People are paying more and more attention to sustainability. Materials that require a lot of water or materials which are not carbon neutral are becoming less popular, while bamboo is on the rise.
MemoryΒ foam pillows certainly have many advantagesΒ and that is why they have become the best-selling in recent years. But many customers want sleep products made from natural materials or at least they want pillow cover to be made from natural materials. That is why we've found theΒ best bamboo pillows for you!
Cotton is great, but requires a lot of water, and must be treated with fertilizers and pesticides, so if itβs not BCI cotton, then itβs not an eco-friendly option. Wool and feathers are not vegan-friendly options, so what to choose? The answer is bamboo.Β Bamboo is hypoallergenic, durable, eco-friendly and vegan-friendly. It is not surprising more and more bamboo pillows are available on the UK market, and weβve tested the bestΒ bamboo pillows UKΒ market offers to you!
Our picks for the best bamboo pillow
So, before we dive into all the things that make a bamboo pillow great, let's throw out a few recommendations! So, if you were to ask us for the best bamboo pillow, here's our short list.
For our number one pick, we decided to go with the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow, as it takes everything you love about bamboo pillows and cranks it up a notch!
Best Overall
If you're looking at bamboo pillows, you likely want a breathable, cooling pillow. After all, bamboo is top-of-the-class when it comes to keeping you cool! However, Panda wasn't satisfied with just using a bamboo cover to get their point across.
So, they also infused the foam in their pillow with activated charcoal, have the pillow mesh sides and utilised Active O2 Micro-pods to push the breathability of the pillow as far as it can go!
Activated charcoal also further helps the pillow stay completely hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial, which is another key selling point of bamboo pillows. And they made the cover extra soft, removable, and machine washable so your pillow always feels fresh!
Add to all of this a decent trial and a whopping 10-year warranty and you should see why the Panda Hybrid Pillow is one of our favourite pillows of all time!
The Panda Hybrid uses multiple techniques to keep you cool.
Great warranty
You get a 10-year warranty, which is significantly above average.
High quality
From the filling to the pillowcase, Panda only uses top-of-the-line materials.
Disadvantages
Expensive
A bit more expensive than some other bamboo pillows.
Not for stomach sleepers
Stomach sleepers will need a flatter pillow.
Best Memory Foam: Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow
Although we just finished talking about Panda, here they are again!
Best Memory Foam
This cute Panda pillow has an easily removable pillow case and cover which is made out of bamboo fibre. It also has three layers of solid memory foam filling for optimal neck and back support. Therefore, we can say that this is a bamboo memory foam pillow that will give you pain-free sleep.
So, if you buy this bamboo Panda pillow, you can wave goodbye to a sore neck every morning. It's one of the most supportive pillows you can find, and itβs completely hypoallergenic and safe for everyone.
The pillowcase is easy to wash, and the pillow is perfect for people that usually sleep on their back or on their side. If you are interested in this pillow, you will get a 30-day trial to make sure it suits you well, and after purchasing, you will get a 10-year guarantee. The company is also green! Panda London company donates a portion of all their proceeds annually to preserve pandaβs at-risk habitats.
The orhopaedic memory foam offers excellent pressure relief.
Good for neck pain
The pillow is very supportive.
Good breathability
Overheating isn't an issue despite the foam.
Disadvantages
Off-gassing
There might be slight off-gassing present.
Best Upgrade Pick: Aeyla The FOAMO Pillow
If you're not all that bothered about the price and just want the highest-quality bamboo pillow, the FOAMO pillow might be perfect for you!
Best Upgrade Pick
When it comes to sustainable, comfortable bedding, Aeyla is up there with Panda in terms of quality. And we can see that clearly with their FOAMO pillow!
It features shredded, cooling memory foam that helps keep your temperature in line all night long. And given how the outer shell also uses a bamboo mix, breathability shouldn't ever be a problem when sleeping on this pillow!
