Sustainable Down Source (SDS) today announced a new way for consumers to track the provenance and technical details of the down used to make their down jacket or sleeping bag.

Beginning this year, the company will make available hangtags to their brand partners, which will contain a unique Quick Response (QR) code and Lot Number. By simply scanning the QR code with a smartphone, or entering the Lot number into the SDS “DownTracker” website, any consumer will be able to identify the quality of the down, the region in which the down was sourced and the Third Party testing for that particular lot of down used to make the finished product.

“Down is the world’s best insulation,” said SDS Principal Daniel Guigui.  “But the thing we’re most concerned with is making sure all of the down we use comes from raw material suppliers who follow the strict sourcing protocols of the Responsible Down Standard (RDS).

The technology will be showcased at the company’s Outdoor Retailer Summer Market booth #30090-UL

In addition to the DownTracker, SDS will exhibit its proprietary DownTek water repellent down, highlighted in an array of products from forward-thinking brands from around the globe.

DownTek is a PFC-Free water repellent treatment that uses an innovative, nature-inspired approach to achieving water repellency without the use of harmful perfluorocarbons.  The result is down insulation free from the worry of wetting out or losing warmth.