9 Eco-Friendly Pillows Giving You The Best Sustainable Green Dreams
When you hit the hay at the end of the day, you want to rest your head on a supportive, eco-friendly pillow and fall straight asleep.
But something that might keep you up at night is the invisible harsh chemicals, synthetic ingredients, and unfair working conditions that went into creating an item you use daily.
To avoid a pillow fight, opt for a chemical-free pillow that will not only provide some cushion for your noggin’, but for nature, too.
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A Power Nap Of The Most Eco-Friendly Pillows
For hypoallergenic and non-toxic pillows, PlushBeds will have you hitting that snooze button a little bit later each day.
Nest Bedding’s OEKO-TEX certified pillows also ensure a soft and safe place to rest your head in supportive memory foam.
For some of the best eco-friendly pillows for neck pain, Naturepedic’s firm, pure organic latex pillows are wrapped in an organic cotton shell.
To learn how we found the best brands to rest your head-on, jump not on the bed but to the end of the article.
So plump up your sustainable reading pillows, sit back, and relax with us for some sustainable pillow talk.
The Full List Of Eco-Friendly Pillows
- PlushBeds | Visit Store
- Nest Bedding | Visit Store
- Naturepedic | Visit Store
- Coyuchi | Visit Store
- Boll & Branch | Visit Store
- Cozy Earth | Visit Store
- SOL Organics | Visit Store
- Avocado | Visit Store
- Sleep & Beyond | Visit Store
1. PlushBeds
About PlushBeds
Price Range: $61–$369
PlushBeds is a California based sustainable bedding brand that was created after the founder’s father developed Parkinson’s—which research has linked to harmful chemicals that are often found in bedding.
Non-toxic mattresses may have been their initial focus, but now they’ve expanded to include mattress toppers, bedding, bed frames, and eco-friendly king pillows along with standard and queen sizes.
If you like to roll over at night and still have neck support, try their Wool & Latex Side Sleeper Pillow.
Or consider their Goose Down Pillow. We tested this one, specifically the “firm” density model (see our PlushBeds review) and have to say that since making the switch we have suffered zero neck pain. Somehow it manages to strike a balance between plushness and firmness that supports our spine alignment like no other pillow has.
PlushBed’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Plushbed pillow range consists of some of the best eco-friendly hypoallergenic pillows filled with GOLS-certified organic latex wrapped in organic cotton, making it naturally dust mite and moisture resistant.
Other options include RDS-certified cruelty-free down pillows and natural handmade ethical wool pillows made with chemical-free and non-mulesed cruelty-free organic wool from local USA farms.
Supply chain & labor practices:
By using a transparent, factory-direct process and a USA eco-friendly pillow factory that is both Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified, PlushBeds places an emphasis on ethical and sustainable supply chain.
They are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and personally by all farmers who supply their raw organic fibers.
Green business practices:
PlushBeds is audited and certified by third-party sustainability and safety consultants.
They’ve partnered with TerraPass to determine their carbon emissions (website included) and offset it by funding clean energy projects.
As a Green America Certified Business and member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, they’re trying to improve the bedding and furniture industry from the inside out.
Community & charitable giving:
Their PlushBeds Green Scholarships program provides a $1,000 scholarship to college students pursuing studies in the environmental field.
Other organizations they support include Hometown Heroes and Every Kid Counts.
2. Nest Bedding
About Nest Bedding
Price Range: $107–$131
Nest Bedding is a family-owned, factory direct bedding business, designing and manufacturing most of its products in the USA.
They were also one of the first companies to ever offer the bed-in-a-box concept.
Wrap yourself in their luxurious sheet sets and blankets, pamper your four-legged family members with their natural and recycled pet beds, or catch some Zs on one of three systems of non-toxic memory foam pillows in standard to king sizes.
One is specifically spared to provide optimal support for back and side sleepers.
Nest Bedding’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These sustainable pillows utilize either OEKO-TEX-certified latex foam or non-toxic CertiPUR-US®-certified shredded foam, both combined with some polyester fill.
