(Photo: lanan.no)
Far out in the Norwegian Sea at the outlying village of Lånan in one of the Vega Islands, the world’s most expensive duvets are made by hand following old traditions.
Down from the common eider is regarded as the best and is highly sought after for duvet manufacturing. Only about 0.56 ounces of eiderdown is collected from each nest, and it takes 18 to 35 ounces to produce one duvet.
Only seven to eight duvets are produced per year.
(Article continues)
Local Lånan woman preparing eiderdown used in the world’s most exclusive duvets. (Photo: Anette Broteng Christiansen, ThorNews)
The price varies between 1.700 and 8.600 dollars depending upon how much down that is used.
An eiderdown duvet is extremely durable. There are examples on duvets that have been used for more than a hundred years, passed down from generation to generation.
The down can be recycled and sewn into a new cover. The duvets are hypoallergenic, natural and the covers are made of tightly woven cotton that cannot be penetrated by house dust.
The Lånan island is no longer inhabited while the winter storms are raging at their worst. The last people moved from the island at the end of the seventies. Nevertheless, every year when spring arrives the keepers return to look after the ducks. They prepare nests and protect the eiders from dangers during the breeding season.
As a reward, the birds return year after year providing valuable eiderdowns.
On 1 July 2004, Lånan as one of the Vega islands was added to UNESCO’S prestigious World Heritage List.
Watch the video below and learn more about the Lånan eiderdown duvets:
You will find the products here at Lånan’s homepage.
Text by: Thor Lanesskog, ThorNews
thornews.com 
Leave a Reply