On top of that, the pillow is fully adjustable. Just take out or put in as much memory foam as you need to get comfortable. The pillow even has a dual-zip system to keep all the shredded memory foam in place and add some durability to the construction.
Plus, even you're an eco-friendly individual, Aeyla should be on your radar. After all, each purchase helps them both donate to a charity organisation and protect trees in the Amazon rainforest.Β
Take out or put in as much memory foam as you need
High breathability
You shouldn't have any issues with overheating
Very soft and comfortable
We're sure most people will feel rather comfortable
Disadvantages
Some off-gassing
There might be some off-gassing initially
Issues with the cover
Some might find it difficult to pull our the pillow insert
Best Value: Makimoo MP2 Bamboo Pillow
If you're not convinced bamboo is for you, this is the ideal pillow to get your foot through the door, as it's cheap while still being of decent quality!
Best Value
Extremely soft and supportive at the same time, ideal for back sleepers, providing optimal positioning during sleep. The pillow is filled with polyester microfibers, and the cover is consisted of one fourth bamboo fiber. The bamboo fiber in the cover allows for good air flow, absorbs any moisture quickly and neutralises odours. Itβs a perfect solution for anyone thatβs having troubles sweating at night and getting stuck to their pillow cover.
However, it's important to note that this pillow has the least amoung of actual bamboo fibres in our selection (only 25%). The upside is that itβs completely hypoallergenic, doesnβt cause any skin irritation and is actually good for everyone with sensitive skin, especially around your face.
Another upside to this pillow is that itβs fairly affordable, and lasts long. The pillow case is easily removable and washable, and elegantly designed so it will fit in your bedroom aesthetics.
If you're not sure which pillow loft is perfect for you, adjustable pillows are the way to go!
Best Adjustable
This is not your everyday memory foam pillow. Instead of relying on regular memory foam, this pillow is filled with a unique mix of shredded visco elastic memory foam.
This shredded, visco elastic foam is excellent for restless sleepers because it is fast-reacting, easily adaptable and very supportive. In addition to that, it is also perfectly contouring which makes it quite a bit comfortable.
The cover of this pillow is a 280GSM super thick and luxurious bamboo rayon for a smooth, ultra-soft feel and maximum breathability and comfort. Bamboo fibres in this cover are also responsible for the moisture-wicking properties of the pillow which is another thing we absolutely love to see in a pillow.
Plus, while not the cheapest on this list, this bamboo pillow is far from expensive! Especially considering that you're basically guaranteed to enjoy it as you can adjust the firmness and loft at will.
If you want a pillow that's designed to perfectly cradle your head and neck, the Original Groove Pillow is for you!
Best Ergonomic
While we do have other pillows on this list that can help with neck pain, none are as ergonomic as the Original Groove Pillow! With just a quick glance, you'll notice that it doesn't have the standard rectangular pillow shape.
Instead, it has dips and curves to better cradle your head and neck. The reason for this is simple – to provide maximum pressure relief! On top of that, some people might just find an ergonomic pillow to be a lot more comfortable than a traditional pillow.
Besides just being ergonomical, the pillow is also very cooling. This is because it uses a charcoal-bamboo infusion to boost breathability and temperature regulation.Β And this is quite handy for hot sleepers.
The charcoal-bamboo infusion makes the pillow very cooling
Removable cover
The cover can be removed and cleaned
Disadvantages
Only 1 size
There's only one size to choose from
Best Hypoallergenic: CosyBoo Bamboo Memory Foam Pillow
While all bamboo pillows are hypoallergenic, we believe that none take the fight against allergies as seriously as this bamboo pillow!
Best Hypoallergenic
While all of the pillows are hypoallergenic to some degree, we believe the CosyBoo Bamboo Memory Foam Pillow is the strongest in this field. For one, it features quite a lot of bamboo in the cover (at 40%) compared to some of the other models!
Plus, from what we could find, they seem to be taking allergies quite seriously. The pillow is OEKO-Tex certified, complient with the Fire Safety regulations and even comes in recyclable packaging! So, we'd say that CosyBoo is quite green all around.
