‘Down’ is the softer under-feather that ducks and geese use for insulation; it is usually considerably softer than the outer feathers. The quills are normally very thin and pliable, unlike outer feathers, which can be tough. Often, down is sourced from birds that generally live in cold climates (Scandinavia, Russia, etc.), as their down will tend to be thickest and softest.

To be considered a down pillow, the filling needs to be at least 75% down. Often, manufacturers will use other, cheaper materials, such as feathers, to make up for the rest. When this is the case, material is often inside an inner core within the pillow, which is then surrounded by down to give external softness.

Down pillows are usually very smooth with no lumps, and although the down can occasionally escape from the pillow cover, it usually won’t poke you like feathers. Down is not cheap; down pillows are usually among the most expensive and luxurious.

Should I choose goose down pillows or duck down pillows?

Goose down pillows are often considered more luxurious than duck down due to the larger tufts of down, which provides slightly more insulation. They are usually more expensive pillows as well. Basically with down pillows, the more you pay, the better quality down you get. Geese have more down than ducks, and the farther north they come, the warmer it is. The price tag goes up as well, but you can feel the difference.

Make sure to buy from a reputable down pillow retailer, such as John Lewis, The White Company, or Soak & Sleep. We have previously checked their animal welfare policies, and they should all adhere to strict guidelines for ethically sourcing down. They should also sell properly washed down that is fresh and soft and minimizes allergies—note that dust mites, not down and feathers, cause allergies.

Also make sure the pillow cover is high-thread cotton so that no downy tufts and quills escape. That sorted, you won’t regret buying a down pillow—they’re my personal favourite (ed. Suzie!)

Pillow advisor summary: Although a bit pricey, nothing feels as soft and luxurious as a down pillow. They aren’t ideal where support or neck pain relief is required—quite often you may need another pillow underneath—but they won’t disappoint in almost all other circumstances.

• Pros: Tend to make the softest pillows; nice and light, cool and airy, easy to shape, long-lasting, quiet
• Cons: Feathers can sometimes poke through the cover (though usually not spiky like feathers); do not offer a lot of support or height—not great for side sleepers; can be expensive; will need occasional fluffing and shaking to get back into shape; not ideal for allergy sufferers unless the down has been correctly processed.

What are feather pillows?

A feather pillow is made using a ‘feather-proof’ outer cover (to stop the feather quills poking through) and is filled with wing and back feathers of duck and geese. Feathers alone can be a little rough, and so a feather pillow will usually contain a small percentage of down to soften it up a little.

If you’re buying a feather pillow, the quality of the feathers used and the cover are especially important. A good quality feather pillow will smell fresh and will be stuffed with washed and sorted high-grade feathers, making it less likely to contain dust and cause allergies.

The most important thing to consider when buying feather pillows is to make sure that the cover is made from good-quality cotton with a densely woven, high thread count—a thread count of more than 240 gsm (the higher the better) should keep dust mites out and help keep spiky feather quills in. In other words, it will make sure that you get a better night’s sleep on your pillow.

A down/feather mix pillow will always be more comfortable—giving you the softness of down and the support of feathers.

Pillow advisor summary: Used to be popular, but 100% feather pillows are not particularly recommended unless you sleep mostly on your back or front and feather pillows are your thing.

• Pros: Usually inexpensive, soft, easy to shape, durable—have a good lifespan
• Cons: The feather quills can regularly poke through even the toughest cover—they’re spiky! Do not offer a lot of support or height—not ideal for side sleepers, can be a bit noisy, will need regular fluffing and shaking to get back into shape, and is not great for allergy sufferers unless it’s super quality and you use a pillow protector.

Whylatex latex pillows.

