Different types of pillow filling
An average person tends to spend one-third of time sleeping. That means 8 hours a day, 240 hours a month, 2880 hours a year, and image how many hours of your lifespan. Your pillow is much more important than you think! One of the crucial factors affects your pillow's comfort is its filling material. Unfortunately, there is no single pillow filling works for everyone. Each type has its own pros and cons. Following we summarized the most common filling types to help you find the best for you.
Down and Feather
Do you often think of that pillow with dreamy sleep experience in the luxury hotels? Down filling is probably the answer you are looking for. You may have heard of the terms down and feather used interchangeably. Most people think of them as the same thing, but they are actually very different. Both down and feathers are natural fills that come from waterfowl (usually goose or duck). Down comes from the undercoating on the chest and belly of the bird, found beneath its protective insulation layer of feathers. Conversely, feather comes from the outer shell, found on the wings or backs of the bird.
Thanks to the nature of down clusters, they are known for softness, fluffy, pure white, and reminiscent of cloud. Additionally, they are relatively durable, can last 5-10 years if handled with care. They might flatten after continuous use but can be refilled if the pillow starts to sag. No surprise down is more expensive than other fillings. They are easily moldable and provide a light, airy, cuddly feel, but may be too soft for some sleepers. Due to the insulating property, down filling tends to absorb heat and hence may be uncomfortable for hot sleepers.
Feather filling is a more affordable option on the market. Much like the down filling, feathers are lightweight and easily adapted to the shape you are comfortable with. Since feathers have quills, they are not as soft as down, and tend to be less durable. Some people find a pure feather pillow too firm for sleeping, and the sharp quills can often poke through the cover. Alternatively, you may want to look for a blend of feathers and down, to give a combination of durability and affordability. The feathers offering a bit more firmness and the down giving the pillow more softness and malleability. Typically, pure feathers are a popular choice for throw pillows, feathers combined with a percentage of down, makes for an incredibly comfortable sleeping pillow.
Let's talk more about goose down and duck down, which most people can't tell the difference. Both types of down share the same structure, but they do have a few key differences. Goose down clusters are generally larger than duck down clusters, because they come from larger birds brought up in the cold climate. Consequently, the large filament of goose down has better insulation, which results in the only type can be used for high fill power. Goose down has less or even no odor compared to duck down, duck down has great tendency to have odor if exposure to moisture. This is due to their different dietary, goose mostly eat grass and duck is more diverse with meat. Goose down also tends to be less greasy, that duck down has a naturally oily texture. Overall, goose down is considered the more luxurious, durable, higher quality and premium filling, and that come with a price tag. Not only goose is more rarely raised, but also the down harvested from goose is longer than duck. Apparently, duck down is much more accessible and inexpensive. The growing cost of goose down has led many manufactures to seek lower cost alternative and begin to use duck down instead of goose down.
If you like the idea of soft pillow but worry it may not have enough support, consider getting our 3-layer hybrid pillow. We have two versions, goose down-feather and down-alternative, both constructed with sandwich-like fillings.
SHOP NOW
Polyester and Microfiber
Have you heard of the term down-alternative and questioned what exactly material it is? Down-alternative is synthetic form of nature down, usually constructed with polyester or microfiber filling. You may be wondering about the difference between polyester and microfiber. In fact, microfiber is made of polyester and nylon, so they share some similarities. Microfiber is softer and more breathable, but less durable than polyester. In general, microfiber is more suitable for bedding, and polyester is more suitable for filling.
Polyester filling also called polyfill is composed of small synthetic polyester fibers. Polyester is the most popular filling type owing to its soft and fluffy nature but much more affordable than down filling. It tends to clump overtime and less durable. On the other side, this man-made filling can help control allergies compare to down or feather filling. Typically, polyester is machine washable, very easy to maintain and clean, making it one the best options for outdoor pillows.
Let's dive deeper into the polyester world. Overall, polyester is a cost-effective material, but different types of polyester can cost widely different. In the home textile, we commonly use 1.5D-15D fibers as filling, D(denier) is a unit of measure of linear mass density of fibers. The smaller the number, the thinner the fiber, in other word, finer, softer, fluffier, and relatively more expensive. Because of the properties of different fibers, generally we use 1.5D-3D fibers as duvet filling, 3D-7D fibers as pillow filling, 15D fibers as stuffy toys or furniture fillings.
If you like the idea of a soft pillow but worry it may not have enough support, consider getting out 3-layer hybrid pillow. We have two versions, goose down-feather and down-alternative, both constructed with sandwich-like fillings.