And, of course, the pillow itself is quite amazing itself. The cover is soft, breathable, and features a very nice texture. CosyBoo even claims that this is what hotel pillow quality looks like!Β On top of that, the pillowcase can be easily removed, washed, and even tumble dried on a gentle cycle.
The high loft makes it a good pick for side sleepers
Disadvantages
Not for stomach sleepers
The loft is too high for stomach sleepers
A bit pricey for some
If you don't need two pillows, it's a bit expensive
Best for Neck Pain: Supportiback Shredded Bed Pillow
If you wake up with aches in your neck more often than not, this bamboo pillow could just be perfect for you!
Best for Neck Pain
Recommended by more than 140 UK sleep doctors, this pillow allows you to sleep in more than five naturally aligned positions. Loosely translated, this means that this one is suited for every single sleeping position.
This pillow achieves this by using shredded foam instead of regular memory foam. This allows for a much quicker recovery, and more support, which according to research can even allow sleepers to stay in REM sleep longer.
Another thing that helps you sleep better with this pillow is the Freshtouch bamboo cover. Unlike many others, this cover is not just βenrichedβ with bamboo, which youβll realise the moment you rest your head on top of it.
If you often wake up covered in sweat, this bamboo pillow might just be the thing you need to cool off!
Best Cooling
First off, just like a few pillows so far, the Cosi Home Bamboo pillow uses shredded memory foam. This means that it's highly adjustable as well as more breathable than regular memory foam!
However, this pillow is a firmer one, even when you adjust the loft, so side sleepers need to know that. Memory foam provides great support for your head and neck, to help you maintain a natural spinal alignment. So, it's pretty great for pressure relief as well!
Both because of the shredded memory foam, instead of a solid memory foam block,Β and the bamboo cover, this pillow is one of the most breathable pillows on this list. So, it's a no-brainer for hot sleepers. The cover can also be removed and machine washed, so maintenance is very simple.
If you've been looking into bamboo pillows, you've likely heard a lot of good things about them. But you should know that bamboo pillows differ significantly from each other, as is the case with any other type of pillow.
Plus, depending on who you are, different bamboo pillows could be better or worse for you personally. So, let's go over all of the factors that differentiate a bad bamboo pillow, a good bamboo pillow, and the best bamboo pillow!
Rayon, lyocell or linen
You will find three types of bamboo fabric in 99% of cases. And, depending on the bamboo fabric used, the performance will be slightly different. Rayon, also called bamboo viscose, is cheaper than the other two versions of the bamboo fabric, and it has excellent characteristics, so it is used very often.
Bamboo is chemically processed to obtain fibres suitable for the textile and sleep industries, so this is a semi-synthetic material. Lyocell is very similar, but the processing of raw bamboo is done in a less harmful way to the environment, so if you are willing to spend a little more money, Lyocell is a great choice.
Bamboo linen is a premium option, both because of its eco-friendliness and because of the softness it provides. Although lyocell and rayon are also soft and comfy, linen is the softest, and at the same time the most durable of the three. Processing requires manual labour, and like everything where manual labour is involved, the price is usually significantly higher.
Bamboo linen pillows usually carry a hefty price tag and they can be rather difficult to find. But if you want the highest-quality bamboo pillows, it's a good tag to look for. That being said, as we've mentioned, in most cases, bamboo pillows are just going to use bamboo viscose.
Eco/sustainably sourced bamboo
You canβt find a lot of materials that are as eco-friendly as bamboo. In order for bamboo to grow, incomparably less water is needed than for cotton, and bamboo also grows very quickly. In addition, it is resistant to various pests, so it is not necessary to treat it with chemicals during the growing phase. Bamboo is able to grow in places where most other plants cannot.
However, you should pay attention when buying a bamboo pillow to buy one where the bamboo is obtained from approved forests. This way you will be sure that every step, from planting to cutting the bamboo, is eco-friendly.