All sustainable bed pillows are protected by a soft organic cotton cover made with a combination of polyester and a miniscule percentage of spandex.
We hope to see eventual replacement of virgin materials with natural or recycled ones, especially considering many of their other products—like their organic comforters— are made with materials like 100% bamboo, organic cotton, or TENCEL™.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Some products by Nest Bedding come with Fair Trade certification, but unfortunately fair trade pillows are not among them.
They’re designed in California and made in China in a SMETA-certified factory. Their last audit showed only minor infractions which they are working to resolve.
This factory also takes part in other voluntary audits on an annual basis.
Unfortunately, their partners are “proprietary” and while they claim to know them all personally, there’s a lot to be desired in terms of transparency for this brand.
Green business practices:
Nest Bedding has a Lifetime Renewal Exchange (LRE) program for mattresses.
Their bamboo comes from FSC-certified sources and its manufacturing processes recycle all water.
Additionally, their mattresses are made in the USA, ensuring better labor practices as well as cutting shipping carbon emissions.
3. Naturepedic
About Naturepedic
Price Range: $79–$139
Naturepedic is committed to supporting healthy and holistic lifestyles while also protecting the environment.
Started by an environmental engineer searching for a non-toxic crib mattress for his new grandson, he found a hole in the market and set out to create his own.
But they didn’t stop at mattresses. This family-owned business is now a one-stop, eco-sleep shop with mattress toppers, pillow protectors, linens, bed frames, and affordable eco-friendly pillows.
Staying to the original mission of helping everyone in the family get a good night’s sleep, they have specific organic eco-friendly pillows for kids, as well as adults.
Naturepedic’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Choose between three sustainable pillow stuffing options: OCS100-certified organic cotton and filled with non-GMO sugarcane PLA, shredded GOLS organic latex and PLA fiber, and pure organic natural latex for a more firm option.
All are MADE SAFE-certified and any sustainable pillow cases are made of 100% organic cotton.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Naturepedic is a family-owned business that recognizes the importance of supporting US workers and jobs.
They partner with skilled Amish craftspeople for as much of their production as possible, and when needs can’t be met in the US, they work with GOTS certified Asian factories that adhere to strict ethical working standards.
Green business practices:
Naturepedic’s sustainability starts with organic materials and extends through product shipping (in FSC-certified materials) and end-of-life, at which point they offer a mattress recycling program.
A Green America Certified Business, PETA- Approved Vegan, and GreenGuard Gold-certified, Naturepedic keeps their carbon footprint low and cruelty free.
Community & charitable giving:
As members of 1% for the Planet, Naturepedic is recognized by and supports nearly three-dozen organizations including Textile Exchange and Climate Collaborative.
4. Coyuchi
About Coyuchi
Price Range: $88–$248
Coyuchi was founded in California with the goal of bringing some of the best environmentally conscious bedding to the market, natural eco-friendly pillows included.
Across their complete range of homewares and apparel—from bath towels to pajamas to baby essentials—every item is guaranteed to be durable, non-toxic, and comfortable.
If you’re looking for a sustainable pregnancy pillow option, wrap yourself in their Organic Latex Body Pillow to relieve some belly (and environmental) pressure.
Coyuchi’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Choose between an organic Dunlop latex core or an ethical down pillow,
No matter which sustainable pillow stuffing you choose, Coyuchi ensures it’s GOLS (for the organic latex pillows only), GOTS, and MADE SAFE certified, so you can be fully confident that your head isn’t lying down on any nasties.
With feather options being great for those who like to sink into their pillows, the moldable natural latex is the best eco-friendly pillow for neck pain.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Coyuchi ensures their supply partners are Fair Trade-certified, providing transparency and traceability for their materials and labor wages.
The latex pillow fill and shell are made in Sri Lanka, and the ethical down pillow has a feather fill and cover that’s made in the USA.
The feathers come from a duck farm in Indiana where they are ethically raised and carefully processed, but there is no RDS certification.
For all organic cotton sustainable pillow covers, they support Chetna which helps sustainable farming communities in India thrive.
