we've added Pertex® Diamond Fuse fabric to the foot boxes of our UL and Winter Light sleeping bags. The interlocking diamond-shaped yarn resists pilling and provides improved abrasion protection against rough hiker feet.
- 15 denier
- 31 g/m² fabric weight
- Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certified yarn
- Bluesign® Certified
- Diamond-shaped yarn structure for abrasion resistance
The full technical profile of the recycled-net lining used across multiple product lines. Soft enough for next-to-skin comfort in apparel, durable enough for the rigors of expedition sleeping bags.
- 20 denier
- 39 g/m² fabric weight
- Made from NetPlus® recycled nylon yarns
- Bluesign® Certified
- Bureo® partnership keeps fishing nets out of the ocean
Our FLYTi lining incorporates a titanium film applied through magnetron sputtering to deposit nanometer sized particles directly to the back side of the fabric. This film is so thin that it has almost zero adverse effect on breathability while providing the thermal properties of titanium which reflects radiant body heat back to the user. Used exclusively in our Winter Light sleeping bags.
- 10 denier
- 29 g/m² fabric weight
- Made from recycled nylon yarns
- Titanium film applied to the back
Bedding Cotton
Exquisite materials for comforters, pillows, and sheets
We spend years searching around the world for fabrics that meet the same standards we apply to our outdoor gear: comfort, quality, and durability that lasts decades.
The shells on our Organic Bavarian Comforters and pillows are woven from 100% organic cotton that has undergone minimal processing. Sourced from a European specialist in downproof fabrics, the unbleached and undyed fabric maintains a soft finish and a breathable yet downproof weave.
- 300 thread count fine batiste weave
- 100% Organic Content Standard (OCS) certified cotton
- Unbleached and undyed cotton
Our founders searched for years to find an organic cotton that meets Feathered Friends' standards. Woven from premium extra-long staple fibers and finished with a soft sateen weave, these 100% organic sheets and duvet covers are luxuriously soft and breathable.
Made with care in a Fair Trade Certified factory in India. A second-generation family-run business started by a female entrepreneur, mirroring our own founding story.
- 400 thread count sateen weave
- 100% Organic Content Standard (OCS) certified cotton
- Fair Trade Certified factory
- Extra-long staple fibers for softness and durability
- Available in Natural, White, Ivory, Thistle, Horizon, and Cascade
Available colors — Organic Cotton Sheets & Duvet Covers
For those looking to go as natural as possible, the unbleached, undyed Natural color is minimally processed and may contain small cotton seed particles.
The shells on our core lineup of down comforters and pillows are woven from 400 thread count, single-ply, evenly woven cambric cotton. The tight downproof weave keeps every plume in place; the soft hand feel ensures the pillow you fall asleep on tonight feels the same in fifteen years.
- 400 thread count
- Single-ply, evenly woven cambric construction
- Tightest downproof weave available
- Soft hand feel improves over time
- Used across non-organic Bavarian and Baffled Box comforters and pillows
Sustainability matters.
We take pride in being a small and focused team because it allows us to be incredibly selective. While larger companies might take years to shift their sourcing, our size gives us the freedom to move quickly and adopt the latest sustainable materials as soon as they meet our standards. This flexibility means we are often among the first to transition to fabrics that are kinder to the environment, ensuring your gear is always built with the best and most responsible technology available.
Organic Content Standard (OCS)
Our organic cotton sheets, duvet covers, and Organic Bavarian Comforter contain 100% Organic Content Standard certified organically grown cotton. Certified to the OCS by TE-99977174. The standard verifies the presence and amount of organically grown material in a final product through every stage from raw material to retail. Learn more about OCS →
Bluesign®
Verifies textile materials are made with the lowest possible impact on people, planet, and resources. Pertex® YFuse®, Quantum®, Diamond Fuse, as well as NetPlus® linings are all Bluesign® certified fabrics.
Global Recycling Standard (GRS)
Tracks and verifies recycled content in finished products. Pertex® YFuse®, Pertex® Diamond Fuse, and our Pertex® Shield® expedition fabrics are GRS certified fabrics.
PFAS-Free DWR
The majority of our shell fabrics has a durable water-repellent finish made without intentionally added PFAS chemicals. Safer for the environment, for our makers, and for you.
Fabric frequently asked.
Denier is the unit of measurement for the linear mass density of fibers, specifically, the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn. In practical terms: lower denier means finer, lighter yarn; higher denier means thicker, more durable yarn. A 7-denier shell (our lightest) is roughly half the thickness of a 20-denier shell. The trade-off is durability. Finer yarns are more prone to abrasion, which is why our ultralight bags use a denier ripstop weave (combining 7d main yarn with 30d reinforcement) to balance weight savings with structural resilience.
Grams per square meter (g/m²) measures the actual weight of the fabric. Lower numbers mean lighter total garment or sleeping bag weight. For comparison: our Pertex® Quantum® 7 is 23 g/m² (lightest), while our Pertex® Shield® expedition shell is 70 g/m² (heaviest). On a sleeping bag with several square meters of shell fabric, the difference compounds, which is why ultralight bags can weigh half what an expedition bag does despite using the same down inside.
Both are part of the Pertex® Quantum® family of premium ultralight nylons, but Quantum Pro® adds a water-resistant breathable coating that Quantum® lacks. The trade-off is weight and feel: Quantum® is lighter (37 g/m² in our Eos jackets) and softer to the touch, while Quantum Pro® is slightly heavier (41 g/m² in apparel, 25 g/m² in our UL sleeping bag shell) but handles weather better. Use case dictates the choice. Quantum® for buttery-comfortable everyday garments, Quantum Pro® where weather protection matters.
Different products demand different priorities. A summer ultralight sleeping bag prioritizes weight above all, so we'll use an ultralight Pertex® Quantum® fabric. A winter expedition bag needs to handle snow, condensation, frost, and abrasion against shelter walls, so we use 53 g/m² Pertex® Shield® with a waterproof-breathable coating. Using one fabric for everything would compromise either the lightweight gear or the bombproof gear. Right tool, right job.
NetPlus® is a recycled nylon yarn made by Bureo®, an organization that partners with fishing communities to collect worn and torn fishing nets. The collected nets are broken down to nylon pellets and re-extruded into high-quality yarn, keeping plastic waste out of the ocean. We use NetPlus® as the lining in our YF series sleeping bags, all winter & expedition sleeping bags, our Helios apparel, and our expedition apparel, making it the most-used recycled fabric in the line.
Our organic cotton sheets, duvet covers, down throws, and our Organic Bavarian Down Comforter contain 100% Organic Content Standard (OCS) certified organically grown cotton, certified to the OCS by TE-99977174. The OCS is administered by Textile Exchange and verifies the presence and amount of organically grown material at every stage of production, from cotton field to finished product.
Most surface damage on Pertex® shells (small punctures, abrasions, snags) can be repaired with self-adhesive Tenacious Tape patches, the standard fix in the outdoor industry. For more substantial damage, we offer in-house repair through our Seattle workshop. For washing, follow the care label on each product; in general, our shells tolerate machine washing on cold with a down-specific cleaner. See our complete washing guide →
Questions about our products?
The Feathered Friends Seattle store is staffed by people who know our products inside and out. If you have a question this page didn't answer, ask us directly.