What was the purchase price of duck feathers per jin in 2018, and will the market price rise?

We are all familiar with ducks; they are a type of poultry, and when farmers slaughter ducks they keep the feathers because they can be sold for money. So what was the latest market situation for duck feathers in 2018? What was the purchase price per jin? Will it rise?

According to the latest prices shown by Alibaba, the price of duck feathers in 2018 was around 6-10 yuan per jin. Whether the price will rise depends on the market situation ahead.

I. Uses of duck feathers

1. Duck feathers can be used to make down quilts.

2. Duck feathers can be used to make jianzi (shuttlecocks).

3. Duck feathers can also be used to make special duck-feather writing brushes.

4. Duck feathers can be used as filling to make down jackets.

5. Duck feathers grow on the duck's body and help keep the duck's body temperature constant.

6. Duck feathers can also be used to make ornaments for women's hair, and can also be used to make fans.

II. How duck down is processed

1. Washing and disinfection are used to remove dust, sand, dander and musty odors from the down. In China, detergents are often used to assist washing, and after washing some white oil (white machine oil) is added to increase luster and prevent insect damage.

2. Dewatering mainly uses a centrifuge. Generally, dewatering in a centrifuge takes 5 minutes at a speed of 600 rpm.

3. Drying is mainly done through high-temperature steam disinfection in a dryer. That is, using a high temperature of 120-130°C to both dry the down and sterilize it. Note that drying is a highly technical process; workers who master feather drying must be highly focused, not only paying attention to the operating time of each drying batch, but also to the fluffiness of the feathers and down, and constantly judging the right level of heat. (If there is no equipment, you can directly expose them to the sun; when I was young I saw a neighbor do this.)

4. Cooling: cooling through the exhaust screen of a cooling machine can further remove odors from the down, which helps further improve the quality of duck down and also helps restore the natural moisture content of the feathers and down. If the moisture content in duck down exceeds the natural moisture level, the down is prone to mold and spoilage; while if the moisture is less than the natural level, the down will become brittle and break easily, affecting quality.

5. Packaging and storage: dried duck down should be left spread out for an extended time to ensure that the down can fully regain its natural moisture. In addition, packaging should not be too tight. Because duck down is a product with good thermal insulation, packing it too tightly not only makes it hard to dissipate heat, but also easily produces water vapor, making it difficult to store; it may also deform the down and affect its elasticity. Therefore, duck down packaging is best controlled at around several dozen kg per package. Washed and disinfected duck down is generally required to be stored for more than 30 days before it can be used to stuff duck down products.