Top 5 Best Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pillows to Buy Online

Do you know what’s in bed with you besides your partner?  Not you but what you sleep on?  With their eyes shut to the eco options that abound, like most Americans rest their heads on cotton or polyester pillows that are stuffed with down or poly-fill.  Check out all of the ways you can cuddle up and get cozy with other eco conscious pillow options.

Conventional cotton is extremely water, pesticide and herbicide intensive, yet the alternative - polyester - is a petroleum-based, nonrenewable resource that is very energy intensive, using 63% more energy than the production of cotton!  The main toxic chemical in polyester is ethylene glycol, which gets absorbed by our bodies via inhalation and through our skin.  It can damage kidneys and the central nervous system - decidedly not the best thing for your beauty sleep and mine!  Also while those memory foam pillows are all the rage these days, the polyurethane foam core can release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air while you sleep.  It's important to pay close attention to what certifications each company uses.  Additionally, the production and manufacturing of polyurethane also produces formaldehyde and benzene, which isn’t good for the factory workers or the environment.

Thankfully there are several green options including eco friendly mattresses available so you can rest easy.  Let's begin with what touches your skin, then investigate...into the depths of your pillow.

1. Kapok: 

One of the most popular eco friendly fillings available, Kapok is a vegetable-based fiber from the seed pods of the Kapok tree. The fiber is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, silk-cotton, Samauma, or ceiba. The tree itself is native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to tropical west Africa.  Wild grown, the tree is naturally pest-free and thus, does not require pesticides. On top of being a lofty material, Kapok is hypoallergenic, water and mold resistant and quick drying. 

Citrus Sleep picks: Avocado Natural Green Pillow

2. Buckwheat Hulls: 

A byproduct of buckwheat milling, the hulls are naturally pesticide-free, hypoallergenic, and water resistant.  Buckwheat itself is a seed.  It is not a grain nor is it related to wheat. Buckwheat was first cultivated in Southeastern China many centuries ago.For centuries, these hulls have been used in Asia to help relieve neck and shoulder pain and headaches.  Buckwheat hulls are very resilient but you might have to get used to the “crunchy” feel.  There is only one grade of buckwheat hulls, because all buckwheat hulls are the same. The buckwheat hulls that claim to be organic have been harvested, process, and prepared without using any chemicals or pesticides.  Some of the advantages of Buckwheat Hull pillows are as follows:

• Buckwheat hulls do not flatten.

• Can last ten years or longer.

• Excellent for allergy suffers.

• Circulate air, which allows the pillow to stay cool and dry.

3. Natural Latex: 

Latex is harvested by tapping the milk of the rubber tree, which is also called rubber serum.  The latex is a rapidly renewable resource (the tree begins to regenerate in about an hour).  Rubber trees can yield latex for as long as 30 years.  When the trees are harvested, the land is replanted.  Latex is superior to many other materials because it keeps its form and bounce yet will eventually biodegrade.

Citrus Sleep pick: Sweet ZZZ Natural Pillow or Plush Beds Natural Latex Pillow

4. Organic Cotton: 

Organic cotton is generally understood as cotton and is grown in subtropical countries such as Turkey, China, and USA from non genetically modified plants, that is believed to be grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides.  Cotton alone is an inferior stuffing because it mats down, but in addition conventional cotton uses 25% of the world’s pesticides and has a myriad of other health and environmental consequences. 

5. Wool: 

Wool is a great insulator since it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the cold seasons.  Wool is a natural textile made from the fleece of sheep.  Additionally, wool is naturally fire and water resistant, combats mold and mildew and is unappealing to dust mites.  It is readily available in organic options - meaning that it’s sheared or collected from organically raised sheep and is not treated with any toxic chemicals afterward.

Citrus Sleep picks: Plush Beds Handmade Wool Pillow, Birch Pillow

6. Eco-Friendly Memory Foam

Memory Foam is not organic or natural, but a few manufacturers are making it better and eco-friendly.  Look for plant based oils and climate controlled production, this eliminates the need for harsh chemicals to control the density and firmness due to seasonal changes in humidity and temperature.  We tested and reviewed the Live and Sleep premium memory foam pillow and loved how it enveloped our head and molded to our shape.  

Citrus Sleep picks: Live and Sleep Luxury Memory Foam Pillow or Nest Bedding Memory Foam Pillow

Karen A Mulvey is a personal social blogger and mom with 14 years of experience in the every day world of motherhood and sustainable product research. Karen is on a mission to help everyday families select sustainable, non-toxic organic products, stop stressing about uncertainties on sustainable home goods and apparel, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.

Follow Karen at @karenAmulveycs | Karen A Mulvey

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