I recently washed a number of our puffer jackets. Some of them are thin and lightweight — like the Thermaballs from The North Face — while others are thick and heavy. I washed them two or three at a time in all the same way. I turned them inside out and popped them into the machine. I turned on the “delicates” cycle and washed in cold water (despite washing instructions stating that 30C is fine.) Took them out, turned them back to the right side, and hung them to air-dry on a rack. The lightweight puffers were dry in a couple of hours, while the heavier ones took more than a day. All were beautifully clean, the right shape, and with even and smooth quilted puff.

Here are my puffers that I washed. The fillings are polyester, and not down. The faux fur collar of the toffee puffer laundered perfectly. Greg’s puffers have a recycled polyester filling too. Maybe that’s why they laundered so well in the machine.

Greg and I also each have a heavy-duty puffer with down filling for very cold days. Mine is navy and from Canadian brand Soia & Kyo. I follow the washing instructions and take those puffers to the dry-cleaners, with excellent results.

I once washed a puffer jacket with down filling in our washing machine and it was never the same again. The puff was uneven and bumpy even though the washing instructions stated “machine washable.” I won’t risk washing down items in the machine again.

Over to you. How do you launder your puffer jackets and coats?