Green business practices:
Coyuchi is a member of the Responsible Packaging Movement, ensuring your fair trade pillows will not arrive in plastic, but rather a reusable organic cloth bag.
Coyuchi has many sustainable practices in place, like recycling 98% of their wastewater and a circularity initiative for their old linens (including actual linen sheets) called 2nd Home Takeback.
Community & charitable giving:
A proud member of 1% for the Planet, Coyuchi believes in a holistic approach to their products.
Some of the profits go towards Fibershed, which strives to implement closed-loop farming techniques and regenerative agriculture.
5. Boll & Branch
About Boll & Branch
Price Range: $58–$310
Boll & Branch has a history of helping people around the world get the best sleep (including 3 former US Presidents).
Founders Scott and Missy Tannen started the brand with a desire to let customers know more about where and how bedding products are made, while also directly supporting the workers involved in making them.
After the Rana Plaza tragedy, they (and the fashion industry as a whole) decided change was paramount.
In addition to eco-friendly bed pillows and throw pillows, their organic sleep products include sustainable blankets, sheets, and all manner of green bedding bundles for the whole family.
Boll & Branch’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They’ve created one of the best vegan eco-friendly pillows: the Down Alternative Pillow. Available in three different firmness levels, it’s made with a PrimaLoft™ partially recycled polyester pillow core.
Or if feathers don’t ruffle yours, their sustainable down pillow inserts, filled with IDS-certified responsibly sourced feathers from a US family farm.
The sustainable pillow protectors are AAFA-certified 100% organic cotton and everything bears OEKO-TEX certification.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Boll & Branch was one of the first linen manufacturers to become Fair Trade Certified.
They’ve since spent an additional half a million dollars ensuring that their workers and the organic cotton farmers from which they source receive living wages.
Green business practices:
Like all their products, Boll & Branch pillows are shipped overseas by boat instead of by air, avoiding excessive carbon emissions.
They’re responsible with water usage and also use packaging made of recycled materials that can either be recycled or composted.
They also ensure everything is made without harmful chemicals or toxic residues (so no toxic leaching).
Community & charitable giving:
By donating beds to organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Homecoming Bed Bundles (for veterans), and Direct Relief in India, the Helping From Home program provides comfort where it’s needed most.
6. Cozy Earth
About Cozy Earth
Price Range: $279–$329
A cozy home and cozy bed makes for a Cozy Earth—which is exactly what this brand wants to achieve.
By providing green goods with “practical utility and longevity”, you’ll feel confident when you buy eco-friendly pillows and bedding that will guarantee a good night’s sleep.
Though they only offer one silk and sustainable bamboo cooling pillow, the Silk Pillow is made with premium materials that are breathable and moisture wicking, keeping you cool and comfortable during your slumber.
Cozy Earth’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
It’s filled with 100% long-strand mulberry silk (exclusive to Cozy Earth) and shelled in premium bamboo.
Unfortunately, we’re not sure how the silk is sourced, but we don’t believe it’s peace silk.
They try to avoid dyes, but always ensure they are non-toxic and chemical free should they need to use them.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The founder takes great pride and thought in choosing his manufacturers and personally builds relationships with their Chinese suppliers since he speaks fluent Mandarin.
By building a close network amongst the local community, he and his staff are able to personally oversee the working conditions and fair wages for the employees.
Green business practices:
Cozy Earth works with USDA-certified organic farms, which allows them the confidence to offer 100-day exchanges and 10-year defect warranties on their products.
All bamboo is processed with closed-loop recycling practices in place, and these natural eco-friendly bed pillows are shipped in eco-friendly packaging.
7. SOL Organics
About SOL Organics
Price Range: $87–$148
SOL Organics is the realization of the dream shared by two friends— that in order to create textiles with integrity, organic cotton, knowledge about cotton itself, and worker equality were all essential.
Suffice it to say they’ve spent some sleepless nights getting their organic cotton products just right.
With sustainability, affordability, and ethical sourcing embedded into all of their products—from sheets to matching bath towels and eco-friendly comforters—SOL Organics is providing bedding products that are great for the planet, people, and our wallets.
