Actually, the one I have, kind of fluff’s up by itself. But the pillow is a fairly lofty and dense. So it compresses and fluff’s back up. My horsehair pillow does the same thing.
I really have not had to beat the heck out of either the wool or the horsehair to keep either of them fluffy.
Actually it was my wool pillow, using it under my hip to shoulder on bad back days, that prompted me to get my 3" wool topper, which is awesome too.
They are just great!
Norm,
Those wouldn’t happen to be Wigwam Super 60s by any chance? I wore them with my Superstars in 8th grade and beyond. Even though I was a Clyde fan (still have a signed and mounted photo of him from a 3rd grade prize), I never got into Pumas.
These are the standard all wool, natural wool color, ones that come about 4 or 5 inches above the ankle. We would wear them over tube socks when playing basketball in junior high and high schools. It was the “look” in the mid 70’s.
The one that looks like this one.
Thanks for the recommendation for Bedgear. I tried one when we were mattress test. It seemed kind of hard. I have a Sleep on Latex pillow right now that works pretty well.
Pillows. Such a daunting task it is to find a suitable pillow. I was hoping to gift pillows to our grandkids that match the ones they like in our guest room, but alas, the new versions are now made in China and consist of more polyester than cotton or latex. Even though the encasement is embossed with the description, Organic Cotton, it’s 67% polyester. The promotion outlets (masked as reviewers) tell their viewers it’s wrapped in organic cotton.
@Cheri, we’ve spent 16 nights sleep testing the Bedgear Aspen 3.0 & Gamma 2.0 pillows. Our sleep begins with comfort and support and lasts for 3 hours before we awaken to reposition and reset the fill inside the pillow. I requested a Return Authorization.
Next up. A wool filled contour pillow by White Lotus Home.
I wish horse hair pillows weren’t so expensive and hard to find. Norm (Maverick) loves his. I guess we could go groom some horses and make our own.
Cheri, replying back to your post about the compartmented pillow. Here are some examples where the pillow is stitched in a way that keeps the filling under the neck. One is wool, the other is latex. Good luck! I love my wool pillow (mine is just wool, not a contour pillow) and find it supports my head and neck quite well, even after 3.5 years.
Thanks for your recommendations. I’ll check them out, but for now I’m ok with my latex pillow.
Considering doing a DIY pillow with a combination of shredded latex and wool bolus - any advice on how much I might need for two king pillows of medium loft?
I would say about 2.5 - 3lbs per pillow.
Are you planning to mix the fill or wrap latex with the wool, or do it with 2 pillow liner chambers? With 2 pillow chambers, one side can be latex, one side wool, like my horsehair and foam two chamber pillow i created.
@BedRuffles
I have a combination pillow that mimics the Saavy Rest pillow. It’s 75% wool bolas, 25% latex noodles (Talalay).
According to DIY Natural Bedding, a king pillow filled with wool bolas will require 4 pounds of filling. Mixing at the 75/25 ratio, that’s 3 pounds of wool and 1 pound of latex.
IME, the more you fluff it, the longer it will provide lasting comfort. Wool compresses over time. Any honest, reputable wool pillow maker will verify that.
I agree with @PapaMike, although the choice ultimately hinges on the desired feel for your pillow. Are you aiming to replicate a specific pillow’s sensation, perhaps one with a slight bounce or a firm yet soft support?
Personally, I’m not keen on blending both fibers and then stuffing the pillow, despite it being a method some opt for. Adjusting it later if it’s uncomfortable can be quite messy if you dont like the feel and want to separate the fiber mix.
As I previously mentioned, I opted for lightweight 100% cotton zippered “liners/cases” and filled each with the material of my preference. There are various approaches you can take.
One option is to create three chambers: two outer chambers with the same material and an inner one comprising the core.
Another option is to create a two chamber pillow with a different feel on each side.
Some pillows utilize wool batting for the outer layer and latex for the inner core.
Alternatively, you could use wool bolas for the outer chambers and latex for the center, or reverse the materials.
You can always mix the two fibers together for more uniform comfort feel.
In the case of my horsehair pillow, I have two chambers. Flipping the pillow allows me to switch between the latex/memory foam side for a softer feel with the firm support of the horsehair beneath, or for a firmer sensation with a slight springiness.
I am planning to create on with horsehair as the core and the outer portion with a wool batting or bolas, just have not decided yet.
There are numerous combinations to explore, each resulting in varying feels that will require varying weights. If you intend to simply blend the two fibers, the weights suggested by @PapaMike should suffice. I’d recommend making some extra stuffing, just in case adjustments are needed for your comfort preferences.
Here is a helpful explanation of how to position your head on a pillow for optimal neck support and alignment.
By dividing the pillow into three sections - head, middle, and foot - and aiming to rest your head in the middle or between the top and middle sections, you can ensure that your neck is properly supported.
Placing your head at the “foot” of the pillow can lead to strain on the neck and upper back due to lack of support and improper alignment.
By positioning your head in the center, the pillow contours to support your neck while maintaining support throughout the upper and lower thirds. It’s a simple yet effective technique for improving sleep posture and overall comfort.
