A training session for new national feather and down criteria was recently held in Anhui province. Enterprises from Zhanjiang's Wuchuan, renowned as China's feather town, attended the session.

Sponsored by the China Feather and Down Industrial Association, the event trained enterprises in accordance with the new national feather and down standards and the latest testing methods.

It has been 13 years since the national testing standards for feather and down have been renewed, and they are now in line with international norms, according to Yao Xiaoman, president of the council of the China Feather and Down Industrial Association.

Chen Wenjian(R), president of Wuchuan’s Feather and Down Industrial Association leads Japanese businessmen to inspect local down feather enterprises. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The released criteria include testing fill power, an important indicator of the capability to hold heat. The new test system adopts a steam conditioning method developed in Japan and uses regulations formulated by the International Down and Feather Bureau.

Wuchuan is well known for its feather and down, as its high quality products are considered the best of the domestic industry.

By the end of 2014, Wuchuan had more than 100 down and feather enterprises including 50 down washing production lines and 30 advanced down production lines, registering an annual output value of some 2 billion yuan ($290 million).

"The whole domestic industry is impressed by Wuchuan's best feather and down, with its fill power exceeding 800 and down content over 95 percent," said Ling Weiliang, chairman of the board of Guangdong Hongji Down Products. He also participated in the drafting of the new criteria for the strict demands he has set for his business.

Wuchuan is honored as the "feather and down town of China". [Photo/cfd.com.cn]

"Even demanding Japanese businessmen praise Wuchuan's down, although Japan's down feather industry maintains a world leading position." Ling said.

Chen Wenjian, president of Wuchuan's Feather and Down Industrial Association, is happy to welcome the new demands which help to maintain the natural properties of the raw materials without causing odors or anaphylaxis.