Sleep with Shoulder Pain
“Not today, hun… I have shoulder pain”

Shoulder pain can often get in the way of quality sleep. Even a mild ache can keep you tossing and turning all night.

Shoulder pain isn’t always evident until you climb into bed. Sometimes the pain-causing compression of muscles, nerves and connective tissue only occurs when you lie down. Gravity pulls on your body differently when you’re reclined, which can reveal or cause pain that wasn’t present during the daytime.

The best way to avoid all sleep related pain isn’t easy or interesting 🙁

Cue the sad trombones… I know this isn’t what you came to read, but it must be said. Consistent exercise is proven to both prevent injuries and aid in sleeping. It’s a long-term commitment and it’s hard work. However, it’s a crucial part of preventative care.

If you’re a side sleeper, try a new sleep position.

Shoulder pain is usually exacerbated for side sleepers because body weight results in pressure on connective tissues and nerves all night. Pain can often be completely eliminated IF you’re able to sleep on your back. It’s a challenge for most, but it could be the resolution to your shoulder pain.

Looking for simpler solutions? Sleeping with shoulder pain is sometimes made easier with just a new pillow or mattress.





pillows with too little and too much loft
If your pillow doesn’t keep your head at the correct level, it is likely you will experience back, neck, or shoulder pain.

The wrong pillow can exacerbate or even be the cause of your shoulder pain.

In an effort to get a little more loft (height) out of their worn-out pillows, some people fold them in half. This most often elevates their heads too high, causing an uncomfortable upward bend in their bodies. Alternatively, many sleep with their arms under their pillows. Both situations can put pressure and stress on our muscles, joints, and nerves in shoulders and cause unnecessary agitation.

Try replacing your pillow with a more suitable one that supports your head properly and comfortably. A good pillow will keep your spine from bending unnaturally upwards or downwards and provide comfortable, even support for your entire head, neck and shoulders.

The firmness of your mattress also is a factor in your sleeping position and comfort.

Pillow top mattresses have become very popular. While they can feel very comfortable initially, they can become a detriment to good sleep. That’s because they’re often too soft. Thus, they don’t adequately support the heavier parts of your body. Your shoulders may be sustaining more pressure due to the mattress sagging too much under the weight of your torso.

OK great, but what can be done about the shoulder pain I’m feeling right now?

If you’ve just woken with sleep-related shoulder pain, try these tips:

1. Give your neck and shoulder muscles a rest.

Your giant head weighs around 11 lb. That’s a lot of weight that your neck and shoulder muscles need to support. Give your muscles a break. If you’ve got some time to spare, lie down. Make sure your head is in a neutral position and that you’ve got a comfortable pillow. More rest is often the best remedy even if you just rolled out of bed.

2. Do your best to avoid stress.

Are you worried that the boss will find out you’ve been stealing from the business for years? Concerned about an early death? Forget your problems and watch a movie or read a book! I recommend Ozark on Netflix.

3. Ice in short increments.

It can work well for some, but cooling can aggravate more serious issues, so If the pain worsens, remove the ice immediately.

4. Have a partner massage the affected area.

Who doesn’t appreciate a good massage? Shoulder pain or not, it generally makes life in the moment a little better.

5. Use a warm compress.

A warm damp towel (use a microwave to heat it) can help to increases circulation and is often effective in providing relief to stiff muscles. Beware, heat can make inflammation worse, so if your symptoms deteriorate, remove that heat immediately!

6. Pop a couple of what modern medication has to offer.

Aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen can help a lot if the pain isn’t too ridiculous. It should go without saying, but please follow the directions on the packaging.

Stretch the muscles in your shoulders.

7. Stretch the muscles in your shoulders.

It’s always best to warm up muscles before stretching, so it’s advisable to take a hot shower or use a hot compress first. The key with stretching is to not overdo it! Try this simple shoulder stretch recommended by health line.com:

  1. Bring your right arm across your chest.
  2. Place it in the crease of your left elbow or use your left hand to support your arm.
  3. Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
  4. Repeat on the opposite side.
  5. Do each side 3–5 times.

Are you consistently getting no sleep with shoulder pain?

If you had a bad night or two, try all of the above and hopefully you’ll get some relief. If you’re experiencing shoulder pain from sleeping on a consistent basis, do something that addresses the root of the issue(s) rather than just treating the symptoms. I recommend that no-fun exercise!

Down Alternative Pillow

Google searches for “down alternative pillow” are growing. There are many different types of down alternative pillows. Many of the most popular types are filled with a unique filling, called gel fiber. What’s so interesting about a gel fiber pillow?

Gel fiber is a type of “micro denier” made from synthetic polyester. Denier refers to the thickness of the fibers. Gel fibers are, simply put, very thin synthetic fibers. They were designed specifically to mimic the properties of duck down.

Traditional down pillows are already popular for a lot of reasons. They’re durable (if you take good care of them), moldable/malleable, work well for most sleeping positions, AND they’re biodegradable.

It’s hard to complain with a list of benefits like that! Or is it?

Haters gonna hate! Down pillows are:

  • expensive. Harvesting high-quality down from birds is a labor intensive job that will cost you.
  • difficult to clean. I’ve managed to destroy several pillows and at least one comforter in my washing machine. Proper cleaning can be a bit tedious.
  • made from animals! Yes you heard it here first, folks: down feathers don’t grow on trees. Thus, those who are concerned with animals’ well-being, should be aware that purchasing down products may result in the poor treatment of animals.

