Eider down harvesting in Iceland.

These precious feathers have created a peculiar bond between human and duck.

Erla collects eider down in her farm in the Westfjord. Eider down harvesting is based on a sustainable relationship between the farmers and the eiders. Eider are seabirds that spend most of their lives in the Arctic Circle. In late May, they nest close to human settlements to seek shelter and protection, using down to create a nest. During the egg incubation, the farmers guard the flock from predators, and only when birds waddle back to the sea, the farmers collect the down – which is traded at about €2,000/kg. About 70% of the world down production comes from Iceland Photograph: Simone Tramonte