When deciding on the best pillow to suit your needs, you may consider bamboo pillows. These are a popular choice among those looking for a pillow made from natural fiber. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass, making it an eco-friendly material. When woven into fabric it’s often combined with other materials, resulting in a soft yet durable pillow. Bamboo is naturally lightweight, antimicrobial, and hypoallergenic, making it a good choice for those with allergies.
Typically, bamboo pillows have a memory foam filling with a cover made of a bamboo-derived material. The desired loft (height) of your pillow will depend on if you’re a stomach, back, or side sleeper. Many bamboo pillows feature adjustable filling, making them a comfortable and ergonomic choice for side, back, and stomach sleepers. Bamboo is also naturally lightweight, which promotes ventilation through the pillow. This breathability will keep you cool during warm nights or if you’re a naturally warm sleeper.
Many options exist on the market, however, so it can be difficult to decipher which companies are making high-quality pillows. Below we’ll break down what to look for when buying a bamboo pillow and how to know you’re getting a good product.
How to Choose a Bamboo Pillow
The best bamboo pillow for you will depend on what type of fill you’d like, what loft (height) is most comfortable for you, and your budget. A few other things to consider before buying are how to clean the pillow and what the return policy and warranty include.
Fill Material
Most bamboo pillows are filled with memory foam. Memory foam is created through a chemical treatment that turns it into a squishy, supportive, and conforming material. It’s designed to cradle or hug your head, neck, and shoulders. It’s also designed to bounce back into its original shape when there’s no weight on it.
Bamboo pillows with memory foam come in two types: shredded and solid core. Shredded memory foam is, as the name implies, small pieces of memory foam encased in an inner liner within the pillow. Some pillows include a zipper on this liner so the user can remove or add shredded memory foam to adjust the fill level. The amount of filling affects the loft and firmness of the pillow, adding a level of customization that makes these pillows suitable for sleepers in any sleeping position. If your desired loft is higher than the original pillow, many manufacturers will provide extra filling at no charge.
Solid core memory foam is the other common fill in bamboo pillows. As the name suggests, this memory foam is a solid piece. The piece is cut to the specific size of the pillow. These can either be a flat surface or contoured to support the neck, head, and shoulders. Some solid memory foam includes small holes in the foam to promote airflow and ventilation, making these an ideal choice for warm nights.