Gel fiber pillow filling attempts to mimic down’s advantages while improving upon some of down’s disadvantages.

Gel fiber pillows compete on:

  • price. They’re far cheaper than genuine down.
  • durability. While a good down pillow can last a very long time if cared for properly, most gel fiber pillows are very easy to clean without damaging them.
  • a supposed “hypoallergenic” quality that’s superior do traditional down. Hmmm…

Dust Mite

Get out of our pillows!

How common are down allergies?

While researching down’s disadvantages, I discovered that a lot of these gel fiber pillows are sold on allergy fears. That’s usually misguided.

People frequently mistakenly blame allergic reactions on a down pillow. Genuine feather allergies are actually quite rare. As it turns out, most reactions can actually be attributed to dust mites or mold. That’s true of any pillow type, however. Pillows generally become more allergenic with age.

Read More: A Hypoallergenic Pillow Should Be Judged with Skepticism

Hypoallergenic claims don’t carry much water.

That’s because there is no regulation in the United States that defines or governs the use of the term. As a result, hypoallergenic pillows can be advertised with impunity. Pillows that are no better or worse at resisting allergens are labeled hypoallergenic without consequence.

A medical dictionary provides a somewhat vague definition:

“Hypoallergenic” – Adjective
A term applied to a preparation in which every possible care has been taken in formulation and production to ensure minimum instance of allergic reactions. Blakiston’s Medical Dictionary

Has “every possible care been taken,” to prevent allergic reactions in a gel fiber pillow? That’s hard to know…

Unless you’re aware that you’re allergic to real down filling, just ignore the salesmen’s mumbo-jumbo.

Can this petrochemical plant help you sleep better?

Unfortunately almost all gel fiber pillows are made with potentially harmful petrochemicals.

We won’t be recycling these pillows. The polyester fibers will sit in landfills, taking as long as 200 years to biodegrade.

What’s more, polyester products are manufactured using dangerous pollutants that are dangerous to both the environment and human health.

There are other down alternative filling varieties, each with its own unique characteristics.

I waded through tons of product descriptions and researched all the trademarked names. It turns out that, unlike other pillow fillings, the down alternatives aren’t very consistent. One pattern was clear however… It appears that the most popular options (also the cheapest) are stuffed with traditional polyester fiberfill.

Traditional Polyester Fiberfill

Also known by its trademarked name, Poly-Fil™, polyester fiberfill is the cheapest and perhaps most prevalent filling used in down alternative pillows. You know these pillows — they’re the flat pillows from your spare bedroom… The bags of lumpy filling that 80s moms thought were good enough.

Down alternative pillows made with polyester fiberfill:

  • don’t last long due to issues with the fill clumping and flattening out.
  • retain more heat than traditional down pillows.
  • aren’t malleable/moldable.

PrimaLoft™

PrimaLoft™

On the other hand, we have new synthetic microfiber pillow fillings. These are far superior to polyester fiberfill. Many have trademarked names like PrimaLoft™, Spira™ or LiquiLoft™. Other varieties are stuffed with a more generic sounding “gel fiber filling.”

It’s a bit simplistic to group these these microfibers together, because each does seem quite unique. What’s clear is that they’re all far more durable, compressible, breathable and malleable than traditional polyester fiberfill.

Shopping for the best down alternative pillow isn’t easy.

It’s difficult to tell which pillows contain the cheap polyester fiberfill vs. something filled with technologically advanced microfibers.

I shopped around at Amazon and purchased two different down alternative pillows. One pillow’s filling was called “gel fiber” and the other cheaper model’s was a “virgin polyester fiber.” I really didn’t know what to expect, but I assumed the cheaper one was probably just filled with traditional lame polyester fiberfill.

My new gel fiber pillows arrived.

First, let me mention that they didn’t smell bad! Often I’ve received pillows that emit a powerful chemical “off-gassing” odor. Memory foam pillows are the worst culprits. These down alternative pillows had absolutely no discernible odor.

The “virgin polyester” filled pillow was just as expected. Filled with traditional polyester fiberfill, it was not impressive.

The gel-fiber pillow, however, was much more interesting.

I’d bought a strange pillow that was “gel-infused” once before. It supposedly would keep me cool (it didn’t). This gel pillow was something else entirely. It didn’t contain any funky blue liquids. It was filled with tiny gel-fibers, apparently each much thinner than a human hair and made with 100% polyester.

I didn’t expect much, but it was surprisingly comfortable. It was breathable and comfortable, although I noticed immediately that it was less moldable, or malleable than traditional down pillow filling.

Additionally, the high quality down alternative fillings seem just as breathable and cool as traditional down. And they’re obviously far more breathable and cool than both memory foam and polyester fiberfill.

The deal breaker for me was the lack of malleability.

No matter how I’d scrunch or squeeze the pillow, it’d bounce back to its original shape. I couldn’t quite get it to feel right when I curled onto my side to go to sleep. the soft filling pressed uncomfortably against my face and no readjustment seemed to help.

The higher-quality down alternative pillows are not bad products. They’re cheap and are far better than the polyester fiberfill pillow my mom bought for me in 1984.

