Duck Down Jacket

How to Wash and Care for Your Duck Down Jacket

Taking proper care of your down jacket ensures it stays warm, keeps its shape, and lasts for years. Down is a unique material and needs a little extra TLC, but with the right routine, washing it isn't hard at all. Just a few tricks make all the difference.

One quick note before you start: you don't need to wash your jacket after every wear. Over-washing can actually damage the insulation, so wash only when it's genuinely needed.

What You'll Need

DuckCare Detergent — a gentle, down-specific detergent for the wash cycle
DuckCare Spot Spray — for pre-treating marks and dirt before washing, or just to remove marks from certain areas without washing
DuckCare Laundry Bag — protects your jacket inside the machine and keeps the down evenly distributed during the wash

You can also watch the video first: How to wash your duck down jacket →

Washing Your Down Jacket

The wrong wash method can strip the down's natural oils, damage its structure, and reduce how well it keeps you warm, so it's worth doing right.

1. Prepare your jacket
Wipe away any obvious marks or dirt with a damp cloth for tougher spots, our DuckCare Spot Spray works well. Empty all pockets, close every zip and closure, and turn the jacket inside out before it goes in the machine.

2. Check your washing machine
Make sure the detergent compartment is clean residue from other fabric softeners or cleaners can transfer onto the jacket and damage it. Run it through with hot water first if it needs a clean-out.

Avoid top-load machines the central agitator paddle can damage your jacket. Use a front loader.

3. Set the cycle
Choose a cold, gentle/delicate cycle with no spin (or a long, slow spin at most), and add an extra rinse to make sure no detergent residue is left behind. Wash your jacket separately or with similar colours to avoid any colour transfer. Placing the jacket in our DuckCare Laundry Bag before it goes in helps protect the fabric and keep the down evenly distributed throughout the wash.

4. Add detergent
Use a mild, specialised down detergent rather than a harsh one this protects both the down fill and the outer fabric. For best results, try our own DuckCare Detergent, made specifically for down care.

Prefer to hand wash? Soak the jacket for up to 60 minutes in a gentle or down-specific detergent, then rinse and gently squeeze out excess water. Never wring it.

Drying Your Jacket

Drying matters just as much as washing done right, it restores the jacket's loft and keeps it fluffy, insulated, and warm.

1. Tumble dry on low heat, or line dry flat
If tumble drying, use a cool, short cycle high heat can melt seams and damage the down. If line drying, lay the jacket flat on a rack with the weight distributed evenly (it can be heavy when wet).

2. Add clean tennis balls or dryer balls
Toss a couple into the dryer with the jacket. They break up clumps and help redistribute the down, fluffing it back up beautifully.

3. Make sure it's completely dry before storing
Your jacket should be bone dry before it goes back in the closet. Any leftover moisture can cause odours and damage the down over time.

What to Avoid

Using the wrong products, heat, or handling can permanently damage your jacket and reduce how well it performs:

Fabric softener — coats the fibres and reduces insulation performance
Bleach — damages the fabric and weakens the material
Dry cleaning — the chemicals used can harm the jacket's structure and insulation
High heat — can warp materials and flatten the loft
Wringing the jacket to remove water
Top-loader washing machines
Storing while still damp
Over-washing in general