Whether back, side, or stomach sleepers, their Down Pillow has a variable firmness level just for you—in either standard or king sizes.
SOL Organics’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Like their organic comforters, the pillow covers are Fair Trade, OEKO-TEX, and GOTS-certified organic cotton.
Inside, they contain 100% responsibly harvested Canadian down.
Supply chain & labor practices:
There’s nothing that speaks better to SOL Organics’ labor practices than the words of one of their co-founders:
“I can’t help but think about the people making those products. Who are they? What are their working conditions? Are children involved? How can I be sure? How can my customers be sure?”
With care for how their organic materials are sourced, SOL Organics has taken every step to ensure that they’re working with the best textile suppliers (all having third party certifications).
They never use child labor, pay workers fairly, do their best to be as transparent as possible, and work with a FLOCERT and Fair Trade-certified factory that sources organic cotton directly from the farm.
Green business practices:
SOL Organics minimizes the impact of their fabrics by only using low impact dyes and avoiding hazardous chemicals like NPE/NP, Oranotins, PFC, and Antimony—meaning these are some of the best eco pillows for compostability.
Community & charitable giving:
Rest your weary head knowing that each time you shop with SOL Organics, you can choose to have a portion of the sale sent to one of four organizations: Children’s Defense Fund, Anti-Racism Fund, Water 4, and The Fund for Animals.
8. Avocado
About Avocado
Price Range: $34–$229
Avocado is the LA-based brand that wants to “make healthy sleep accessible & affordable”.
Disappointed by all the greenwashing they found when searching for non-toxic and natural sleep products, they started their own organic mattress company, and four years later, they’ve snagged the title of Consumer Reports’ highest independently rated mattress.
An Avocado green pillow isn’t your average feather-stuffed sack. Instead, they offer vegan, adjustable fill eco-friendly memory foam pillows in all shapes and sizes for whatever your needs.
Avocado’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Their eco-friendly pillow stuffing is similar to non-toxic memory foam pillows, with eco-friendly materials such as GOLS-certified organic latex rubber and GOTS-organic certified kapok tree fiber.
Topped off with a GOTS-certified organic cotton quilted cover, these vegan eco-friendly pillows are OEKO-TEX and MADE SAFE-certified, meaning that an Avocado green pillow is always free of toxic chemicals.
This same combination of eco-friendly materials is in their throw pillows, too.
If you need Nidra yoga to help you get to sleep, add their Organic Yoga Meditation buckwheat pillows to your sustainable yoga prop collection.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Let’s start out with the fact that Avocado is a Certified B-Corp and is recognized for their innovative “farm-to-bedroom” approach where they co-own an Indian factory, natural latex farm, and cruelty-free wool collective— all operating by ILO fair labor standards.
Raw natural materials are sourced from this single location before the eco-friendly pillows and bedding are handcrafted in their own organically certified LA factory.
Their team gets living wages, and also benefits from comprehensive medical care and a progressive approach to encouraging mental health (like a free Headspace account).
Green business practices:
Avocado is also Climate Neutral Certified and GREENGUARD Gold-certified for their low emissions. They’re the first mattress brand in the world to achieve a negative carbon emission status.
Prop up some of the best vegan pillows and check out their Sustainability Report.
Community & charitable giving:
Avocado is a member of 1% for the Planet who donate 2% of profits to good causes. They also donate 90% of their returned products (like clean mattresses and pillows) to nonprofits.
Avocado team members get quarterly paid volunteer days, too.
9. Sleep & Beyond
About Sleep & Beyond
Price Range: $49–$139
Sleep & Beyond is a family company with three generations of bedding manufacturing experience. They’ve been creating some of the best eco-friendly pillows and bedding ever since the 90s.
Explore their ethical range of comforters, baby bedding and swaddles, and waterproof pads and protectors.
For those who like to sleep and travel beyond their bed, invest in one of their washable sustainable travel neck pillows.
Sleep & Beyond’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Using 100% natural organic wool and cotton, many of Sleep & Beyond’s eco-friendly cooling pillows are certified by GOTS, OEKO TEX-100, or Woolmark.