I think there are better pillows to be had. Genuine down pillows for example! I think the only genuine advantage that the down alternatives have is price and ease of cleaning. Real duck down is superior in every other way

In short, no, buckwheat pillows do not attract bugs. Buckwheat flour and other cereal products can provide insects sustenance, but the empty hulls that buckwheat pillows are filled with are not edible.

But wait… some kinds of insects are inside all pillow types!

Dust mites are the real bug menace and unfortunately no pillow type is immune to them.

Do Buckwheat Pillows Attract Bugs?
House dust mites aren’t cute. Photo © Wikimedia Commons User Jacopo Werther

Dust mites are one of the top five most common allergens. The effects of a dust mite allergy are very similar to a pollen allergy.

“Dust mites are microscopic creatures, about 0.4 millimeters in length, that feast on flakes of human skin. Their feces contains a substance called DerP1, a very potent allergen. People who are allergic to dust mites may have asthmalike symptoms, eczema or chronic sinus problems.” NYTimes.com

Some buckwheat pillow manufacturers claim that their pillows are dust mite resistant. Not true. They’re no better or worse at resisting dust mites than any other type. Unfortunately no pillow, not even so-called “hypoallergenic pillows” are immune to dust mites.

With use, your pillow will inevitably accumulate small particles of organic materia. Dust mites crave this stuff. Every night you sleep on your pillow, you leave behind delicious dead skin for dust mites and their happy families!

What can you do to avoid dust mites?

  1. Lower the humidity in your home. Dust mites only appear in humid environments. Homes with a relative humidity of less than 50% aren’t likely to host dust mites.
  2. Use dust mite covers. These are generally vinyl or plastic covers that prevent foreign materials from getting inside your pillow. While most experts recommend them, they are still somewhat controversial. An unfortunate drawback to dust mite covers is that they will prevent air from moving freely through your pillow. This can result in it retaining heat and being uncomfortable.
  3. Take extra care to keep your pillows clean. Wash your pillowcase frequently.

Should I be concerned about dust mites if I’m not allergic?

I’ve read some pretty shocking claims about dust mites. Despite the (likely exaggerated) stories, dust mites aren’t something most of us should be too concerned about. They will not take up residence in your bedding unless the circumstances are just right. Even if a few of them do, they’re not going to cause any trouble unless you’re allergic to them.

An unzipped Hullo buckwheat pillow

Dust mites are the most common insect scenario to pop up in a buckwheat pillow, but there are other possibilities.

However improbable, tiny grain beetles can exist in some pillow fill types like buckwheat hulls or millet, but only under the right conditions.

To understand, first let’s look at how buckwheat hulls are produced. The buckwheat plant is milled for the nutritious groats it produces. During the milling process, the groat is separated from its protective outer layer, the hull. Then the hulls are vacuum cleaned to remove any remaining groats or other plant materials. A few types of very tiny grain beetles eat buckwheat flour, and other cereal products like rice.

Despite vigorous vacuum cleaning of buckwheat hulls, tiny amounts of flour can remain. In a hot and humid storage facility, this trace flour can provide food for insect larvae. However, infestation risks are easily mitigated by maintaining a climate-controlled warehouse.

That’s because most grain beetles cannot reproduce in a cool, dry environment. Their optimal conditions for development are 95 degrees F and 70% relative humidity. Studies show they are incapable of producing eggs where temperature and humidity remain low.

Mills producing cereal products like buckwheat flour must all contend with a few manageable insect pests.

Industrial mills closely monitor their storage. They consistently maintain cool temperatures and keep the humidity low. Additionally, they’re frequently cleaning storage and transport devices.

At Hullo™ we don’t handle any flours, cereals, or other products that can cause bug infestations. Nevertheless, we take several precautions to ensure that our buckwheat hulls are always 100% bug-free. We:

  • keep our inventory in a climate controlled warehouse.
  • meticulously clean our warehouses and machinery.
  • use pheromone traps throughout our facility to detect the presence of insects.
  • work with a professional entomologist and periodically send buckwheat hull samples to a lab for testing.
  • communicate regularly with our buckwheat hull providers upstream who also monitor regularly for insects.
SleepFoundation.org Best Buckwheat Pillow

SleepFoundation.org has been the leading expert in everything sleep related for almost 30 years. The organization’s sleep science and health content is written and researched with the best standards of medical integrity.

Their sleep specialists recently added Hullo to their “best pillows” list, calling it the “best buckwheat pillow!”

Have you ever tried sleeping on a buckwheat pillow? I’m going to guess the answer is “no.” And it’s your skepticism of these odd pillows that brings you to this page.

I too was very skeptical when I first tried a buckwheat pillow. It actually took me several weeks to really get used to it. Now, I love them so much that I manufacture and sell them (go ahead, click the Hullo logo up there in the corner!).

I’m a little biased, but…

I’ll grudgingly accept that the disadvantages of buckwheat pillows are legitimate!

As much as we’d like to wow every single customer, it doesn’t always work out that way. Some of our customers return their buckwheat pillows. From this return data, I have gathered an accurate perspective of consumers’ criticisms. 90% of issues can be categorized into three groups.

An unzipped Hullo buckwheat pillow

Buckwheat Pillow Disadvantage 1:

They make a rustling sound when moved.

Buckwheat pillows’ filling isn’t as quiet as most most traditional pillows’. Buckwheat hulls make a gentle rustling sound when moved. Their rough edges brush against one another resulting in this sound.