SHOP NOW
Memory Foam
Memory foam is composed of polyurethane as well as other compounds. The memory foam pillow comes in two forms, block memory foam and shredded memory foam. Block memory foam is simply wrapped in a pillowcase, while shredded memory foam is filled inside the pillow to give a fluffy experience. Memory foam is less prone to clumping, allowing it to keep its shape and support your head. However, they tend to absorb heat which may cause sweating at night. Some types of memory foam have volatile chemicals that may have unpleasant odor.
Latex
Latex is natural foam obtained from a specific rubber tree sap. Just like memory foam, they also come in a block and shredded form. The block latex foam is firm and supportive, and the shredded latex foam gives you more adjustability. Due to its natural open cell structure, latex is very breathable. Latex foam is very hard to extract, makes it an eco-friendly but pricier choice.
Cotton
Cotton is perhaps the most available and most widely used as a pillow filling. It is soft, breathable, odorless and naturally hypoallergenic, makes it a great option for sensitive sleepers. Additionally, it is slightly firmer as compared to down, polyfill, or foam filled. Cotton also helps regulate body heat in warm places. Cotton filling tends to be clumping overtime and becomes uncomfortable, hence it needs to be replace frequently.
Wool
Wool is a traditional filling made from sheep fleece. It is a good fit for people with allergies and can provide great comfort with insulating. Wool is warm but breathable because the cells on the outer fibers are very porous which allows them to rapidly absorb and evaporate water. Although wool filling is difficult to hold its shape, people love its soft and fluffy. It tends to lump which makes it less durable.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat is another organic option, the filling is made up of outer shells of buckwheat seeds. It is known for good airflow and temperature regulatory properties, makes it great for hot sleepers. Buckwheat provides adequate support for your head and neck. It can be conformed to any shapes, but it may be too form for some people. Buckwheat is heavy compared to other fillings, the rustling of buckwheat can be noisy. Another key benefit of buckwheat is highly durable that can last 10 to 20 years.
Microbead
Microbead is a synthetic alternative to buckwheat, which consists of small polystyrene beads. It is more affordable, but not available readily in the market compared to other fillings. Microbead allows smooth passage of air and are moldable as well. It is very lightweight, however, it tends to lump and lose its shape with uses. Some of them can produce chemical odors that sleeper may find unpleasant.
Click here to learn more about pillow size and how to style pillows.
Down and Feather
Do you often think of that pillow with dreamy sleep experience in the luxury hotels? Down filling is probably the answer you are looking for. You may have heard of the terms down and feather used interchangeably. Most people think of them as the same thing, but they are actually very different. Both down and feathers are natural fills that come from waterfowl (usually goose or duck). Down comes from the undercoating on the chest and belly of the bird, found beneath its protective insulation layer of feathers. Conversely, feather comes from the outer shell, found on the wings or backs of the bird.
Thanks to the nature of down clusters, they are known for softness, fluffy, pure white, and reminiscent of cloud. Additionally, they are relatively durable, can last 5-10 years if handled with care. They might flatten after continuous use but can be refilled if the pillow starts to sag. No surprise down is more expensive than other fillings. They are easily moldable and provide a light, airy, cuddly feel, but may be too soft for some sleepers. Due to the insulating property, down filling tends to absorb heat and hence may be uncomfortable for hot sleepers.
Feather filling is a more affordable option on the market. Much like the down filling, feathers are lightweight and easily adapted to the shape you are comfortable with. Since feathers have quills, they are not as soft as down, and tend to be less durable. Some people find a pure feather pillow too firm for sleeping, and the sharp quills can often poke through the cover. Alternatively, you may want to look for a blend of feathers and down, to give a combination of durability and affordability. The feathers offering a bit more firmness and the down giving the pillow more softness and malleability. Typically, pure feathers are a popular choice for throw pillows, feathers combined with a percentage of down, makes for an incredibly comfortable sleeping pillow.
Let's talk more about goose down and duck down, which most people can't tell the difference. Both types of down share the same structure, but they do have a few key differences. Goose down clusters are generally larger than duck down clusters, because they come from larger birds brought up in the cold climate. Consequently, the large filament of goose down has better insulation, which results in the only type can be used for high fill power. Goose down has less or even no odor compared to duck down, duck down has great tendency to have odor if exposure to moisture. This is due to their different dietary, goose mostly eat grass and duck is more diverse with meat. Goose down also tends to be less greasy, that duck down has a naturally oily texture. Overall, goose down is considered the more luxurious, durable, higher quality and premium filling, and that come with a price tag. Not only goose is more rarely raised, but also the down harvested from goose is longer than duck. Apparently, duck down is much more accessible and inexpensive. The growing cost of goose down has led many manufactures to seek lower cost alternative and begin to use duck down instead of goose down.
