Red Flags To Know About Pillows To Avoid Common Toxins

April 06, 2025 | Source: House Digest | by Sophia Beams

Is it time to replace your bedding? Shopping around for a good pillow is just as essential as finding the perfect mattress — and not just in terms of comfort, either. One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying pillows is not checking to see whether it’s free of toxins.

There’s a lot more hiding from you in your average pillow than you might think. Inorganic materials such as polyester and memory foam can release chemicals into the air over time, irritating your skin and lungs — not to mention the fact that they aren’t biodegradable either, which is a serious problem when you think about how often you should be changing out your pillows. Even natural materials like cotton, when grown with fertilizers and pesticides, carry these chemicals from where they were planted all the way into your very own pillow. Thinking that duck or goose-down pillows are the best option? Bad news — these feathers are often chemically treated before they make their way into your pillow stuffing. Even down alternatives fall victim to their already vague name because they’re often filled with a variety of potentially hazardous materials, too.

All of these pillow facts might be downright making you lose sleep. But don’t lose hope just yet — instead, let’s talk about the best way to shop for non-toxic pillows.