Some find this distracting. Those sensitive to noise usually adjust within a few nights. Most, myself included, aren’t bothered by it at all. In fact, some reviewers report that they find the sound soothing.

It’s worth noting that the noise that buckwheat hulls make decreases over time as the hulls break in and their rough edges round off. After a few of months, some buckwheat pillows (depending on the type of hull filling used) become significantly quieter.

Buckwheat Pillow Disadvantage 2:

They’re too firm for some.

It’s true, buckwheat pillows are certainly “firm.” They’re about as firm as pillows come. Those acclimated to soft, squishy traditional pillows might be surprised when they first try to sleep on a buckwheat pillow. They can initially feel too firm to the uninitiated.

Too many people immediately disqualify all firm pillows. I suppose for good reason… most firm pillows are uncomfortable! That’s because most aren’t malleable or moldable. They’re filled with hard loafs of foam or latex. Or they’re stuffed very tightly with feathers/down. These firm pillow types can’t be squished into that shape that just “feels right.”

Unfortunately, a non-malleable pillow that doesn’t conform to the shape of your head, neck and shoulders can feel like a rock.

Buckwheat pillows are different from most firm pillow types — they’re extremely malleable. It will change shape to perfectly fit the shape of your head, neck and shoulders, evenly distributing weight. Your head’s mass is uniformly spread across the pillow’s surface. Your head is comfortably cradled without any pain-causing pressure points.

Still, some people don’t want that; they prefer a very soft pillow.

Buckwheat Pillow Disadvantage 3:

They are not lightweight.

A 20×26″ buckwheat pillow weighs around 9 pounds, which is pretty hefty compared to most traditional pillows.

Very few customers find issue with the weight of buckwheat pillows, but it does come up. Some struggle with putting the pillow cases on and off or moving their pillow around.

Unfortunately some customers immediately request to return their buckwheat pillow without even opening the packaging.

Buckwheat pillows are very different from what some expect a pillow to be. Because of this, many first-time users form negative impressions as soon as the pillow arrives in the mail. Give it a chance!

Buckwheat pillows definitely take some getting used to. I wasn’t convinced my first one would work for me, because it was so different from the squishy soft pillows I’d grown up with. Thankfully, I acclimated and I sleep better than ever.

Wait! What about the ADVANTAGES of buckwheat pillows?

I’ve told you all about the disadvantages of buckwheat pillows… Let’s not forget about their benefits! Read More: The 3 Benefits of a Buckwheat Pillow (What Convinced Me to Switch)

buckwheat pillow
Hullo™ Is Available in Small (14×20″), Standard (20×26″), and King (20×36″) Sizes

Consider trying Hullo buckwheat pillow.

If my explanation of buckwheat pillows’ disadvantages still leaves you skeptical, I suggest you put the issue to bed once and for all! Give Hullo a try. Sleep on our buckwheat pillow for 60 nights and if it isn’t for you, just ship it back to us and we’ll refund the purchase price.

We think it’s the best buckwheat pillow available, but don’t take our word for it, check out these customer reviews.

Hullo Best Buckwheat Pillow Badge

Hullo is honored and humbled to be named editor’s pick for “best buckwheat pillow” at Tuck.com. Tuck’s review team compared the 6 top buckwheat pillow brands in a detailed analysis and found Hullo to be the standout product.

Tuck provides detailed resources on every imaginable sleep topic.

Finding reliable and useful information about sleep is difficult. What should be a simple Google search is a confusing and contradictory assortment of information. Thankfully, a single resource for everything sleep-related is available: whatever your sleep-related curiosity, Tuck.com has the information you seek.

Tuck’s content is well-informed and researched by the best minds in the sleep industry. Psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, physical therapists and pediatricians contribute to accessible articles that can help you get better sleep.

Good restful sleep is something we all can appreciate. A good pillow that comfortably supports your precious 5 lb. head every night is a luxury worth having! You spend a third of your life in bed after all.

The hotel industry knows what kind of luxury pillows their customers expect.

The best hotels have a reputation to uphold. They must wow their discerning customers to maintain and grow their luxury brands. Being that hotels offer their customers a place to sleep, they’ll spare no expense where bedding is concerned.

Hotel guests are paying for a place to literally lay their head. That’s why we don’t have to look any farther than the top hotels to find the best luxury pillows.

Most hotels’ luxury pillows are filled with 100% goose down.

luxury pillows on a hotel bed
I’d sleep here!

Goose down is undeniably great pillow filling. Down pillows are durable, moldable, and work reasonably well for all sleep positions.

They’re comfortably familiar to most sleepy travelers. That’s why they’re generally the default type of pillow in every luxury room. Most of us are happy to dive into a high-quality down pillow and will sleep well on it.

Advantages of Down Pillows:

  • Moldable/Malleable – A down pillow tends to hold its shape well, offering good support for your head and neck.
  • Light and Cuddly – Down pillows are very light (heavy feathers don’t work very well for flying after all!) and soft.
  • Durable – With proper care, a down pillow can last many years.
  • A Sustainable Product – Down is a renewable resource that is biodegradable and recyclable.

