Braden Parker

IDFL Laboratory and Institute is the largest down and feather testing laboratory in the world with over 5,000 clients in 75 countries. IDFL provides tests and services for down and feather material and products, textiles, synthetic fills, and natural fills. IDFL also offers audit and inspection services. IDFL is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and has offices in Frauenfeld, Switzerland and Hangzhou, China.

IDFL has over 100 employees, the majority of which work as testing analysts. IDFL’s laboratories are certified by various quality regulation institutions such as IDFB, EDFA, and DPSC. IDFL also conducts tests and research according to quality standards established by AATCC, ADFC, ASTM, CFDIA, DAC, EDFA, IABFLO, IDFB, and TDFA.

History

Wilford Lieber founded IDFL in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1978. Lieber had previously worked for the state of Utah in product regulation and at the request of companies in the down and feather industry, Lieber formed IDFL, a laboratory that tested down and feather quality.

Since its founding, IDFL has continually expanded the services it provides. In the 1980’s, IDFL expanded to offer consulting services and fabric testing. In the 1990’s, IDFL began factory inspection services as well as research services. In the 2000’s, IDFL began synthetic filling testing, finished product inspection services, non-down filling testing, and audit services. In 2002, IDFL opened an office in Frauenfeld, Switzerland. In 2003, IDFL opened an office in Hangzhou, China. .

Down and Feather Testing

IDFL assists companies in the down and feather industry acquire sterilization permits and meet customer quality expectations by inspecting factories and testing down and feather material. IDFL grades material quality by testing down and feather composition, content analysis, and species type as well as numerous other quality factors. Material is also graded for cleanliness by examining the fat and oil percentages, pH levels, odor, turbidity, and other purity factors. All down and feather material is double tested.

IDFL tests materials according to the following standards:

Testing Standard	Country
AS	Australia
ASTM	International
Canada	Canada
CNS	Taiwan
EN	Europe
GB	China
IDFB	International
JIS	Japan
K	Korea
USA 2000	United States
VSB	Switzerland

Audit and Inspection Services

IDFL assists clients with quality assurance by conducting audits and inspections of supply chains, factories, and retail stores. Audit and inspection services consists of visiting supply chains and factories to inspect sterilization procedures and also collect samples to verify that bulk materials and finished products are meeting specifications and labeling standards. IDFL also assesses factory quality control methods, inspects finished products, and consults companies in quality control procedures.