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The Happsy Organic Latex pillow.
The best natural material pillows will have third-party certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Latex Standard), Greenguard Gold, GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) and Eco Institut. This ensures the purity of the materials. Some manufacturers will say that their products are made with natural latex when in fact they are made with a blend of synthetic latex and a small percentage of natural latex. Synthetic latex is less durable and will off-gas chemicals into your home environment.
Natural material pillows other than latex are typically made of Kapok tree fibre, latex, down and wool. Latex pillows can either be solid Dunlop or Talalay latex, shredded latex or latex ribbons. Pillows are available in a variety of sizes including standard, queen and king. Savvy Rest makes a body pillow, which is available in Kapok, shredded latex, wool, and a wool-latex blend.
| Name | Visual | Check Latest Price | Core Material | Cover | Certifications | Sizes | Visual | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talalay Latex Pillow by Ecosleep (Brooklyn Bedding)  |  |  | Talalay Latex | Organic Cotton | Queen, King. | | Talalay Latex Pillow by Ecosleep (Brooklyn Bedding) |
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| Avocado Green Pillow by Avocado Green  |  | | Organic Latex Ribbons, Kapok fiber. | Organic Cotton | Greenguard Gold (entire pillow) | Standard Queen King | | Avocado Green Pillow by Avocado Green |
| Organic Pillow by Happsy  |  | | Solid Latex (Organic) | Organic Cotton | GOTS GOLS | Standard Queen | | Organic Pillow by Happsy |
| Shredded Latex Pillow by Latex For Less  |  | | Shredded Latex | Organic Cotton | Oeko-Tex | Standard King Queen | | Shredded Latex Pillow by Latex For Less |
| Solid Latex Pillow by Latex For Less |  | | Solid Latex | Organic Cotton | Oeko-Tex | Standard King Queen | | Solid Latex Pillow by Latex For Less |
| Talalay Latex Pillow by Luma  |  | | Solid Latex (Talalay) | Cotton | Standard (Plush or Medium-Firm) 5″x30″x18″ | | Talalay Latex Pillow by Luma |
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| Natural Shropshire Wool Pillow by Luma |  | undefined | Wool | Cotton | Standard Queen King | | Natural Shropshire Wool Pillow by Luma |
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| Down Blend Pillow by Plush Beds  |  | | Feather and down blend | Cotton | GreenGuard Gold Oeko-Tex USDA Organic GOTS | Standard Queen King | | Down Blend Pillow by Plush Beds |
| Shredded Latex Pillow by Plush Beds |  | | Shredded Latex (Organic) | Cotton | GreenGuard Gold Oeko-Tex USDA Organic GOTS GOLS | Standard Queen King | | Shredded Latex Pillow by Plush Beds |
| Solid Natural Latex Pillow by Plush Beds |  | | Solid Latex | Cotton | GreenGuard Gold Oeko-Tex USDA Organic GOTS GOLS | Standard Queen King | | Solid Natural Latex Pillow by Plush Beds |
| Organic Wool Pillow by Plush Beds |  | | Wool | Cotton | GreenGuard Gold Oeko-Tex USDA Organic GOTS | Standard Queen King | | Organic Wool Pillow by Plush Beds |
| Solid Latex Pillow by Sleep EZ  |  | | Solid Latex (Dunlop) | Cotton | GOLS, OekoTex, GOTS, Eco-Institut | Standard Queen King | | Solid Latex Pillow by Sleep EZ |
| Shredded Latex Pillow by SleepEZ |  | | Shredded Latex | Tencel | GOLS, OekoTex, GOTS, Eco-Institut | Standard Queen King | | Shredded Latex Pillow by SleepEZ |
| Cloud Pillow by Vytex  |  | | Dunlop Latex | Cotton Cover | Eco Institut, Rainforest Alliance | Queen, King, Body Pillow | | Cloud Pillow by Vytex |
| Natural Talalay Pillow by Savvy Rest  |  | | Solid Latex (Talalay) | Organic Cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Standard Queen King | | Natural Talalay Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Organic Body Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Available in: Kapok, Shredded Latex, Wool, Wool-Latex. | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | 15″ pillow: 15″W x 48″L 17″ pillow: 17″W x 52″L 20″ pillow: 20″W x 52″L | | Organic Body Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Organic Kapok Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Organic Kapok | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Standard Queen King | | Organic Kapok Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Organic Latex Contour Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Solid Latex (Dunlop) | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Standard Queen | | Organic Latex Contour Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Organic Latex Soap-Shaped Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Solid Latex (Dunlop) | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Standard Queen King | | Organic Latex Soap-Shaped Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Shredded Latex Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Shredded Latex | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Mini Standard Queen King | | Shredded Latex Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Wool Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Wool | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Mini Standard Queen King | | Wool Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Wool-Latex Pillow by Savvy Rest |  | | Wool, Shredded Latex. | Organic cotton | GOTS GreenGuard Gold USDA Organic ECO Institut | Standard Queen King | | Wool-Latex Pillow by Savvy Rest |
| Shredded Latex Pillow by PureTree  |  | | Shredded latex. | Organic Cotton cover | USDA organic, GOLS, OEKO-TEX, GOTS. | Queen, King | | Shredded Latex Pillow by PureTree |
| Contour Pillow by PureTree |  | | Dunlop Latex | Organic Cotton Cover | USDA organic, GOLS, OEKO-TEX, GOTS. | Standard | | Contour Pillow by PureTree |
Why make the switch to a natural latex pillow?