How cooling is the pillow
Temperature regulation is especially important for hot sleepers, but no one can sleep comfortably if it is too hot. And this is one of the reasons bamboo pillows are so popular – as bamboo is incredible at temperature regulation. This is also why most of the pillows we've featured are labelled as cooling even though they use memory foam, which typically traps heat.
Even a relatively small amount of bamboo fabric can amp the breathability of the pillow. This is why you'll often see pillows with bamboo covers. However, the best bamboo pillows usually feature the bamboo in other ways as well. For example, by utilising bamboo-infused memory foam.
So, if you're a hot sleeper and are looking into bamboo pillows in order to cool off, look at how the bamboo is used. If the covers use a small amount of bamboo fabric, the pillow will be decently breathable. But if you want maximum cooling, find a bamboo pillow that has both a bamboo cover and bamboo-infused memory foam!
Which filling is used
Most pillows that are advertised as bamboo pillows actually have a bamboo cover, and are filled with some other material. That's because the bamboo fabric lends itself to covers a lot more easily than as a filling. But, as we've mentioned, even a bamboo cover can increase the overall performance of the pillow. However, if you want the best bamboo pillow, the filling should be considered more carefully.
For example, a bamboo pillow that has shredded memory foam and a high level of bamboo in the cover is going to be among the best. This is because it covers most of your basis – adjustability, breathability, and pressure relief. On the other hand, a microfibre fill pillow with a 10% bamboo viscose cover is going to perform more poorly but be a lot cheaper.
So, if the best bamboo pillows for you are going to be cheap, we'd suggest a synthetic filling with a bamboo viscose cover of 10% and up. If you want the highest-quality bamboo pillows, we'd suggest looking for shredded memory foam or wool pillows. Bamboo-infusions are also an excellent choice.
Hypoallergenic properties
As a general rule, bamboo viscose is naturally hypoallergenic. This is the main reason why having a breathable bamboo cover is so popular. So, just by the virtue of having a bamboo cover, your pillow will be hypoallergenic.
However, there is one thing we'd like to point out here. Namely, there are similar features that could still help you pick the best bamboo pillow on the market. For example, if the pillow has an OEKO-Tex certification, you know that no dangerous chemicals were used during processing.
And if the bamboo cover has a higher thread count, it's going to be a bit better for your skin. So, for hot sleepers that also prioritise beauty sleep, this is something that's worth taking into account when looking for the best bamboo pillow.
Alternatives to bamboo
If you want an eco-friendly, sustainable bedding material, bamboo fabric isn't your only option. In fact, eucalyptus bedding makes for a strong competitor! However, there are a few significant differences you should keep in mind.
For one, eucalyptus is almost always used solely in the cover. So, while a bamboo pillow does usually translate to a bamboo cover, it still has an advantage in this category. After all, bamboo-infused memory foam can be found on the market. Plus, there are some differences when it comes to performance.
Namely, bamboo viscose is typically softer than eucalyptus and requires a lower thread count. It's not a huge difference but it's there.
The pillow's loft
Having bamboo doesn't automatically make a pillow pefect. And, as you'll notice in our listing, some pillows are better suited for some sleeping positions. That's because, depending on how you sleep, you need a different loft and firmness.
When it comes to the loft, it's pretty simple. If you're a side sleeper, you want a higher loft. This is so that your head doesn't have to tilt down and put strain on your neck. Side sleepers can also look into getting a body pillow if they want to support their hips as well.
Back and stomach sleepers on the other hand want a lower loft. Stomach sleepers should be especially cautious as they need the pillow almost completely flat. This is so that your head isn't tilted upwards while you sleep.
The pillow's firmness
Aside from the loft, you should also take note of the firmness. This is because the two typically work together and both depend on your sleeping position. For example, if you're getting a softer pillow, take into account that the pillow will compress! So, even if it had a large loft initially, it might squish down as you sleep and put strain on your neck.
This is somewhat common with certain memory foam pillows as well as down pillows. So, if you don't want neck pain, feel out how much give the memory foam fill has. This can work in favour of stomach sleepers but we'd generally suggest they just get a firm, flat pillow and take the guesswork out of it.