Disadvantages of Down Pillows:

  • Requires Maintenance – To maintain a down pillow’s loft, it requires consistent fluffing.
  • Difficult to Clean – Hotels are experts at cleaning down pillows, but it can be a little difficult to do at home without damaging them.
  • Lack of Firm Options – Down pillows tend to be a little too soft for many. Thus they’re unable to offer the support that some other pillows can.
  • The Poor Birds! Down doesn’t grow on trees and unfortunately a lot of it is harvested in ways considered to be inhumane.

If you’re looking to purchase a down pillow, here’s a couple things to consider:

  1. A real down pillow contains down only — no feathers. Many manufacturers sell a combination of down and feather fill and label it “down.” Feathers are an economical way to add volume, but often the feathers’ quills will stick through the pillow poking your pretty face (ouch!) while you sleep. Avoid combination filling. Look for 100% down only.
  2. Hungarian goose down (otherwise known as European white goose down) is considered to be the best quality. Their down clusters are pure white and larger than most other types.
  3. A luxury down pillow should be made with a high-quality fabric case. These things can last a long time IF its fabric is durable. We recommend organic cotton fabrics.
  4. The Responsible Down Standard is an independent, voluntary global set of guidelines that recognizes and rewards the best practices in the harvesting of bird feathers. Down pillows manufactured to this standard help to prevent the suffering of birds. Read more…

What other luxury pillows are available? Ask to see your hotel’s pillow menu.

The best hotels recognize that their customers have refined tastes and appreciate alternatives. It’s a relatively new trend, but many hotels now offer pillow menus. It might sound a little pretentious… but you shouldn’t be afraid to ask!

My wife does a lot of work-related travel. Thanks to her, I’ve reviewed all the popular luxury hotels’ pillow menus. Down pillows excluded, many menu options aren’t what I’d call “luxurious.” If you’ve never tried memory foam, latex or the various contour pillow options, don’t bother. I’ve tried them all and the disadvantages outweigh the benefits.

Try a buckwheat pillow.

Buckwheat pillows are available on most luxury pillow menus. Most people have never heard of them. They’re sort of like a bean bag for your head. These unique pillows are filled with tiny buckwheat hulls, the byproduct of milling the buckwheat plant. What’s so great about them?

1. Buckwheat pillows offer superior support.

Your pillow’s most important job is to comfortably and consistently support your head and neck. A good pillow will cradle your body all night in what’s called “neutral alignment.” That is, it helps to keep all the bits and pieces in your spine in in their ideal positions. This prevents unnecessary pressure on your discs, muscles and nerves. Proper support=comfort.

Soft squishy traditional pillow types can collapse under the weight of your head, or are inevitably too thin/thick. They aren’t conducive to good rest!

Buckwheat pillows’ unique malleable quality makes them superior to other filling types. They’ll conform perfectly to the shape of your head and neck providing support that’s just for you.

Ideal support is accomplished with:

  • proper elevation of your head. Your head isn’t positioned too high or too low, preventing uncomfortable bends and twists in your spine.
  • even distribution of your head’s weight. Your head’s mass is uniformly spread across the pillow’s surface; there are no pain-causing pressure points.
  • consistent fill density.  Your pillow’s fill will not collapse or flatten under the pressure of your body. Consequently, your head and neck will be consistently aligned.
pillows with too little and too much loft
If your pillow doesn’t keep your head at the correct level, it is likely you will experience back and/or neck pain.

A buckwheat pillow’s adjustable loft provides ideal support for everyone regardless of body type or sleep position.

It’s quite likely that any non-adjustable pillow you buy will be either too thick or thin for you. Fortunately most buckwheat pillows allow you to adjust the thickness, or loft, by adding or removing fill via a zippered opening (don’t get a buckwheat pillow without it). It doesn’t matter what size you are or what sleeping position you prefer, a buckwheat pillow can support your head at the correct elevation. You’ll be able to fine-tune the loft so that your head and neck are positioned just right.

A buckwheat pillow’s filling will conform perfectly to the shape of your head, evenly distributing your head’s weight.

Most soft pillows cannot not support your head as completely as a buckwheat pillow does. A buckwheat pillow’s unique hull filling will conform to the shape of your head and neck precisely. Its malleable character allows it to firmly and evenly distribute your head’s weight, thus eliminating pain-causing pressure points.

The individual buckwheat hulls’ irregular shape causes friction between them. This friction between the hulls enables the pillow to hold its shape.

A buckwheat pillow won’t collapse in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately traditional soft pillows stuffed with filling like down slowly flatten out under the weight of your head while you sleep. This will result in an uncomfortable downward bend in your neck. Folding your pillow in half is popular solution. Sadly this often creates the opposite problem: an upward bend in your neck!

Continually re-fluffing or adjusting your in the middle of the night to get a bit more loft (thickness) out of your pillow, isn’t the best way to sleep.

2. Buckwheat pillows stay cool.

Down, foam and other pillow types retain body heat and can quickly become hot and uncomfortable. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and had to flip your pillow to the cool side? That doesn’t happen with buckwheat pillows. You’re on the cool side all night.

no flipping to the cool side of the pillow required
A breathable pillow is a cool pillow.

Buckwheat pillows’ cooling ability is due to the breathable nature of their hull filling.

There’s lots of free space between the individual buckwheat hulls so that air can flow freely through the pillow keeping it cool and dry even in the hot summer months. lt allows warm humid air absorbed from your body to quickly escape the pillow, consequently preventing uncomfortable heat build-up.