Hi! Now that I’ve gotten the mattress sorted I’m only pillows and mattress protectors. I’m very interested in the horsehair pillow. Can you give some more clarity here? What are some recommendations? I personally love a squishy pillow but it’s not supportive enough. I have a tempurpedic cloud, and it’s on but it sometimes hurts my ear? I’m a back and side sleeper. I love down pillows. I just worry they don’t actually support. But I love the feel. I’d love more wisdom!
Congratulations on your new mattress! When it comes to pillows, preferences can be quite personal. If the Tempur Cloud causes discomfort for your ear, you might not find the horsehair pillow to be a better option.
The Tempur Cloud Pro offers excellent support and a soft, cushioned feel, creating a sensation of weightlessness as it contours to your head. You tend to feel the cradling very slighly, but still very soft on the head. In contrast, horsehair pillows are more supportive, their springiness presents itself once you remove you head and the pillow springs back to its regular shape.
The horsehair pillow doesn’t resist your head (with push back like a talalay latex or latex alternative pillow, ie malouf active dough) as you rest on it, but you will notice the presence of the fill as it compresses, causing the pillow to become firmer to the point at which it “locks in” to the weight of your presence on the pillow.
It’s a bit like comparing a firm supportive mattress to a soft, plush one.
If you prefer a soft, squishy pillow with good support, you might enjoy the @CozyPure Baa-Noodle pillow. It’s softer on the head compared to the Tempur Cloud Pro but still provides support without the bouncy push back of a solid latex pillow. The unique design of the noodles allows your head to sink in and be gently supported, offering a sensation similar to floating on a cloud, but without the bouncy rebound of solid Talalay latex.
I have made several noodle pillows of different fill amounts and combinations. Combining the noodles around the horsehair to give the pillow a softer landing with the supportiveness of the horsehair. I have combined the noodles with wool batting, and the horsehair with wool batting. All have their slight nuances to change the feel slightly.
One thing you have to pay close attention to is the loft of the pillow/s. I have found that overstuffing or under filling the pillow, changing it by more than 3/4" can cause the shoulder and upper back muscles to take notice of that change. This was a revelation that surprised me the most. A 3/4 - 1" or more change went unnoticed while sleeping, but I definitely felt it when I woke up.
What I think you may like about the latex noodles of the baa-noodle is the displacement of the noodles as you rest your head on it, will place less pressure on your ear. You barely feel this pillow under your head. The initial fill they send was much too squishy and soft for me, but adding some noodles to the pillows eventually got the loft height satisfactory, firmness for me comfortable, still maintaining that weightlessness feel.
The wool pillow covers that 45st seen here are excellent for the horsehair pillows as the cover dampens the “crunchy noise” that the horsehair can sometimes make as the hair is very course, this cover eliminates that. I sleep the most soundly on the horsehair of any material I have slept on. Like a deep uninterrupted sleep.
One thing you will notice with the horsehair, is temperature control. You feel no heat at all, like zero. You head does not feel warm at all.
The other pillows like the brooklyn bedding shredded foam, or the malouf dough are very good pillows, but you will feel the slight push back to your head. Some folks like that supportive feel in that way, others feel they are “fighting” the pillow. My wife simply loves the solid, medium firm, talalay pillow. Soft, squishy, a little pushback and hugging.
Hope this helps.
Maverick
I find my wool pillow to be squishy and supportive. The one I have is here - 4 years old and going strong! It is also adjustable - however, since I like a fairly full and fluffy pillow, I have not ever needed to take any of the fill out.
Some wool pillows are made with wool puffs so they feel like a down pillow. Down pillows can also be made in soft, medium or firm and some, like Ogallala, will adjust the firmness during a certain period after purchase.
A pillow is so important and I hope you find one that works for you! Let us know if we can help.
Hi Katie,
Does your wool pillow compact down and become firm as you sleep or does it remain with a buoyant feel as you sleep. One of my wool pillows has a fill that looks like the fill in the Obasan. It is filled fairly full and tight, so it starts off firm, not a lot of sink, but gets even firmer as the weight of your head rests on it as there is not much room for the fill to move around.
Aside from the horsehair, wool is the next best thing that sleeps very cool!
Hi there,
It does not become firm through the night but remains supportive. However, over time, the wool does tamp down a bit.
So twice a year, I freshen it by pulling clumps apart. Then, I set it out in the sun for a few hours. This helps it get more ‘fluffy’ again. I describe the process here
Maverick, is your wool pillow adjustable? Perhaps a little less wool would feel better, although horsehair is probably the most responsive of all!
Yes, it has a zippered inner liner so I could pull some out, but when I do use it, I like the loft. I know when I use my pillow with wool batting layers, that one has no bounce at all, so I started to use the layers of batting to wrap around other pillow fills to make them breath a bit better, particularly on some of my latex or memory foam fill experiments.
If it is not sewn in, I am pulling, fluffing, folding and futzing around to create something new. The wool fill that is in the form of fluff down balls is intriguing to me. I have to get one of those to see how it responds.