Latex is a natural polymer derived from plants and trees, although it can also be synthesized. When latex is used as a pillow filling, it is foamed to create a matrix of tiny interconnected bubbles, which give it bounce and spring. This latex sponge is very reactive to pressure, but unlike memory foam, it has instant bounce-back, so it is very good for back and neck problems, as latex relieves pressure when sleeping (see video below)

It is generally sold as a memory foam competitor, though in reality it offers different properties and a different experience from memory foam. The good news is that much latex is now produced sustainably from plantations that grow latex rubber trees, so it is a potentially more environmentally friendly pillow-filling option than memory foam or synthetic fillings.

Generally, latex pillows do not provide the ‘sinking in feeling’ associated with memory foam, and they also have better moisture and heat dissipation properties than memory foam. Latex pillows are also effective as orthopedic pillows because they provide excellent support for neck pain and are beneficial for allergy sufferers by prohibiting dust mites. The downside is that you can’t shape them to fit; you’re stuck with the fixed height.

Latex pillows have some of the highest satisfaction ratings of all pillows and can offer you a very comfortable, pain-free night, but make sure you buy one of the right height for you. Not for you if you like a lighter, moldable pillow, though.

• Pros: Very long-lasting natural material, cooler and more airy than memory foam, shapes itself to the head and neck. Soft and supportive, offering effective pressure relief, holds its shape well, quiet
• Cons: It can be expensive, heavy, and fixed in shape and height, so if a pillow is not right, you can’t adjust it; it can smell strange to begin with.

What is Memory Foam?

Wool pillows are natural, antiallergenic, supportive, warm, and cool. 

Increasing in popularity, wool is a more environmentally friendly option than man-made, synthetic fillings, which are made from polyester. These polyester fillings are all made through a chemical reaction involving coal, petroleum, air and water. Would you have ever guessed there was petrol in your bedding?

Environmentally friendly

Fossil-fuel-free, wool is excellent at repelling dust mites—it is naturally anti-allergenic, as long as you’re not allergic to wool itself!—and brilliant at absorbing moisture. A sheep’s fleece insulates the sheep’s body, helping to maintain a constant body temperature by providing protection from the extremes of cold in the winter and heat in the summer. This all means that wool is a fantastic material to use for bedding, helping to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Temperature-regulating: good for little children
Wool can therefore be a wonderful choice for people who get hot heads in bed: toddlers, children and anyone going through menopause. Because the natural fibers absorb moisture, you also don’t get a sweaty patch on your pillow, as you might do with a polyester / synthetic pillow. So for little ones who can’t regulate their body temperature well, wool is the best choice for a children’s pillow or toddler’s pillow. This ability to regulate humidity also means, bizarrely, that wool is a really good option if you live in hotter, tropical countries, too.

Heavier pillows

A wool pillow is naturally much heavier and firmer than synthetic pillows or down and feather pillows, so it stays where you put it and doesn’t end up halfway down the bed. So, for this reason, too, they work well as children’s pillows. They’re supportive but flat, which is beneficial for front sleepers or those toddlers who mainly sleep on their tummies or sides. Alternatively, you could double up your pillows if you need a bit more support on your back or side.

Recyclable and fully biodegradable, wool pillows definitely meet any ‘green’ sustainability criteria. And there are a couple of good organic wool pillows available with 100% cotton covers for those readers who would like to be as eco-friendly as they can be.

Can you wash wool pillows? 

Traditionally used in beanbags, little polystyrene foam balls are often used as the filling to make microbead travel pillows and microbead neck pillows (the ‘U’-shaped pillows that you wear around your neck while on a plane or train). Microbead pillows are filled with thousands of tiny polystyrene beads. The outer casing is usually made of a soft man-made and elastic material such as lycra or spandex.

The characteristics of a microbead pillow are that it is exceptionally soft and pliable and has a very different feel from most other pillow types. Microbead sleeping pillows are often cylinder-shaped and are designed to be shaped and molded to the users’ requirements.

The microbeads used in pillows and cushions are bigger than those used in cosmetics but still present potential environmental hazards when they’re disposed of. They can also potentially be a choking hazard for very small babies and animals if a cushion spills its contents of thousands of tiny beads.

What are buckwheat pillows?