Getting Down to the Wire!

Marriott responded to our petition months ago, saying they intend to continue using down pillows and duvets in their hotels because that’s what guests want. Since then, many Marriott Rewards Members have signed the petition and left comments indicating that in fact, they do NOT want down in their hotel pillows. Purchasing down merchandise supports a barbaric industry that inflicts immeasurable pain and suffering on billions of ducks and geese each year. At the same time, down is less hygienic and more difficult to wash that regular pillows. While hypersensitivity to the feathers themselves is not very common, it is an extreme health hazard for those who are predisposed to it, and causes severe symptoms that can require hospitalization. Most reactions to down can be attributed to the dust mites and molds that thrive in feather products. Down pillows actually become more allergenic with age, as they slowly become more and more contaminated with dust mites and mold. Feather and down fill pillows retain body heat, which makes pillows hot and causes sweating. The fill restricts free air flow preventing heat from escaping. Repeatedly having to flip to the cool side of your pillow is not conducive to good sleep, and the extra sweating causes mold growth in the feather fill. For this reason, it is recommended that down pillows be replaced every 6 months, which gets pretty pricey and is a recommendation that is most likely ignored by hotel management. Although Marriott says they offer allergy free and feather free rooms, they in fact do NOT offer rooms that are exclusively feather free. Currently, if you request a feather free room at a Marriott hotel, the front desk will merely remove the feather pillows when you arrive. Obviously, this is not helpful for people with serious allergies or hypersensitivity to down feathers. Marriott International has more than 4,087 properties in over 80 countries around the world, with over 697,000 rooms, and an additional 195,000 rooms in the development pipeline. Considering their size, and the sheer numbers of pillows purchased by their hotel chain, Marriott’s decision to purchase down products for each of their hotel rooms, and to sell down products online, has a significant impact on the worldwide demand for down. Since Marriott has already declined requests that they switch exclusively to down alternatives, please take the time to call their corporate offices to politely request that they reconsider. You can call Marriott’s CEO, Arne Sorenson, at 301-380-4364 or email him at arne.sorenson@marriott.com. You can also call Nell Williams, Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Customer Care, at 301-380-2664, or email at nell.williams@marriott.com. Marriott’s main corporate number is 301-380-3000. Remember to be respectful and polite, as anything else will be detrimental to the cause.