Of course, not all bamboo pillows use memory foam, and microfibre has less give. But since memory foam is the most popular filling, we saw it important to point this out.
Tips for buying and using a bamboo pillow
When buying a bamboo pillow, check the percentage of bamboo used, as well as the type of bamboo. Of course, if such information is available, because manufacturers often do not inform customers about the type of bamboo. After that, you should also check if the bamboo comes from approved forests. Bamboo is generally eco-friendly because it does not need large amounts of water or pesticides, but bamboo that does not come from an approved forest may not meet all these standards.
In addition, follow the general guidelines for buying a pillow. Choose a pillow whose firmness and loft correspond to your sleep position. Also, our advice is to choose products from reputable manufacturers, both for quality and for the warranty. Another tip we have for you is to choose a pillow whose cover is removable. This will make maintenance much easier.
Check the origin of the bamboo.
The pillow must have a loft and firmness that are suitable for your sleep position.
Pay attention to whether it is machine washable or not.
The advantages of owning a bamboo pillow
Before buying a bamboo pillow, you should be familiar with the advantages of owning one. Pollution has increased several hundred times compared to 50 and more years ago and that is why we need to start thinking about sustainable sourced materials in all spheres. The sleep industry is no exception. Bamboo is one of the materials that can significantly help us reduce pollution. It does not require a large amount of water or chemicals to grow. And it also grows very quickly, which is another advantage. That is why owning a bamboo pillow is not only good for the quality of your sleep, but also for our environment.
Another advantage is the temperature regulation and breathability a bamboo pillow brings to the table. Bamboo is a highly breathable material, so it is ideal for making pillow covers. It is very soft too. That is why bamboo alongside eucalyptus is the best natural material for the sleep industry.
Bamboo pillows are eco-friendly
Bamboo pillows are breathable and cooling
Bamboo pillows are vegan-friendly.
Conclusion
Bamboo pillows sound exotic, but itβs quite the opposite β as finding a bamboo pillow is becoming easier each year. Bamboo fabric, which is essentially used in the making of the covers of these pillows, is hypoallergenic, dust mite free, highly antibacterial, breathable, and maintains a perfect temperature no matter what time of the year it is. So, if youβve already bought that new mattress, why not buy a new pillow to go with it? Your neck and back will certainly thank you for that. And now that you know how to find the best bamboo pillow, you should be in for a perfect night's sleep!
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FAQs about your bamboo pillows
Since bamboo pillows are one of the newer types of pillows, customers usually have a lot of questions about them. These are answers to some of the frequently asked questions.
Is bamboo material environmentally-friendly?
Yes, bamboo is one of the best materials if you want to buy an eco-friendly pillow.
Do all bamboo pillows have an off-gassing bamboo smell?
You will smell the characteristic bamboo odour during first few days, but that is nothing dangerous. You might also smell memory foam, if it has a memory foam filling. It too will disappear in a night or two.
Are bamboo pillows free of any toxic substances?
Most bamboo pillows are free of any toxic substances, but you should double-check the pillow you are going to buy.
Will bamboo pillows attract bed bugs and dust mites?
No, quite the opposite, bamboo repels bed bugs and it is dust mite resistant, so this is one of the reasons why it is ideal for allergy sufferers.
How long do bamboo pillows last on average?
Generally speaking, bamboo is a durable material, but its service life depends on the type of the bamboo and craftsmanship.
How do I clean/wash bamboo pillows?
Many bamboo covers are machine washable, but you need to check the care instructions.
Are bamboo pillows good for allergy sleepers?
Yes, bamboo pillows are great for allergy sufferers since bamboo is hypoallergenic and anti-dust mite.
Are bamboo pillows good for hot sleepers?
Bamboo pillows are considered to be cooling and breathable, so hot sleepers often decide to buy one.
How do I fluff up my bamboo pillow?
You can turn it and punch it a few times or grab the opposite sides and shake it.
