Washing and drying a down jacket (or down pants) is more time-consuming than washing a sweater - but you can still do it yourself. However, the washing requires some time and patience - and a tumble dryer.

If you prefer, you are welcome to use our our washing service washing service. We encourage you to do so if you don't have a dryer.

With all down products, the challenge is not washing, but drying. A down jacket can be washed in a standard washing machine and dried in a standard household tumble dryer. Alternatively, you can wash it by hand. Down garments should not be dry-cleaned.

Ideally, you should use a special down detergent such as Grangers Down Wash, Nikwax Down Wash Direct, Storm Down Wash or Fibertec Down Wash Eco. It also works with neutral soap, but this is not our first choice. Never use fabric softener or combination detergent with fabric softener.

Before you start, prepare your washing machine. There should be no detergent residue in the detergent drawer: Rinse the drawer with warm water to loosen any stuck-on residue.

Empty all pockets and leave their zippers open to wash out the last crumbs. Close the front zipper. Loosen the drawstrings and close all Velcro closures.

Read the care instructions on the label. Even if it says that only hand washing is recommended, you can put the down jacket in the washing machine - provided the right washing program! - put it in the washing machine. Choose a program like delicates, wool wash or hand wash with low to medium spin speed (max. 800 rpm) and with a temperature of 30°C. If possible, please rinse again separately. If possible, please rinse again extra.

Please take the garment out of the washing machine very carefully after washing. The extra weight of the wet filling could otherwise damage the inner seams. When you wash your jacket for the first time, you will probably be shocked: it looks flat and empty, the down is completely clumped. But don't worry! It will be fine... The jacket must first dry properly!

After washing, a down jacket must be dried thoroughly. You should give yourself and the jacket enough time for this. The easiest way to do this is to tumble dry it, but only on the gentle program or at the lowest temperature. Too high a temperature can damage the cover fabrics.

The drying process can be supported if you put a few tennis balls or special dryer balls in the drum. It takes several hours for your down jacket to dry completely. The more filling it contains, the longer it takes!

After the first cycle in the dryer, you should let your jacket cool down a bit. Spread it out flat on a clothes horse. You will probably still feel clumped down inside. Loosely shake the jacket and gently loosen the down clumps with your fingers. You can now put it in the dryer for another round - again on the gentle cycle, of course! Then let it cool down again, shake it up well and feel again for remaining down clumps. Repeat the process as often as necessary. The down will regain its natural bulk! It doesn't hurt to leave the jacket on the washing rack for a day or two to allow any remaining moisture to evaporate. Finally, give it another round in the dryer to loosen up the filling.

Now it's time for the zippers. To keep zippers running smoothly, maintain them regularly with one of the following products: Gear Aid Zipper Lubricant, McNETT Zip Care or Zipper Stick. Alternatively, rub a wax candle sparingly along the entire length of the zipper.

Synthetic fiber clothing is easier to care for than down-filled clothing, especially when washing and drying. However, they should still only be washed when absolutely necessary. Of course, noticeable soiling or a strong odor are also a sign that it is time for a wash.

It is best to use a special detergent such as Grangers Performance Wash, Nikwax Tech Wash, Fibertec Pro Wash or Storm Clothing Wash. It also works with neutral soap, but this is not our first choice. Never use fabric softener or combination detergent with fabric softener.

Before you start, prepare your washing machine. There should be no detergent residue in the detergent drawer: Rinse the drawer with warm water to loosen any stuck-on residue.

Empty all pockets and leave their zippers open to wash out the last crumbs. Close the front zipper. Loosen the drawstrings and close all Velcro closures.

Read the care instructions on the label. The washing instructions on this website are the correct ones for Mountain Equipment insulated synthetic fiber garments. If the care label differs and you are unsure, contact our our customer service. Choose a program like delicates, wool wash or hand wash with low to medium spin speed (max. 800 rpm) and a temperature of 30°C. If possible, please rinse again separately. If possible, please rinse again extra.

