As temperatures dip, the puffer’s appeal inflates. But quality and filler are factors to consider before buying new

• Change by degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint

• Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com

Whether you call it a parka, puffer or Tassie tuxedo, the insulated jacket has become a cold-weather closet staple.

A 1920s version by Australian mountaineer George Finch was constructed from hot air balloon fabric and eiderdown, but most modern designs are a mix of petroleum-based synthetics as well as animal and plant fibres, with varying environmental and ethical impacts.