Everything is finished via GOTS-approved hand printing methods with heavy metal-free and AZO-free dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Sleep & Beyond has a no-tolerance policy around child labor and ensures fair wages for their workers. They employ and empower women in all of their production areas.
They have factories located in England, Belgium, India, Pakistan, China, and Kyrgyzstan, some of which are Fair Trade.
Green business practices:
Operating under a zero waste philosophy, Sleep & Beyond repurpose any natural materials they can to minimize their company waste.
Packaging is a huge contributor to that, so they incorporate reusable myMerino wool and organic cotton bags to wrap their products. Outer packaging consists of phthalate and BPA-free PEVA #7 plastic (which is fully recyclable and one of the better types of plastic…low bar, but still).
Their Indian “garden” (factory) uses 100% solar power, which is something they hope to scale up going forward.
Community & charitable giving:
Sleep & Beyond regularly contributes support to a few anti-human trafficking organizations.
These include Global Initiative to Free Trafficking Victims (GIFT) and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA).
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How We Found The Best Sustainable Pillows
We all have that favorite pillow that should probably be replaced…
When you start to scout for that perfect alternative, make it a priority to look for more than just comfort when it comes to what we rest our heads on.
Pillows can leave us with more than a sore neck if we aren’t careful in selecting non-toxic options to avoid health harming chemicals.
What is an eco pillow, then?
Just like eco-friendly firm support pillows support your neck, our sustainable ethical fashion criteria support the search for your next snooze puff.
Materials:
What are eco-friendly pillows made of?
Conventional cotton and virgin synthetic pillows are a pretty big ‘no’ for us—both environmentally and health-wise. We really don’t want chemicals like chlorine bleach, pesticides, flame retardants, formaldehyde, and perfumes in our faces each and every night.
So what is the healthiest pillow to use?
For both you and the planet, organic pillows like organic toppers are the cream of the organic cotton crop.
We also looked for other organic materials like linen, natural latex (a renewable resource harmlessly tapped from trees… like maple syrup!), or responsibly-sourced down or organic wool.
For synthetic foams or recycled fiber pillows made of synthetics (i.e. Primaloft recycled polyester), they had to be certified non-toxic.
- Certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), Asthma & Allergy Friendly (AAFA), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Woolmark, OEKO-TEX, MADE SAFE, Responsible Down Standard (RDS), IFDL Down Standard (IDS)
Supply chain & labor practices:
The textile industry is rife with human rights abuses, exploitation, and child labor.
That’s why this list only includes brands who have refused to be involved with these types of supply chain concerns and, in fact, in many cases are working to correct them.
The only fluffing up we want is of our pillows (not false practices), so we like to stick to the two big T’s: transparency and traceability.
Third party certifications can also help, but as B Corp greenwashing accusations have taught us, there are no 100% guarantees without company transparency.
- Certifications: B-Corporation, Fair Trade, FLOCERT, Textile Exchange
Green business practices:
After choosing sustainable materials, some brands got an extra round of applause for tackling things like carbon offset programs, reduced shipping emissions through localized manufacturing and avoidance of air transport, product recycling programs, and recycled/recyclable packaging.
Community & charitable giving:
Charitable giving is like a cherry on top—it isn’t required, but it makes things so much sweeter.
Not every brand can do this (especially smaller ones) but we are impressed when companies donate a portion of their profits or regularly partner with non-profit organizations.
Final Thoughts On Sustainable Pillows
All that talk about fluffy pillows and cooling eco-fabrics has us needing a nap, how about you?
Take your pick from these brands and get snoozing!
We always say use what you have first or shop at op-shops, but oftentimes, recycled pillows just won’t cut it. If it’s truly time for an upgrade, read about what to do with old pillows, then turn to these brands.
Sustainable pillow brands can join the ranks of eco-friendly furniture, sustainable bedding, and sustainable mattresses as we work towards creating the sustainable home of our dreams.
Know any friends or family who need to up their eco-home game?
Share this guide with them, so they too can support brands creating a more sustainable slumber.
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