Pillow buying guide: How to choose the perfect pillow for your guests

Offering your visitors a selection of pillows to appeal to their different needs, sleep positions and preferences is a sure-fire way to please, but knowing exactly which pillows to choose can be a difficult task.

Our extensive range of natural- and synthetic-filled pillows gives you the option to mix and match pillows, so you can personally deliver that comfortable night’s sleep. 

In this hotel pillow buying guide, we’re sharing the top elements to consider when choosing pillows, answering all of your questions, and sharing the benefits of each pillow so you know exactly which ones will suit you, your business and your guests.

Things to Consider

Compliance with British Standards  

For peace of mind, you can rest assured that all pillows at Out of Eden have been tested to ensure compliance with the Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations (1988).

Pillow Menus

Now more than ever, guests are looking for unique services to take their experience above and beyond their expectations. Simply put, a pillow menu allows you to offer a wide variety of pillow choices, allowing your guests to customise their stay with their own preferences.  

Pillow menus can be ideal for indulging guests, while simultaneously giving you an indication of guests’ favourite fills, in turn making replenishment of such bedding pieces far more accurate and less like guess work. Within your pillow menu, consider offering a choice between three or four synthetic and natural options.  For some guests, allergies to natural products can be a huge decider, while others prefer a down or feather option. In addition, try providing a softer pillow amongst firmer ones to ensure there’s something to suit everyone. 

NOMITE and Downafresh

Guests who suffer from dust allergies may be particularly cautious about sleeping in natural bedding, as feather and down pillows and duvets can be a breeding ground for dust mites.  

However, all Out of Eden's natural bedding products are encased in 100% mite-proof casings with NOMITE and Downafresh accreditation.  

This means that the weave is so tight, due to being manufactured to the highest welfare and hygiene standards, that even those microscopic pests can’t penetrate the barrier, thus giving your guests that extra peace of mind. 

Your Pillow Questions Answered

1. Should I choose a natural or synthetic fill? 

This is entirely dependent on personal preference. Natural fillings are popular due to being a breathable, moisture-wicking and long-lasting option with the added benefit of being fully hypoallergenic due to their NOMITE and Downafresh certification. 

Synthetic fillings tend to be a more affordable, non-allergenic alternative that are typically easy to wash and mostly odourless. They’re also an ideal choice for those looking to appeal to vegan guests. 

2. How often should I be replacing pillows? 

This is largely determined by the pillows you select. For example, hollowfibre pillows tend to be a cheaper option due to their shorter lifespan, while our bestselling Wash & Bounce pillows are designed to last for years. 

The price you pay for a pillow is largely indicative of how long it will last, but you can also tell when a pillow needs replenishing as it will be flatter and hard to fluff up. 

3. How do I choose the right pillow for my guests? 

Unfortunately, no one pillow suits all. With variances in people’s sleep positions, preferences and health needs, it would be impossible to select just one. 

That’s why pillow menus are a great choice, though we also recommend trying the pillows out yourself to get an accurate understanding of what you, and therefore your guests, may prefer. 

4. Should I choose soft, medium or firm pillows? 

Rather than offering the same two pillows, we recommend starting with a firmer, more supportive pillow on the bottom with a soft or medium pillow on top. 

This way, you’re twice as likely to offer a pillow that suits your guest, while typically being more comfortable for them, too. 

5. What is the difference between duck and goose? 

Goose feather and down is regarded as the most premium fill, with duck feather and down the more affordable option. Goose feather and down fillings deliver excellent insulation at a low weight, so a pillow or duvet can be light and lofty as well as warm or supportive. 

Duck alternatives can have similar properties but with slightly more weight.  Due to being a natural product these fills can have a slight odour when new, but a quick airing for 24 hours will remove this. 

6. What is the difference between feather and down? 

Feathers are the rigid plumage found on the outside of duck and geese, heavily desirable due to its ability to provide support and structure.

Down is the light fluffy coating found beneath the feathers, renowned for its softness and insulation, making it a popular filling in bedding and clothing due to its loftiness and lightness.

7. Are the natural-fill materials ethically sourced? 

Yes, absolutely. Out of Eden's natural-fill pillows are made in Scotland, by a bedding manufacturer who is a member of the European Down and Feather Association. 

This means that the natural fillings are responsibly sourced as a by-product of the food industry, with no duck or goose being bred for the sole purpose of harvesting down or feathers. 

What's the difference between a Standard and a King Size Pillow?

The Classic Just Like Feather and Down Pillow and the Classic Duck Feather & Down pillows are available in two sizes, Standard and King.

The Standard size measures 48 x 74cm / 19 x 29" and the King size measures 50 x 90cm / 19 x 35". 

On a King size mattress, you will comfortably fit two Standard size pillows side by side. Whereas, on a Super King size mattress, you will fit two Standard size pillows with space surrounding them. If you would prefer to fill the width of the mattress, we recommend using two King size pillows which will comfortably fit the space side by side.

Premium natural-fill pillows:

Classic Duck Feather & Down Pillow 

Filled with 85% supportive feather and 15% luxuriously soft down, this is one of our bestselling natural hotel pillows. A top quality natural duck feather and down pillow for a cosy and comfortable night’s sleep.

• Firmness: medium-soft
• Casing: 233-thread count, 100% cotton
• Washable: Yes, at 40°C

Made in Scotland from European feather and down, it is NOMITE and Downafresh certified. 

Luxury Goose Down Surround Pillow

This is the ultimate natural filled pillow due to its high-quality casing, fill and Scottish craftsmanship. A superior 300-thread count piped case contains a supportive goose feather core surrounded by soft and cosy goose down.  

• Firmness: medium-soft 
• Casing: 300-thread count, 100% cotton
• Washable: Yes, at 40°C

Only the finest white European goose feather and down is used and it is NOMITE and Downafresh certified.

Synthetic fills to suit every guests:

Easycare Hotel Pillow

Our most affordable option 

Filled with a heat-crimped polyester filling, the fibres are less likely to clump in our mainstay hotel pillow than a hollowfibre fill, making it an ideal washable alternative.

• Firmness: soft 
• Casing: 50/50 polycotton
• Washable: Washable with care, 40°C

This pillow provides plenty of support and will retain its shape for longer.

Wash & Bounce Pillow

An Out of Eden bestseller! 

Ever since a customer requested a pillow be manufactured that would retain its shape and quality wash after wash, the Wash & Bounce pillow has remained our most popular! 

• Firmness: medium
• Casing: 100% cotton, 233-thread count
• Washable: Yes, at 40°C

Extremely long life, the pillow is designed to retain its loft and be plumped back into shape no matter how many times it’s used and washed. 

Classic Just Like Feather & Down Pillow

The feel of feather

Comparable with the bouncy, plumper feel of a feather pillow, this microfibre pillow has been specially designed to offer a compact, firmer feel likened to that of natural feather fills, but is in fact made from recycled plastic bottles, therefore offering a great sustainable option.

• Firmness: medium-firm
• Casing: 100% cotton, 233-thread count
• Washable: Washable with care, 40°C

Luxury Just Like Down Eco Pillow 

For both luxury and sustainability

One of the most luxurious and sustainable pillow choices on the market, the filling is produced in Germany from recycled plastic bottles with full traceability on its sourcing from collection all the way through to the manufacturing process. The soft synthetic clusters can be plumped up for loftiness to closely match the desirable touch and feel of down. 

• Firmness: medium 
• Casing: 100% cotton, 233-thread count
• Washable: Yes, 40°C

Looking to browse our range of pillows?