Abstract: An article of apparel including insulation material includes an insulating layer formed of waterfowl fibers and synthetic fibers. The waterfowl fibers can be present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the insulating layer. The insulating layer is generally free of waterfowl plumage.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of fiber loss or fiber shedding from a fabric material after washing of the fabric material includes providing a sample of the fabric material within a container, adding water into the container to facilitate contact of the water with a surface of the sample, agitating the water within the container for a predetermined period of time so as to cause fibers to be released from the fabric material and entrained in the water, after agitating, transferring the water with entrained fibers from the container into a fiber collection system to obtain captured fibers, and analyzing the captured fibers to determine a degree of fibers shed from the fabric material. A method of determining a quality of fiber material based upon fiber shedding from the material is also described.

Abstract: An article of apparel including insulation material includes an insulating layer formed of waterfowl fibers and synthetic fibers. The waterfowl fibers can be present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the insulating layer. The insulating layer is generally free of waterfowl plumage.

Abstract: An article of apparel including insulation material is discussed. The insulation material includes an insulating layer formed of waterfowl fibers and synthetic fibers. The waterfowl fibers are present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the insulating layer. The insulating layer is generally free of waterfowl plumage.

Abstract: An article of apparel such as a rain jacket includes a composite fabric formed of a textile layer including a plurality of yarns, each yarn including five to twenty-five filaments having non-circular cross-sectional shapes and a sealing layer applied as a coating directly to the interior surface of the textile layer and having a thickness of about 10 micrometers to about 30 micrometers.

Abstract: An article of apparel including insulation material is discussed. The insulation material includes an insulating layer formed of waterfowl fibers and synthetic fibers. The waterfowl fibers are present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the insulating layer. The insulating layer is generally free of waterfowl plumage.