Down is widely used in mountaineering gear, from clothing to shoes, hats, and gloves. This year, affected by the H7N9 avian flu, the cost of purchasing duck down and goose down has surged by 30% to 70%, making a price increase for down products inevitable.
　　Down jackets typically launched for winter are usually produced between June and July. The raw materials are mainly supplied through regular inventory and supplementary purchases. However, multiple provinces and cities reporting avian flu cases have carried out large-scale culling of poultry, leading to a sudden drop in down supply and a subsequent sharp rise in prices.
　　At the Canton Fair, down product manufacturers generally reported, "The price of duck down we supply to other companies has already gone up, about 30% higher than last month, and even more compared to last year." Five companies disclosed that the increase in down purchase prices ranged from 30%, 30%, 50%, 65%, to 75%. Since the outbreak of H7N9, the average price of down has risen by 50%.
　　Due to the rising cost of raw materials, the price of down products in China will definitely go up this year, and the increase is expected to be significant. In the short term, the down business will face challenges.