Pillow Buying Guide

A good night’s sleep starts with the right pillow. Whether you prefer a firm pillow or a soft and breathable pillow, choosing the right one for you is essential for a quality night’s rest.

When buying a pillow, the main things to consider are:

• Sleeping position: Are you a side, back or front sleeper? Each requires different pillow types.
• Firmness level: Do you need a firmer pillow for extra support or a softer one for a plush feel?
• Pillow filling: You can opt for a synthetic filling, such as polyester or foam, or a natural filling, like down.

Hannah Shore, our Head of Sleep Science, has put together this pillow buying guide to help you find your perfect pillow.

How to choose the best pillow

Choosing a pillow isn’t as easy as you might think. A pillow should properly support your head, neck, and spine for a comfortable, restful sleep. The right pillow can significantly improve your sleep quality and overall well-being.

Which type of pillow do I need for my sleeping position?

While pillows are very much a personal choice, front, back and side sleepers often benefit from different types of pillows.

Side sleepers often need a deeper-filled pillow for higher levels of support. For side sleepers, the pillow should fill the space between the shoulder and ear to keep the spine aligned and prevent discomfort.

In contrast, front and back sleepers require a shallower pillow with a low level of support to keep proper spinal alignment when lying down and reduce the risk of aches and pains.

Which pillow firmness is best for me?

When choosing a pillow, it's a good idea to think about the 'squish factor'. A pillow with a softer firmness will compress more, reducing the overall support you will have to correctly position your head. For example, if you like to sleep on your side, and prefer a soft pillow, you may need to choose a thicker pillow to ensure you get the correct support.

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A guide to pillow types

Pillows generally fall into three categories, each with their own unique benefits:

• Polyester
• Foam
• Natural

Polyester pillows

Polyester pillows are a popular choice due to their price and comfort. There are two different types of polyester pillow – hollowfibre and microfibre – both designed to mimic natural fibres. Polyester pillows are generally more common than natural or foam, usually due to their price. They can also be made by using recycled plastics and can be recycled (via a responsible recycler) at the end of their life.

Hollowfibre pillows

Each fibre in a hollowfibre pillow is spun from plastic chips to create a soft and fluffy filling. These fibres are made with a hollow center to allow air to circulate throughout more freely, meaning they dry out quickly.

Microfibre pillows

Microfibre pillows are a type of polyester pillow, and as the name suggests, they are made of microfibre. Microfibre pillows have much finer fibres. These are tightly woven together allowing little to no space between them. Due to this, they mimic the feeling of natural materials, like down, and are very breathable so dry out quickly, creating a refreshing sleeping environment.

Polyester pillows: pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Excellent at wicking moisture away	Requires regular plumping
Retains the plump shape well	Not cool to the touch
Easy to wash	Can lack the firm support of foam pillows
Often treated to resist dust mites (good for allergies)	Lacks the inherent breathability of natural and latex pillows

Foam pillows

There are two types of foam pillows – gel and memory foam. Foam pillows are much denser than polyester and natural pillows, offering sturdier support. However, this doesn’t always mean foam pillows are firm; foam can be made at different densities, meaning the foam in your pillow may be a lot softer than the foam you find in your mattress.

Memory foam pillows

Memory foam pillows, also known as viscoelastic pillows, are a type of foam that reacts with your body heat and molds to the shape of your body. These pillows may start out a little firm in the beginning of the night, especially if your room is on the chilly side, but throughout the night they will soften up and provide a comfortable sleeping solution.

Gel foam pillows

Gel foam pillows are made from a type of foam and have a more open cell structure when compared to memory foam pillows. This allows air to flow throughout the product more than other foams. Unlike memory foam, gel does not react to body heat meaning you will not sink it as much as you do a memory foam pillow.

Foam pillows: pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Retains the shape well	Retains heat more than other materials
Highly supportive	Not cool to the touch
Durable and robust	May be too firm for some
Available in different shapes to support your neck	Cannot be washed in a washing machine

Natural pillows

The most common natural filling pillows are duck or goose feathers and down, although wool options are becoming increasingly popular. Natural pillows are soft and comfortable, but their filling can ‘settle’ overnight, requiring more frequent plumping than polyester pillows. If you suffer from allergies, ensure you check which materials are used in the filling to avoid exacerbating your symptoms.

Feather and down pillows

Feather pillows are made with a 'quill-proof' outer cover (to stop the sharp points sticking through) and are packed with back and wing feathers from geese and ducks. Pillows that only contain feathers can feel slightly rough so the majority will add in a bit of down to soften things up and increase comfort.

Down pillows are made from the softer under-feathers which insulate ducks and geese so are a great deal softer than the outer feathers. Goose-down pillows are considered more luxurious than duck-down pillows because they contain larger tufts, providing better insulation.

Wool pillows

Wool pillows are increasing in popularity due to their thermal insulating qualities which keep you at the optimal temperature year-round. The main source of wool for pillows in the UK is sheep’s wool, but it is becoming more common to see alpaca and goat wool. Each of these animals produces a slightly different type of fibre. And the finer the fibre, the softer the product.

Sheep’s wool differs depending on the climate they live in. For instance, northern hill breeds have coarser wool, while Hampshire has a milder climate and flatter environment, meaning the sheep have a slightly finer fleece.

Natural pillows: pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Good at wicking moisture away	Can take longer to dry out than polyester
Temperature regulating	Difficult to wash
Soft and comfortable	More expensive than foam and polyester
Durable and long lasting	Requires regular plumping

Latex pillows

100% latex pillows are made sustainably from the sap of a rubber tree. This sap is peeled off the tree before it is collected, cleaned and heated to mold it into shape. Latex pillows offer comfort and durability, so are becoming an increasingly popular choice.

Latex pillows: pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Durable and long lasting	Not always made from 100% latex
Holds the shape well	Can be more expensive than other materials
Antimicrobial	Cannot be molded to shape
Offers enhanced comfort and support	Feels heavier than polyester pillows

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Whether you need a memory foam pillow for support, a gel pillow for cooling, or a feather pillow for a plush feel, selecting the right option will improve your sleep quality.

Discover the perfect pillow for your sleep style today.