3. Buckwheat pillows are all-natural & biodegradable.

An unzipped Hullo buckwheat pillow
Beautiful buckwheat hulls: Hullo buckwheat pillow’s contents revealed.

Many popular pillow types contain polyurethane or polyester foam that can emit toxins and carcinogens that aren’t good for you or our environment. There’s no sense in risking your health or filling our landfills with potentially toxic waste!

The comfort of buckwheat pillows comes with no strings attached. 

Buckwheat pillows are safe for your family and the environment. Buckwheat crops benefit little from chemical fertilizers, and therefor it is free of many of the contaminants that are present in other crop types. The hulls are also compostable, which helps to reduce unnecessary waste in our landfills and keeps our soil healthy and nutrient rich for future generations. Additionally, for those interested in a vegan lifestyle, buckwheat pillows contain no animal products like down pillows.

Consider trying Hullo™ buckwheat pillow.

If you’ve decided a buckwheat pillow is worth giving a shot, please consider our product, Hullo. We think it’s the best buckwheat pillow available, but don’t take our word for it, check out these customer reviews.

Neck Roll PillowOften associated with pain relief, neck roll pillows are designed to aid neck positioning and resting posture.

A healthy resting posture keeps all the bits and pieces in your spine in their ideal “neutral” positions. Under these circumstances, preventing pain-causing agitation of your muscles, nerves, or discs allows for consistent and comfortable rest.

Neck roll pillows are called many different things: cervical pillows, bolster pillows, yoga bolsters. All are similar in shape/size and can provide the same benefits.

Neck roll pillows are functionally versatile compared to traditional rectangular pillows.

A neck roll pillow’s design can provide comfort and support in many contexts beyond neck pain relief:

  • Bed Pillow — Many favor the cylindrical shape for use as a bed pillow. Its smaller dimensions relative to traditional bed pillows make it well-suited for back sleepers and those smaller in stature.
  • Extra Support — You can place a cervical pillow under or on top of your existing bed pillow (inside your pillow case) to provide more loft. Reading in bed and watching movies is more comfortable and enjoyable with a thicker, more substantial pillow under your head.
  • Under Arm Support for Side Sleepers – Similar to a body pillow, they can help to support the top side of your body and prevent you from rolling onto your stomach.
  • Orthopedic Pillow — People often use cylindrical pillows in conjunction with other pillow types to correct uncomfortable or pain-causing body postures. They work well for head and neck support but also commonly serve to elevate knees, ankles, or other body parts.
  • Travel Pillow — A neck roll pillow is considerably smaller than traditional bed pillow. Therefore, they work well in both a car and an airplane (or even boat!). Wrap it around your neck and it will help to support your resting head. They’re a better alternative to those weird u-shaped pillows sold at the airport!
  • Yoga Bolster — Under your neck, knees or back, a roll pillow is great for use at the yoga studio.
  • Arm Rest — Support your arm while seated as you read or use your laptop.

Neck roll pillow filling: what works best?

Manufacturers usually fill most traditional neck roll pillows with soft squishy foam or sometimes down feathers. Particularly for a neck roll pillow designed to improve resting posture, neither filling is ideal. Traditional filling has a few substantial negatives:

  1. Soft, compressible filling types like polyester fiberfill or down can collapse under the weight of your body. As a result, these types of pillow filling lose their loft and become too thin.
  2. Manufacturers produce popular foam pillow filling types with petrochemicals, posing a potential hazard to both the environment and our health.
  3. Traditional pillow filling (especially memory foam) builds up and retains your body heat. This can make them them uncomfortably warm.

There are many types of pillow fillings to chose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, we believe that buckwheat hulls are the best choice.

Hullo buckwheat hulls

What are buckwheat hulls?

Popular throughout Asia for centuries, buckwheat hulls are a proven pillow filling that provides better, more comfortable rest. Filled with thousands of tiny all-natural buckwheat hulls, a buckwheat pillow will provide luxurious support for your body that simply can’t be matched by traditional pillows. Its unique malleable characteristics enable it to conform perfectly to the shape of your body, providing consistent, cool and comfortable support.

A buckwheat neck roll pillow is supportive.

Buckwheat hulls move and shift, but do not compress under pressure like soft pillow fillings. Each individual hull’s irregular edges allow it to grip its neighbors. All the hulls work together, enabling your pillow to hold a consistent shape that mimics the contour of your body. As a result, all stress and pressure points are eliminated. You’ll get support that cradles your head and neck comfortably and consistently.

Zippered opening on bolster pillow(Most) Buckwheat neck roll pillows are adjustable.

All high-quality buckwheat pillows always have a zipper. A zipper enables adjustment of the amount of filling in the pillow. As a result, you’re able to change the thickness of your pillow for maximum comfort by adding or removing buckwheat hulls.

A buckwheat neck roll pillow is breathable.

The irregular and hollow shape of buckwheat hulls creates airspace within your pillow. Its breathable nature results in a cool, dry pillow, that gives you the “cool side of the pillow” effect no matter how long your head and neck rest on it.

Buckwheat is safe for you and the environment.

Many popular pillow types contain polyurethane or polyester foam that can emit toxins and carcinogens that aren’t good for you or our environment. There’s no sense in risking your health or filling our landfills with potentially toxic waste!

