European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 29, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse L p Pili hip Feim h f111 pig aug 11,- in elstlluw4l.cn Usa Suva to by Mary Neth consumer editor Merica 13 waking up to Down the Fluffy Feather bed or Down com Orler popular in colonial times a undergoing a revival. Few those whoa Only experience of bedding under to Alec is has been in an overheated european hotel sleeping a Vealy is not what lightweight Down co Moi lots Ere All about. With the proper till moisture passes freely through the Down and you Wake up both warm and dry Saya a Bundgaard Moelber. General manage of scandinavian in aware a danish firm which Carriea Down come Priora made in thai county. Nothing equals them he says in uttering sleeping luxury. Europeans and scandinavians Haven t been keeping it a secret. On any morning leather Beds is they Are called can be seen airing from coun Lesb windows throughout Northern Europe. It in t a comforting sight Lor the world s waterfowl. Who have even Roro reason Idt a Hobo bumps. In the past three years not Only has the United states edged Oul Germany As the world s leading importer of leathers it s begun la keying Lor a lop position in the manufacturing of Down bedding in Waal Germany where close to 92 percent of the population owns some sort of leather comforter there Are 40 leather bed la Clories. In october the largest the Frankfurter Fra kluft Feather bed Factor was swept into american hands. The factory of Iichi had been owned by the same family for 103 years was purchased from the West German Quella mail order group by Scandia Down corp. Of Seattle ii can t be called to leather brained move. Down is an up Market. Our yearly sates Are close to 44 million Marks says Volkir director of the Frankfurt factory at an Exchange rate of 1.65 to a Dollar that is an annual turnover of �27 million Why this american surge of interest in tha leather bed industry1? it stems from the popularity in the United states of Down anoraks jackets parts and sleeping bags. The fran Lurl Lac Twy located in a modest red Brick building in the City s Industrial outskirts deals in both wholesale and retail safes it washes sorts and sterilized feathers Lor use by individual Loach or cd firms and turns Oul its own lines of comforters customers or the latter carry Soma big names. President Ronald Reagan placed an order Lor a Down Pillow. Preside ill Lyndon b. Johnson ordered a comforter. Reinhald Lessnar the Lieut Man to conquer mount Everest without oxygen equipment uses the company s celesta steeping bags on Hia climbing expeditions. Exc Cpl for a nine year break following a born hit in a 1944 air raid the factory has been i Para icon since 1885, says Volkir. Ivhon look Over As director from his Igler in 1973 the building is somewhat of a shrine to the world s Walc fowl. Framed pictures of ducks and geese Parade along the office Walls. Stuffed ducklings Ore lined up on the Bookcase of Tho staid conference Toom. There s not a quack to be heard however. Feathers Are imported. Coun rims of me East Blue and East Asia Are the main suppliers says Volker. Taiwan and Singapore have become important exporters because of i heir chinese population you never see geese Duck on japanese menus but they Are mainstays of the chinese did. Whenever these people Settle locks Are dealing with a us Market Means thinking big Volker says As americans demand la Kcf sizes Seattle s Scandia Down otters the following Width by length measure meals in inches twin 7 by 82 Lull 60 by 82 Queen 90 by 94 and King. 106 by 94. In comparison. The most popular comforter i Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday a