If you like the idea of soft pillow but worry it may not have enough support, consider getting our 3-layer hybrid pillow. We have two versions, goose down-feather and down-alternative, both constructed with sandwich-like fillings.
SHOP NOW
Polyester and Microfiber
Have you heard of the term down-alternative and questioned what exactly material it is? Down-alternative is synthetic form of nature down, usually constructed with polyester or microfiber filling. You may be wondering about the difference between polyester and microfiber. In fact, microfiber is made of polyester and nylon, so they share some similarities. Microfiber is softer and more breathable, but less durable than polyester. In general, microfiber is more suitable for bedding, and polyester is more suitable for filling.
Polyester filling also called polyfill is composed of small synthetic polyester fibers. Polyester is the most popular filling type owing to its soft and fluffy nature but much more affordable than down filling. It tends to clump overtime and less durable. On the other side, this man-made filling can help control allergies compare to down or feather filling. Typically, polyester is machine washable, very easy to maintain and clean, making it one the best options for outdoor pillows.
Let's dive deeper into the polyester world. Overall, polyester is a cost-effective material, but different types of polyester can cost widely different. In the home textile, we commonly use 1.5D-15D fibers as filling, D(denier) is a unit of measure of linear mass density of fibers. The smaller the number, the thinner the fiber, in other word, finer, softer, fluffier, and relatively more expensive. Because of the properties of different fibers, generally we use 1.5D-3D fibers as duvet filling, 3D-7D fibers as pillow filling, 15D fibers as stuffy toys or furniture fillings.
If you like the idea of a soft pillow but worry it may not have enough support, consider getting out 3-layer hybrid pillow. We have two versions, goose down-feather and down-alternative, both constructed with sandwich-like fillings.
SHOP NOW
Memory Foam
Memory foam is composed of polyurethane as well as other compounds. The memory foam pillow comes in two forms, block memory foam and shredded memory foam. Block memory foam is simply wrapped in a pillowcase, while shredded memory foam is filled inside the pillow to give a fluffy experience. Memory foam is less prone to clumping, allowing it to keep its shape and support your head. However, they tend to absorb heat which may cause sweating at night. Some types of memory foam have volatile chemicals that may have unpleasant odor.
Latex
Latex is natural foam obtained from a specific rubber tree sap. Just like memory foam, they also come in a block and shredded form. The block latex foam is firm and supportive, and the shredded latex foam gives you more adjustability. Due to its natural open cell structure, latex is very breathable. Latex foam is very hard to extract, makes it an eco-friendly but pricier choice.
Cotton
Cotton is perhaps the most available and most widely used as a pillow filling. It is soft, breathable, odorless and naturally hypoallergenic, makes it a great option for sensitive sleepers. Additionally, it is slightly firmer as compared to down, polyfill, or foam filled. Cotton also helps regulate body heat in warm places. Cotton filling tends to be clumping overtime and becomes uncomfortable, hence it needs to be replace frequently.
Wool
Wool is a traditional filling made from sheep fleece. It is a good fit for people with allergies and can provide great comfort with insulating. Wool is warm but breathable because the cells on the outer fibers are very porous which allows them to rapidly absorb and evaporate water. Although wool filling is difficult to hold its shape, people love its soft and fluffy. It tends to lump which makes it less durable.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat is another organic option, the filling is made up of outer shells of buckwheat seeds. It is known for good airflow and temperature regulatory properties, makes it great for hot sleepers. Buckwheat provides adequate support for your head and neck. It can be conformed to any shapes, but it may be too form for some people. Buckwheat is heavy compared to other fillings, the rustling of buckwheat can be noisy. Another key benefit of buckwheat is highly durable that can last 10 to 20 years.
Microbead
Microbead is a synthetic alternative to buckwheat, which consists of small polystyrene beads. It is more affordable, but not available readily in the market compared to other fillings. Microbead allows smooth passage of air and are moldable as well. It is very lightweight, however, it tends to lump and lose its shape with uses. Some of them can produce chemical odors that sleeper may find unpleasant.
Click here to learn more about pillow size and how to style pillows.