Buckwheat crops benefit little from chemical fertilizers. Thus, it is free of many of the contaminants that are present in other crop types and is safe for your family and the environment. The hulls are compostable, which helps to reduce unnecessary waste in our landfills and keeps our soil healthy and nutrient rich for future generations. Additionally, buckwheat pillows contain no animal products for those interested in a vegan lifestyle.

Enjoy consistently comfortable and cool support that works anywhere!

We’ve been selling traditionally sized buckwheat bed pillows for years. Don’t take my word for it—Thousands of happy customers can attest to the comfort that buckwheat hulls can provide.

What is twill fabric?Twill is a an attractive and durable type of textile weave. It is easily identifiable by its pattern of diagonal parallel ribs. A twill weave is altered in each row (over one yarn and under two or three yarns), producing this conspicuous line pattern. This pattern is called a wale.

Twill is very popular because it:

  • is durable. Twill is stronger than plain weaves.
  • is soft enough to be used in all types of clothing.
  • drapes well. Twill fabric hangs freely, resisting creases and wrinkles.
  • resists soiling thanks to its irregular surface texture and tight weave.
  • is versatile; twill fabrics are woven with all types of thread including wool, polyester and cotton.

Unlike fabric with a plain weave, twill fabric has two sides.

The front, or technical face of twill has the most obvious pattern. This side is generally both more durable and attractive than the technical back. It is used as the visible side of the product being created.

Twill fabric has fewer interlacing threads than other weave types.

This results in a softer, more malleable fabric. It also means that more threads can be packed in for high-count fabrics that are extremely durable and even water resistant.

Fabric with a twill weave isn’t all bells and whistles. It is:

  • more expensive to produce than plain weaves.
  • more difficult to design and produce with due to technical front and back.
  • prone to twisting and improper hang after being laundered.

I’ve summarized the most popular types of twills below:

Foulard

Foulard

Because twill weaves have such an interesting texture, printed twills are uncommon. Foulard, however, is an exception. It is a lightweight silk or cotton twill fabric printed with colorful designs. Also known as syrah, it is thought to have its orgins in the Far East. Foulard’s name is derived from the french word for scarf or neckerchief.  Traditional foulard uses a twill weave, but plain weave foulard is also obtainable.

herringbone

Herringbone

Also called broken twill weave, herringbone describes the V-shaped pattern evident in this type of twill weave. It is named for its resemblance to the skeleton of a herring fish. Herringbone patterned clothing is subtle and attractive. Woven wool herringbone is very popular for use in suits and outerwear.

houndstooth

Houndstooth

Houndstooth is a duotone twill weave characterized by its pattern of four-pointed rectangular shapes. It is most recognizable in the popular checkered black and white variety shown here.

serge

Serge

Serge is unique; it has distinct diagonal lines or ridges on both the technical front and back sides. Serge uses a with a two-up, two-down weave. It is frequently used in military uniforms. Another variety, called silk serge is woven with silk and is used for garment linings.

sharkskin

Sharkskin

Traditionally, sharkskin fabric is created with the use of acetate. It has a distinct two-tone appearance that almost shines. Depending on the viewing angle of the fabric’s surface, you can see contrasting light and dark tones that resemble a shark’s skin.

Chino

Chino

Chino is functional and durable. Thus it has been very popular for use in military trousers since the 19th century. The traditional light brown shade served as effective camouflage for the British military in desert campaigns. The American Army adopted these unique trousers in 1902 and dubbed them, “chinos.”

covert twill

Covert

Covert found initial popularity during the late 19th century in horse-riding clothing. It provides effective wind and water resistance thanks to its density. Covert is usually woven with two colors which gives it a flecked appearance. Originally almost all covert fabric was woven using tightly spin wool or wool-silk blends, but today some wool-cotton blends are manufactured.

Denim

Denim

Everyone is intimately familiar with good old durable and comfortable cotton denim! The most common denim is called indigo demin, which uses a dyed warp thread in conjunction with white weft threads. This gives denim its familiar appearance. It also causes it to fade as it does; the weft thread’s dye fades which blends in with the white warp threads.

khaki drill fabric

Drill

The most common use of drill is “khaki drill,” which is a green color instead of the light brown associated with traditional khaki. Drill’s durability and resistance to rain and wind made it useful for products like boat sails, tents and tarps. Synthetic fabrics have largely supplanted drill for these applications. It remains popular for use in both uniforms and casual dress.

Fancy Twill

Fancy Twill

A fancy twill weave can have endless variations. A twill becomes “fancy” by incorporating a unique geometric motif. This is done by inserting another weave onto the blank squares of the twill’s diagonal pattern.

Gabardine

Gabardine

Gabardine was invented and patented in 1888 by Thomas Burberry. Traditionally produced with wool, gabardine has a pronounced diagonal ribbed technical face, and a smooth back. It is often used to line pockets,  where a smooth and very durable fabric is required to prevent holes.

Cavalry Twill

Cavalry Twill

Cavalry twill is named as such due to its frequent use in riding pants for cavalry uniforms. Its appearance is easily recognized by its obvious double twill ribs. It is still used for riding pants and also ski pants, sportswear, pants and coats of all kinds.

Lining Twill

Lining Twill

As its name suggests, lining twill is used to line the inside of clothing. Often woven with silk, it is lightweight, smooth, shiny and attractive. Lining twill is water-resistant and shrink-resistant. It can also be easily printed upon.

