Why We Don’t Use Organic Cotton as Pillow Fill

We love organic cotton. In fact, the outer cover of every pillow we make is crafted from certified organic cotton grown in the USA.

So naturally, we wondered: could we use organic cotton inside the pillow too?

We tried.

We tested pure cotton as a loose pillow fill and worked with it in several different ways. What we found was that it required a surprisingly large amount to create enough loft (which made the pillow very heavy), and even then, it compressed quickly and lost its shape. Instead of staying soft, springy, and responsive, it tended to become flatter and firmer with use, which made it in our opinion uncomfortable to sleep on, not to mention a nightmare to wash and dry!

Although that firm-flat feel may suit someone who prefers a very dense, low-profile pillow, it did not create the comfortable, adjustable sleep experience we wanted for ourselves and our customers — especially our young ones.  It also didn't live up to the easy-to-clean nature we know is important in a pillow.

We also did not want to rely on coatings, treatments, or unnecessary additives simply to make the cotton behave like a more resilient filling material.

So we made a different choice.

We use certified organic cotton where it matters most: against the skin. Inside, we use our washable, hypoallergenic KindCore™ FiberFill because it keeps its shape, can be adjusted for comfort, and stands up well to everyday use and laundering.

For us, the most natural-sounding material was not automatically the best-performing material.

Comfort, washability, durability, and long-term customer satisfaction mattered more—and after nearly two decades of making pillows, that remains the choice we feel best about.