Assistant Manager Amy and Marketing Assistant Sam recently had the chance to visit Rab HQ for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how their legendary down sleeping bags are made. Rab is one of the few brands that still fills all its down sleeping bags right here in the UK, and we were eager to see why. From expert craftsmanship to meticulous quality control, our tour of the Rab down-filling station was nothing short of fascinating. Here’s what we discovered.
We began our tour on the warehouse floor, where we met Matt, our guide for the day. Our first stop was the down storage area, where Rab receives its high-quality insulation in large white sacks. Matt explained the importance of sourcing responsibly, ensuring all down meets the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) to guarantee ethical practices and uphold Rab’s high environmental standards.
Before it even reaches the factory, the down is treated with a Nikwax Fluorocarbon-Free Hydrophobic Finish. This treatment slows down moisture absorption, helping the down maintain its loft for longer in damp conditions. Since wet down doesn’t insulate as effectively, this is crucial for keeping adventurers warm in challenging environments.
Next, we moved on to the filling station—the heart of the operation—where Matt walked us through how Rab used to fill its sleeping bags in the past. At the far end of the station, he showed us an old DIY-style filling machine made from a storage crate, a metal tube, a set of scales, and compressed air.
The process was surprisingly manual. An employee would carefully add down to a hopper, ensuring the exact weight was measured. The compressed air would then push the down through the metal tube and into small openings left in each baffle of the sleeping bag. A printed sheet guided workers on how much down each baffle needed. It was a slow and meticulous process, requiring three people to operate a single station and ensure every bag was filled precisely.
Matt then explained how the process has evolved, making it far more efficient and precise. Today, Rab uses a much larger hopper that continuously moves the down, keeping it dry and fully lofted throughout the filling process. This modern system feeds multiple filling stations at once, allowing a single operator to fill more sleeping bags than three people could using the old method.
The biggest leap forward is the introduction of computerised controls. Instead of relying on manual weighing, the system now ensures absolute accuracy, removing human error. Operators start by selecting the correct sleeping bag fact sheet—now displayed digitally rather than on paper. The system then determines exactly how much down each baffle requires, only releasing the precise amount needed when that section is selected. This level of precision ensures every sleeping bag is filled consistently, maximising warmth and performance in the outdoors.
Once the sleeping bags are filled, they move to the first of two finishing stations. Here, the small holes left for the down insertion tube are carefully stitched up. This is a highly skilled job, still done entirely by hand using a sewing machine.
The precision and craftsmanship involved are remarkable. Once the stitching is complete, you’d struggle to spot where the hole even was—a true testament to the skill and attention to detail that Rab continues to uphold.
Once stitched up, the sleeping bags move to their final finishing station. Here, they’re airblasted to remove any stray down from the outside, undergo a thorough quality check to ensure they meet Rab’s high standards, have labels attached, and are then packed into storage sacks, ready to be shipped to customers and retailers alike.
It was incredible to witness the level of attention each sleeping bag receives. Every bag is meticulously checked by hand, ensuring it meets the exacting standards Rab has set for its products. The care and dedication that goes into each one really highlight Rab’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
We then had the opportunity to sit down with Matt and ask a few questions about the process, especially the decision to keep the down-filling in the UK.
Matt explained there are several key reasons why Rab continues to fill its sleeping bags here. The first and most important is maintaining the high-quality Rab is renowned for. Their sleeping bags are known for their exceptional reliability and performance, and filling them in the UK allows Rab to have full control over the process, ensuring that every bag meets their exacting standards.
The second reason is heritage. Rab sleeping bags have been filled in the UK from the very beginning, and this tradition is something the company is proud to uphold.
Lastly, there’s the cost and environmental impact. By filling the bags in the UK, only the shells need to be shipped, allowing more to fit into each container and reducing the number of deliveries. Matt also pointed out that if the bags were filled at the same location where the shells are made, Rab would essentially be shipping large quantities of air. Shipping the shells and filling them here in the UK is not only better for quality and standards, but it also reduces the environmental footprint and shipping costs, making the process more efficient overall.
If you’d like to see more of the process in action, be sure to check out our YouTube video from the tour. It offers a closer look at how Rab fills its sleeping bags and the incredible attention to detail that goes into every step.
Check out our range of Rab Down Sleeping Bags below
