ÆÐUR
Æður is an Icelandic company specializing in the creation of unique products made from Icelandic eiderdown. Æður’s main focus is to promote local production of Icelandic eiderdown, while fostering local expertise, craftsmanship, and innovation in working with this rare material. Æður collaborates with diverse Icelandic designers to develop eiderdown products.
All Æður products contain 100% certified Icelandic eiderdown. Part of the down is harvested by Æður’s own eider farmers, and part comes from trusted and experienced eider farmers across Iceland. Every product is designed and handcrafted in Iceland, with the utmost respect for the bird, the environment, the material, and the long-standing tradition of harvesting eiderdown in Iceland.
EIDERDOWN
Eiderdown is an exceptionally light, warm, and insulating down that the female eider bird naturally sheds from her chest during nesting season. By shedding this down, she is able to sit closer to her eggs and keep them warm with her own body temperature.
The eider bird is a wild sea duck that spends most of its life on the ocean. Harvesting eiderdown is considered a rare harmonious relationship between humans and wildlife. In Iceland, the collecting of eiderdown is a century's old tradition. Throughout the nesting season, eider farmers protect the nests from predators and other threats, and when the time is right, they carefully gather the down from the nests with minimal disturbance to the birds.
After the nesting season, the down is cleaned using specialized equipment that removes all dirt. It is then gently washed with soap, and finally, the last feathers are meticulously removed by hand. The time, care, and dedication invested in collecting and processing this remarkable natural material makes Icelandic eiderdown one of the rarest and most valuable resources in the world.