Please take the garment carefully out of the washing machine after washing. The extra weight of the wet filling could damage the inner seams. Most lightweight synthetic garments can be air dried. For heavier garments, we recommend using a tumble dryer. However, only use a gentle program or low temperature setting here. Too high a temperature can damage the jacket's cover fabrics.

Now it's time for the zippers. To keep zippers running smoothly, care for them regularly with one of the following products: Gear Aid Zipper Lubricant, McNETT Zip Care or Zipper Stick. Alternatively, rub a wax candle sparingly along the entire length of the zipper.

No matter how careful you are: Functional clothing is often exposed to particular stresses on climbing and mountain tours. How quickly a piece of fabric is caught, you get caught on sharp-edged rock or the crampons and the outer fabric tears. Such damage is not covered by our warranty, but is part of normal, albeit annoying, wear and tear. You can patch up minor mishaps on the way yourself or contact our repair service contact.

Synthetic insulated clothing can really withstand a lot. Nevertheless, holes or tears in the fabric can occur. However, repairs are usually a bit easier than with down garments.

You can quickly repair holes or tears yourself with tape: Gaffa tape or duct tape is not a permanent solution, Tenacious Tape is longer lasting. Larger tears require special patches, some of which we can provide.

Contact our Repair Serviceif you need more information.

Insulated clothing should last for many years. Of course, the stress and care plays a decisive role. Some components wear out faster, but down fill lasts half an eternity. Synthetic fiber fill, on the other hand, loses loft and thermal performance over time, even with good care.

When you realize your jacket is past its prime, take another good look at it and please use it until it practically falls apart. It may sound strange for us as manufacturers to say this. But our insulated garments contain many components and materials that are extremely energy-intensive to produce. We want to keep the environmental impact of our products as low as possible. Therefore, we ask you to use your clothing as long as possible and not to replace it too soon.

Here are a few more suggestions:

1) Appreciation - Our products want to be used. Every adventure leaves traces and reflects your experiences. It's okay to see that: Every scratch is a statement.

2) Care - Wash and care for your garments regularly and store them carefully. A flattened down jacket can be brought back to life by washing it. You can do it yourself, or use our washing service. Our repair service can even refill down.

3) Repair - Minor damage can often be easily fixed and doesn't mean the end of your favorite piece. Of course, repairing costs time and also money - but the impact of a newly purchased product on your wallet and on the environment is much higher.

4) Plan B - Even if you no longer want to use your down jacket for a winter bivouac, you can always have other, less demanding adventures with it.

5) Plan C - Use your favorite piece in a completely different environment. For example, leave it in the car in case you ever break down in cold weather. A good, warm jacket also comes in handy when shoveling snow.

6) Pass it on - If you really don't want to use your gear anymore, someone else will be happy to have it: It's a known fact that giving makes you happy! Take a look around your family and friends. Or contact charitable organizations that accept outdoor equipment and pass it on in a meaningful way.

7) Upcycle - When nothing works: The components that make up your product are high quality and valuable. Materials and fillers of this quality are not available at retail. Think around the corner and see if you can use parts of your product for other purposes. The synthetic fiber filling can still be used to make a pillow. You should be especially careful with the down filling: Unless you're into snow flurries!

8) Recycle - True recycling saves energy and resources that would otherwise have to be used in the production of new material.

In textile recycling, the biggest hurdle is separating the various components such as fabrics, membranes, threads, zippers, snaps, etc. Here, no real recycling is possible, but only downcycling, e.g. shredded textiles from old clothing containers are processed into filling and insulating materials. Therefore, you should not dispose of your synthetic fiber jackets with the household waste, but throw them into a container of an organization that can further process fibers.

It is different with down products: The most valuable component is the extremely durable down. This can be easily separated from the rest - all that is needed is a cutter knife. This makes it possible to prepare a pure basic material for new products. So, before you make your way to the container, send your down product to us: In our DOWN CYCLE® project 95% of the materials are recycled.