Have you been searching for the best organic pillow like I was?  Well, if you have been and struck out, don’t worry, I’ve got your back!  I’ve tested out many options and I’m here to report on my favorites.  Finding a pillow shouldn’t be a hard process, but it can be if you don’t know where to start.  I am taking the guesswork out so you can find your perfect pillow, minus the toxic load. And don’t miss out on my discount code to save on my favorite organic pillow!

*Affiliate Disclosure: I do have affiliate links in this blog post. If you purchase something from my link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.  This comes at no cost to you, but is paid by the company.  I do not take becoming an affiliate with any company lightly.  If I am, it’s because I believe in the company and their product.SaveSave

What toxins could be lurking in your pillow?

Yes, even your pillow can have some sort of toxic chemical in it. Some things to look out for when looking for a new pillow include:

• Polyester Materials – A synthetic material derived from petroleum. It is not sustainable and is not biodegradable. It is ultimately a ‘plastic’ making it highly flammable, so it will most likely be treated with some sort of flame retardant.  
• Non-Organic Cotton – If it’s not organic it has been sprayed with harmful herbicides and pesticides. In fact 25 percent of the world’s pesticides and 10 percent of insecticides go to cotton crops every year – of which many are carcinogenic or tumor promotors. 
• Flame Retardants – Since synthetic materials are so flammable, they require flame retardants to be applied. These flame retardants bioaccumulate in people and are associated with adverse health effects like endocrine/thyroid dysfunction, impacts on the immune system, reproductive toxicity, cancer, neurological function, and adverse effects on child/fetal development. 
• Memory Foam – Made of polyurethane and known to off-gas VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Memory foam is an extremely toxic substance to be using in anything, let alone our mattresses and pillows that we sleep on for hours an night. 

Breathing VOCs can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, can cause difficulty breathing and nausea, and can damage the central nervous system as well as other organs.  Some VOCs can cause cancer. Not all VOCs have all these health effects, though many have several.

Besides the toxic load it puts on your body, investing in a conventional pillow also puts a toxic load and burden on the environment.  The herbicides and pesticides are then thrown back into our environment where they end up in our streams, lakes and rivers.  Then they make their way into our water streams.  I think sometimes people forget that when you purchase something you are casting a vote for the kind of world we live in.  Good or bad- it’s up to us to make our voice heard!

As you can see picking up a new pillow requires a little more thought than just going to Target.  Whenever I think about detoxing my home, I really have to stop and think about what kind of impact this will have on my health.  In my opinion, pillows are pretty high on the priority list.  Since you spend so much time sleeping, the toxic load of your pillow adds up.  I want the peace of mind knowing what I lay my head on at night is not negatively impacting my health.

Something to think about…

I’ve seen “organic” pillows popping up in Costco or Target and other major retailers that aren’t necessarily organic.  Allow me to explain.  Marketers are catching on and realizing consumers want to see the word organic.  So they’re putting organic on anything and everything these days.  I’ll see “organic” pillows at these stores for $10 or $15- which isn’t possible if it’s truly organic.  What they really mean is the cotton sheet encasing the fill of the pillow is organic but not the actual fill of the pillow.  Which can be hard to know unless you’ve done your research.  Bottom line: don’t be fooled by marketers and always ask lots of questions!  If it seems too good to be true it often is.

What to look for when shopping for an organic pillow

• Organic Cotton- Make sure it is certified GOTS ensuring it has gone through testing to vouch for its pureness. Cotton is a firmer option, but not the firmest.  More of a medium-firm support
• Organic Wool- Naturally flame resistant and pest resistant.  Also, naturally microbial.  It’s also comfortable in the summer and winter because of its insulative properties.  Some people can be allergic to wool, so something to consider. Also a medium firmness.
• Organic Buckwheat- These pillows are made from buckwheat hulls.  They offer firm support for your head.  They are great at circulating the air, which helps you stay cool throughout the night.  They’re also naturally resistant to pests.
• Kapok- It’s a natural fiber that comes from the Ceiba Tree in Central America.  This is a vegan option for those who like a down pillow. It’s fluffy like a down pillow but plant based.  It has an overall lighter feel than cotton as well.
• Latex- Shredded latex is great for those who like a soft pillow.  Your head will sink into these pillows.  They will keep you cooler too.  It is similar to conventional memory foam but without the toxic chemicals. It’s also mold and mite resistant, 100% biodegradable, and even antimicrobial.

***You will want to avoid synthetic materials, non-organic cotton, and down pillows**

3rd Party Certifications You Might See When Shopping for an Organic Pillow

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): The worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers. The USDA recognizes GOTS as the standard for organic consumer goods.
• Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS): A globally recognized standard for products made out of organically grown natural rubber latex.
• OEKO-TEX: If a brand carries this certification every component of the end product has been tested for harmful substances and of course comes back negative. This means there are no substances in the product that are harmful to human health.
• UL/Greenguard Gold: A certification that tests products/materials for chemical emissions. Those that achieve certification are helping to reduce indoor air pollution and chemical exposure.
• MADESAFE: The MADESAFE certification is a rigorous process that, if a brand is able to achieve it, signifies that their products are made with ingredients not known or suspected to cause human health harm. This certification can be for anything from baby, personal care, household products and so much more.

What type of pillow is best for you?

This depends on a few things, but mostly your sleep position and your preference for firmness will dictate which type of pillow will work out best for you. 

White Lotus Home has a post all about each pillow they have and who they work best for that you can read about here!

