• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

Is Your Child Ready for a Pillow? Make it an Eco-friendly One

baby-first-pillowWe are doing our best to recycle or donate anything that is not coming with us on moving day. There is one thing we’ve been holding onto that not even our animal shelter will take: old pillows.

I am not a pillow expert. All I knew about pillows before today is that you’re supposed to change them regularly because of dust mites. (Yuck I saw that Oprah show.) During my research on how to recycle old pillows (make dog beds) I discovered that there are many eco-friendly pillows to choose from. The cool thing about eco-friendly pillows is that they are made from renewable resources and last much longer than cotton, polyester, and down filled ones (the kind I’m sending to the dump because there seems no alternative-sewing machine is packed). The uncool thing is the price. The investment for a full family will be substantial. Even the kiddy pillows are pricey. This brings me to the question of the day:

Is your child ready for an eco-friendly pillow?

Experts suggest waiting until a child is approximately two years of age and out of a crib before a pillow is introduced. Judith Owens, pediatric sleep expert, says that older kids don’t actually need pillows either. This explains why my four year old is often found in a happy slumber on the floor or at the foot of her bed. Sleep experts also say a child’s pillow should be:

  • Smallish (about the size of an airline or decorator pillow)
  • Firm (not filled with down)
  • Thin (to avoid suffocation)

Though I haven’t tried organic pillows yet, here are some I plan on considering for our new home:

Pure natural latex rubber from BEAN Products

Dust mites cannot breed in latex. While these pillows don’t sound or look comfortable to me, it seems many of the child sized pillows have latex filler. Bean products explains why this is a good choice for green parents:

“Natural latex rubber is a renewable resource, healthy for the environment, organically grown and processed, a material that produces sustainable employment for thousands and pure comfort for millions, is non-toxic even if burned, and finally biodegradable at the end of its lifecycle.”

 I’d love to hear from a real person who has used one. Do they smell like a hot water bottle?

Pure Grow Wool pillow:

As well as promising that their wool is chemical free, biodegradable, and resistant to dust mites and mildew, the company insists that the sheep are fed a healthy diet and “handled with the utmost care.”

Buckwheat hull Ecopillows from Many Moons Alternatives

Ecopillow buckwheat hulls are triple cleaned, dried, and organically grown in Canada. I read a lot of reviews, and many swear that once you go buckwheat you never go back. These pillows apparently make tranquil swooshing sounds when you move in your sleep. Sounds nice, but do they wake your sibling across the room? I love that these pillows are meant to last up to ten years. I also like that you can just order the hulls rather than the pillows. Could I make my own buckwheat pillow?

If your child uses an organic pillow and you are happy with your purchase, please leave a comment! (Adult pillow reviews welcome too.)

Related Posts on Safe Sleeping

  • Organic Crib Mattresses
  • Media Misrepresents Cosleeping
  • Painting the Baby’s Nursery
  • Rest Well on an Eco-friendly Bed

Image: flickr user tamakisono under a Creative Commons license

[This post was written by Tara Benwell.]

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Melamine found in Milk Powder: Infants get Kidney Stones One confirmed Death
Do as I Say, Not as I Do: Teachers with Guns »

Comments

  1. Kelley says

    September 14, 2008 at 10:53 am

    Buckwheat pillows have been around for thousands of years in Asia. Many health care practitioners recommend buckwheat pillows because they are extremely supportive and restore natural alignment in the neck and spine. We manufacture each pillow by hand, we do not mass-produce them. We offer a wide range of sizes and styles to suit every purpose (we made the travel-size pillow with kids in mind too! The perfect size for your little one). We use only certified organic Canadian-grown buckwheat hulls and you can choose your pillow in organic cotton too! Easy to care for, easy to sleep on. Make your LAST pillow an Ecopillows brand buckwheat hull pillow from Many Moons Alternatives!

    Reply
  2. missy says

    September 15, 2008 at 8:28 am

    So where and how can we get rid of our old pillows?

    Reply
  3. Tara says

    September 15, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    Thanks Kelley. I am totally leaning that way! I love that you are a Canadian company.

    Missy,
    I hope someone can answer your question better than I can. All of my research about old pillows led to the landfill. This is the same problem with mattresses, though the recycling hotline said there are a few places that will disect a mattress for the springs inside. (You have to live near a big city, though.)
    At least if we buy pillows that last up to ten years from now on we are doing our part.

    If you’ve got talent, you can make dog beds. Though some people say dogs chew up human pillows, which is why shelters won’t take them.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

Eco-Friendly Decorating: How Removable Wallpaper Can Reduce Waste

Plants Over Plastics! Repurpose Compostable Home Products

More from the archives!

Prenatal Yoga DVDs

Antiperspirants Possibly Linked to Breast Lumps

Hank D and the Bee: Hank gets egged

Play Silks Provide Boundless Opportunities for Dramatic Play

The Most Comprehensive Baby Guide

Convenient Plastic Container Free Dropps Laundry & Dishwashing Pods

cbd salve joy organics

CBD Products that Actually Deliver: Joy Organics

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy

Eco-Friendly Mother’s Day Gift Ideas: Yuzen Subscription and Gift Boxes: Send you a little Zen

Soothe Colicky Babies and Help Infants Sleep Better with Happiest Baby on the Block

Iraqi Children Paying the Highest Cost of War

BPA Linked to Brain Tumors

Wear Your Baby in Organic Style: Babybjörn Original Organic Baby Carrier

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Natural Means "Nothing" – What Does Everything Else Mean?

Mother's Milk: Nurturing a Breastfeeding Mother, or Nursing for New Dads

Mother's Milk: You Can Do It (and Hopefully This Helps)

5 Green Parent Posts: Autism & Coal, Video Games & Vision, Non-Toxic Label, Corporate Uterus Status, and Organic Community Gardens

Prop 37: GMO Infographic

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.