You may want to switch to a natural latex or natural material pillow for health reasons. Pillows made with natural materials will not off-gas toxic chemicals into your living environment.
Additionally, latex has grown in popularity in the sleep industry because it is durable, highly responsive and breathable. Contrary to memory foam, which takes a long time to react, natural latex foam pillows react instantly and have an amazing ability to contour your body shape. Natural latex will outlast polyurethane foam and polyester filling by at least two times. So say goodbye to that sagging polyester fill pillow, and try a durable, natural and non-toxic latex pillow.
The advantages of natural latex pillows are many, but here are a few key points to consider.
Natural latex pillows are:
- durable
- responsive and contour your body shape
- hypoallergenic
- antimicrobial
- dust mite resistant
- mould and mildew resistant
- biodegradable
- made from renewable resources
How to choose a natural material pillow
Your sleeping style will determine what type of pillow you should choose.
Back sleepers: back sleepers need less pillow height than side sleepers to keep the spine properly aligned. If you are a back sleeper, you will benefit the most from a pillow filled with shredded latex, wool or a down-latex blend. You can also go for a soft solid latex pillow. Ensure that the pillow does not elevate your head too much, as this could cause tension in your neck and spine.
Side sleepers: a pillow with a higher loft is better for side sleepers. When you are sleeping on your side, your shoulder creates more space between you and the mattress, so a solid latex pillow or a contoured latex pillow will aid in maintaining proper spinal alignment.
Stomach sleepers: a thin pillow is best for stomach sleeping. If your head is elevated too high during sleep, you may have a more pronounced arch in the back. This may lead to strain in the lower back. Most natural pillows that aren’t made of solid latex have a zippered shell. With the zippered access, the natural filling material can be added or taken away to adjust the loft of the pillow.
All around sleepers: some experimentation will be needed to find the right type of pillow. If you try a solid latex pillow or a contoured latex pillow, go with soft, low-density latex. This will minimize the chance that you experience neck strain when you sleep on your back and your stomach but should support you enough when you sleep on your side.
Beware Of Synthetic Latex Blends Posing as Genuine Latex Pillows
Some companies on the market are taking advantage of market trends by selling pillows they claim are made with “natural latex” when in fact, they are synthetic blends. People that want to invest in a natural latex pillow want a product that is healthy and durable at a competitive price. Several companies on Amazon.com are marketing their products as made with “natural latex” when in fact they are made with petrochemical-derived foam blended with a small amount of natural latex.
The result is a product that is less durable and that will have a strong chemical smell when new. When purchasing a natural latex product, look for third-party certifications to ensure that it is made with 100% natural materials. For latex pillows, the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) will give you the confidence that the pillow you are purchasing contains only natural latex and not a synthetic blend.
Optimizing your sleep
Getting set up with a natural latex pillow or a natural fibre pillow is one step you can take to get better sleep. This is important because the quality of your sleep increases your ability to be the best version of yourself during the day.
In addition to having a good sleep setup that included a natural latex mattress and a natural pillow, you can prepare your bedroom for the best sleep possible. Here are a couple of suggestions of what you can do to optimize your sleep experience.
- Shut off all devices at least an hour before bed. By doing this, you will avoid blue light from screens, which can stimulate your senses and prevent you from falling asleep.
- Have some calming tea before bed. A couple of sips of herbal tea about an hour before bed will hydrate you, aid in digestion and calm you down for bedtime. A few flavours you can try are chamomile, Rooibos, valerian root, lavender, lemon balm and passionflower.
- Listen to calming music. Some light classical music will put you right to sleep. There are some great playlists on Spotify and Youtube. Search for “Relaxing Classical Playlist”. You’ll want the right headphones that will enable you to sleep on your side without discomfort, so large over-ear headphones won’t do. One model I suggest is the Bedphones Sleep Headphones by Moonbow. They have a low profile which enables you to sleep on your side without experiencing any discomfort.
- Listen to guided meditation. Guided meditation will help slow down and regulate your breathing. Many guided meditations will get you to visualize parts of your body and relax every possible muscle in that particular area. By doing guided meditation on a regular basis, you will learn how to disengage from fleeting anxiety-causing thoughts, which can lead to insomnia. The ideal set of headphones use for this purpose will allow you to sleep on your side without any discomfort. The Bedphones Sleep Headphones by Moonbow are flat and have Bluetooth connectivity, so you can be free of cables. They are ideal for changing sleeping positions and lying down on your side. You won’t be tangled with the headphone cable if you toss around a bit while falling asleep.
