Hypoallergenic Meaning and Products
‘Hypoallergenic’- adjective.
Definition: “Having a decreased tendency to provoke an allergic reaction”. The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary. (2007). Retrieved October 12 2021)
Hypoallergenic – our definition
Or the definition of hypoallergenic has a decreased tendency to provoke an allergic reaction. Based on this definition, our products, including comforters, are hypoallergenic. The problem is a lot of people assume hypoallergenic means non-allergenic, which is not the same. The definition of non-allergenic is ‘having no tendency to provoke an allergic reaction.’ Therefore, it cannot be said in truth any product is non-allergenic. Somebody somewhere may react.
Companies for many years have been producing products, which they claim are ‘hypoallergenic’ or ‘safe for sensitive skin’ or ‘allergy tested.’ These statements imply that the products making the claims are less likely to cause allergic reactions than competing products. But there has been no assurance to consumers that this was the case.
The FDA has been working to clear this confusion of claims by establishing testing requirements that determine which products are ‘hypoallergenic’. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia recently ruled that the FDA’s regulation defines ‘hypoallergenic’ as invalid. This means there is now no regulation precisely defining or governing the use of the term ‘hypoallergenic’ or similar claims. Moreover, due to the lengthy procedural steps required to establish a new regulation, it is likely to be undefined for some time.
Here is then the truth
Despite all the reassurances and claims manufacturers give us about their products regarding allergy reactivity, nothing is 100% guaranteed to be non-reactive. This is particularly true of bedding items.
We put our comforters and pillows to the test with our most allergy-sensitive employees, asking them to sleep with a comforter or a pillow sample. Our results showed: No one reacted to our cotton or wool pillows. Even the most sensitive people seem to be just fine sleeping with a silk-filled comforter.
Our employees also tested the very popular Hypodown down comforters.
- We found the majority to be just fine; however, eczema sufferers felt itchy with the Hypodown down comforter.
- Overall, we noticed that our staff members with eczema reacted to any down product despite the manufacturer’s special washing procedures and however excellent the down’s turbidity (cleanliness) rating.
- Those staff with respiratory allergies or sinus problems, including feather allergies, curiously enough seemed to be okay with the Hypodown down comforter.
Furthermore, in all the hundreds of sales of Hypodown down comforters, we have only had one return related to an asserted allergic reaction.
Our solution for allergy sufferers or those with sensitive skin who love down?
Hyper clean down by Pacific Coast Feather offers a 30-day Allergy-free Guarantee so that you can try out their products for an allergic reaction. If you have one, you can return it.
Our most luxurious Siberian goose down and Eiderdown comforters are also hypoallergenic but custom-made and therefore non-returnable. However, if you doubt your potential reactivity, we have a sample program, and you can test the samples out for yourself.
Click Here to view all of our Hypoallergenic Bedding.