Twill fabric close up with logo label

Twill fabric is durable, soft, breathable and pliable making it a great choice for Hullo.

What makes us so passionate about twill fabrics?

Many years ago, a friend recommended a buckwheat pillow, something I’d never heard of. After a few nights of confused sleep, I got used to it. I loved it! Soon afterwards I decided to try to manufacture and sell them myself. I experimented with many different designs. I tried different zippers, different stitching, and of course lots of different fabric types.

Finally I settled on a 7 oz. per yard organic cotton twill in a “natural” white.

Perfect for Hullo! It was: 

  • Durable. Buckwheat hulls, being quite heavy (10 lb. in a standard 20×26″ bed pillow), require a strong fabric case to contain them. We’ve sold thousands of pillows and the twill fabric has yet to fail.
  • Soft. Cotton with a twill weave is very soft. The fabric glides smoothly across skin and bedding alike.
  • Breathable. Cotton is breathable and prevents uncomfortable warm air from building up inside your pillow.
  • Attractive. That unmistakable and familiar diagonal pattern looks luxurious and ready to sit on anyone’s bed!

Goose looks at camera

“Be gentle! Yanking out my feathers hurts.”

Down is a terrific thermal insulator and is used extensively for popular products like bedding, jackets and sleeping bags. It works well as pillow filling thanks to its soft, malleable characteristics.

Down comes at a considerable price if you’re concerned with the well-being of animals.

As we all know, down doesn’t grow on trees. Sadly, most down/feathers are gathered in a way that is distressing to the birds.

As a result, purchasing down products can result in the inhumane treatment of animals. Bird feather harvesting techniques can be unpleasant.

Duck Down

Would you use mother duck’s feathers in your pillow?

There are three methods of collection:

  1. After slaughter for meat – This generally involves boiling the bird’s corpses in water for several minutes to loosen the feathers. The body feathers are then plucked and the down is separated either by hand or machine.
  2. Live plucking – Every six to seven weeks before slaughter, birds are captured. They are held down by the neck and their feathers torn out. This process often results in the bird’s skin being torn. IKEA and Patagonia eliminated live-plucked down from their products due to this inhumane practice.
  3. Gathering from live birds – This method involves brushing or combing the animals to extract feathers and down that are ready to fall out naturally. This is the least traumatic of the three harvesting techniques, yet abuse is still common in industrial production.

The Responsible Down Standard Logo

The Responsible Down Standard helps ensure that animals do not suffer.

Fortunately there are responsible options for producing down.

Pillow shoppers that are committed to their down filling AND want to treat birds better should look for products manufactured using The Responsible Down Standard (RDS).

The Responsible Down Standard is an independent, voluntary global set of guidelines that recognizes and rewards the best practices in the harvesting of bird feathers. RDS is managed by the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit devoted to the responsible production of textile products.

Over 550 million birds are now under farm certification to the RDS. Those birds are grateful!

What are “down alternative” pillows?

Products labeled “down alternative” are most commonly filled with some variation of polyester fibers. These have become quite popular thanks to the advancement of technology. These synthetic materials can perform nearly as well as real down. Additionally, they are easily cleaned.

Note: “down alternative” filling is often marketed as being hypoallergenic. Down alternatives are presented as options for those suffering from allergies to down. It turns out that down allergies are very rare. What is common is an allergy to dust mites and no pillow filling is immune. Make sure you’re genuinely allergic to down before you switch to a sub-par synthetic pillow filling.

The synthetic options do not require the use of any animal parts. However, these materials carry a heavier ecological footprint than down. They are not easily recyclable and do not biodegrade like real bird feathers. Thus, for the ecologically sensitive consumer, these products are a trade-off.

I tried a down alternative pillow stuffed with “poly gel fiber” filling. They’re unfortunately not as effective as genuine down.

Kapok and cotton are all natural alternatives that feel similar to down.

They’re soft and are safe for you, mother earth and all the birds out there! I’ve tried both cotton and kapok pillows. They aren’t better unfortunately. As far as comfort goes, most will agree that down is superior.

Try this (very different) option.

I would still be sleeping with my familiar old down pillow today, but thanks to a friend’s recommendation, I tried a buckwheat pillow. I wasn’t an instant convert. It was totally different, so it took some getting used to. But, after about a week, I was sleeping much better. A year later I was manufacturing my own buckwheat pillows. Yes – I love them that much! Don’t take my word for it. Our customer’s reviews speak for themselves!

Check out this testimonial from a feather pillow convert:

“As far back as I can remember using a pillow at night, I’ve used a feather pillow. Pillows stuffed with the softest down have been my default, my go to. I haughtily looked down on pillows of any other type. This was even though I’d been growing more dissatisfied with my feather pillow’s tendency to wake me in the middle of the night because it’s lofty support had degraded and squished away through after a few hours…

The first week was difficult. I was so used to the soft, plushness of feather pillows: the buckwheat pillow felt like a slab of concrete in comparison. But, then the second week hit. By then, my muscles were well adjusted. The pillow start to feel supportive rather than hard. I was a convert! This pillow is great. It excels at all-night-long support and good breathability. Unlike my feather pillows of the past, this pillow works with/for me, rather than against me. What a fantastic pillow!” –Geoff, verified Hullo customer