A quilted mattress topper stuffed with feathers or goose down is called a feather bed. Modern feather beds are soft, padded layers placed on top of a regular mattress, although the term historically also referred to a complete mattress filled with feathers.
The filling usually combines firmer feathers with fluffy down. Feathers provide structure and resilience, while down consists of the light, insulating layer found beneath a bird’s outer plumage. Goose down is often associated with premium bedding because its clusters can be large and highly insulating, but the label “feather bed” can describe products containing different proportions of feathers and down.
Feather beds have a long history. Before modern foam and spring mattresses, mattresses could be stuffed with materials such as straw, wool, horsehair, reeds, or feathers. The term is sometimes confused with a duvet or comforter: a duvet covers the sleeper, whereas a feather bed lies beneath the sheet as a mattress topper. It is also distinct from a mattress pad, which may use cotton, polyester, foam, or other materials.