White Lotus Home: Best Organic Pillows

White Lotus Home offers pure and natural mattresses, bedding, and home furnishings all made in the USA.  It’s your one-stop shop to clean up your bedroom!  Their product line includes all American raw materials whenever possible.  Here’s an excerpt from their website: 

“Over the years, White Lotus Home has maintained a simple, two-fold objective: to offer products that are non-threatening to the planet and its inhabitants and to educate consumers about the benefits of natural bedding. White Lotus Home handcrafts quality products designed to last, and in the process, we aim to cut down on waste during every aspect of our products’ life cycle.” -White Lotus Home

When I was choosing my pillow options to try out they were so helpful.  Walking me through the whole process and asking questions to ensure I had the best options for how I sleep.  If you’re looking for a good quality pillow that isn’t going to off-gas toxins I would definitely look into White Lotus Home.  They really offer so many great options for natural pillows.  

What I love too about White Lotus Home is that each of their pillows comes in a smooth 100% organic cotton sateen pillow casing.  You can know your pillow is well made from start to finish!  Also, I love the zippered option they offer.  It doesn’t cost much more to have it included and it gives you the ability to customize your pillow fill!  

My family and I tested out 3 different kinds of pillows from White Lotus Home AND we all found one that worked best for us and that we love!

Shop White Lotus Home pillows here and use code GGG for 20% off your purchase!

White Lotus Home Shredded Latex Pillow

Details:

• Available in many sizes – from travel up to body pillows
• Encased in an organic sateen cotton pillow casing 
• Described as a super soft pillow
• The latex is temperature neutral
• Latex is mold and mite resistant and naturally antimicrobial -so especially great for those with allergies
• OEKO-TEX certified latex

My husband LOVES this pillow and so do I!  The shredded latex pillow is a soft pillow that you can sink your head into. Similar to a memory foam pillow, but not full of all the harmful chemicals. It stays cool and lasts a long time, unlike conventional memory foam. Even better, there is no off-gassing like memory foam. And the pillow really holds its shape as time passes.

My hubs had been on me for a while to pick up a new pillow.  He’s a side sleeper and likes his pillow to have some softness with it, but still offer some support.  The shredded latex pillow hit the nail on the head for him.  He said he’s never had a pillow he’s loved more!  The overall weight of the pillow is pretty heavy, it reminds me of a down pillow a little. We got the zippered case so we can customize the fill. I love this feature!  

Related Content: Blissy Silk Pillowcase Review

White Lotus Home 100% Organic Cotton Pillow

Details:

• Available in many sizes – from travel up to body pillows
• Encased in an organic sateen cotton pillow casing 
• Described as their “Goldilocks” pillow. Not too soft and not too firm – a medium-firm support.
• The pillows are hand stuffed with GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton

So this is the pillow I got for myself. These pillows are hand stuffed with their GOTS certified organic cotton to avoid lumps. I initially liked this pillow ok, but then after trying my husband’s shredded latex, I was sold on that one versus this one.  Personally, the organic cotton is too firm for me and it got flat fairly quickly. This is great if you sleep on your stomach – which I don’t.

I got the medium fill because I knew I could always take some fill out if I wanted to.  It felt a little firm initially so I did take some of the cotton out.  Another perk of getting the zippered case!  That helped a lot.  Then I felt my head could sink more into the pillow and not be so stiff.  It’s also nice because once the pillow flattens out a little, you can go back and add more fill. You may love this pillow but it wasn’t my favorite (I’m a side sleeper, occasionally a back sleeper).

White Lotus Home Kapok Pillow

Details:

• Available in many sizes – from travel up to body pillows
• Encased in an organic sateen pillow casing
• Super soft and fluffy- White Lotus Home’s best selling sleep pillow!
• Filled with Kapok – a natural fiber that is a vegan and sustainable alternative to down.   

This is a great option for a side or back sleeper.  This one felt light on the head and not as firm as the cotton or as supportive as the shredded latex.  It is definitely lighter than cotton overall.  It seemed more breathable than my cotton one too.  It does get lumpy the more you sleep on it.  You can fluff it out a bit but it doesn’t quite hold its shape as well.  I got these for my kids.  I like this option because they’re more budget-friendly compared to the other two options but a completely safe/nontoxic pillow.  They have used them for several years and they’ve held up, minus the lumps at times.  

If you aren’t familiar with Kapok, this is a natural fiber that comes from the Ceiba Tree in Central America. Kapok fibers come from the tree’s seed pods, which shed seasonally, meaning there is no machinery required to harvest it.  Kapok is fluffy like down, but plant-based like cotton.  It’s a great vegan down alternative. 

***I didn’t get to try out their wool or buckwheat options but their reviews look great for both of those pillows as well!

Shop White Lotus Home pillows here and use code GGG for 20% off your purchase!

Conclusion: Should you buy organic pillows?

I would definitely recommend investing in an organic nontoxic pillow.  Since we sleep ⅓ of our lives, that’s a lot of time spent with your head on a pillow.  If you’re not sleeping on an organic pillow of some kind, then you’re probably exposing yourself to harmful chemicals every night when you lay your head down.  This adds up over time and can really be a toxic burden to your body.  It’s an easy switch that can make a big difference!

Have you found an organic pillow you love?

If you liked this post, check out these past posts:

• Organic Cotton Sheets
• Naturepedic Mattress Review
• Best Organic Mattresses (Made in the USA)