Down alternative comforters are a more affordable choice in comparison to those that are filled with real down. While they are not quite the status symbol that pure down comforters are, they can be comparatively soft and if their thread count is high enough they can feel equally as luxurious.
In most cases, the down alternative comforters that you can find will be filled with polyester. This may not sound appealing at first, but polyester is a very flexible material that can be spun to get as soft as you would like. While it may be difficult to brag about having a comforter that is filled with polyester and not down, the significantly lower cost will make your wallet thank you for it.
There is one big benefit to having a comforter filled with polyester over down, and it is that alternatively-filled comforters are much easier to clean at home than down ones. It is not recommended that you put a down comforter into your washing machine or dryer for a few reasons. The first is that it could possibly damage the down inside, and possibly even make it worthless. Next is that the down can and most likely will bunch up inside the comforter in the washing machine and get compacted that way in the dryer — this is awful if you have spent a great deal of money on a down comforter only to have it destroyed. Lastly, in the case of a low quality comforter the down could actually puncture through the blanketing during the washing and dying process. All of these possibilities are something that no down comforter owner wants to have to go through.
With down alternative comforters, there is little to no risk of any of the above. Polyester deals with the rumble and tumble of washing machines and dryers well. The material does not clump up or compact easily, which is especially true in the case of those with a ring stitch or quilted construction. Additionally, the only way any of the polyester fiber is going to actually come out of the comforter is if it is ripped or the seams happen to come loose after years and years of usage.
So while having a comforter or two that is not filled with real down may not be something to brag about, it does have its benefits. And if you get one that has a thread count that is over 400, then it will feel just as good as it would if it were down, though in a different way. Down alternative comforters are not to be underestimated. They may not be a status symbol, but they can still be of high quality.