Best Bamboo Pillows
- Best for Side Sleepers: Nolah Squishy Pillow
- Best for Combination Sleepers: Puffy Pillow
- Best for Stomach Sleepers: Cozy Earth Silk Pillow
- Best for Back Sleepers: Coop Home Goods Eden Pillow
- Best Bamboo-Fill: Lagoon Lemur Pillow
Best for Side Sleepers: Nolah Squishy Pillow
The Nolah Squishy pillow definitely lives up to its squishy name! It’s squishy, but the shredded foam fill is very elevating and supportive—making it an especially great pillow for side sleepers, who need to keep their head and neck in alignment.
Nolah Squishy Pillow
Best for Combination Sleepers: Puffy Pillow
The Puffy Pillow is a great choice for sleepers looking for a pillow with customizable comfort, targeted support, and allergy-friendly properties.
Puffy Pillow
Sleepopolis Score
4.90 / 5
Best for Stomach Sleepers: Cozy Earth Silk Pillow
Made with 100 percent silk for the filling, this pillow will provide combination sleepers with a soft, luxurious feel.
Cozy Earth Silk Pillow
Sleepopolis Score
4.90 / 5
Best for Back Sleepers: Coop Home Goods Eden Pillow
With cooling Lulltra fabric and shredded gel-infused memory foam fill, this down alternative pillow from Coop Sleep Goods is great for hot sleepers, side sleepers, and back sleepers.
Coop Eden Pillow
Sleepopolis Score
4.60 / 5
Best Bamboo-Fill: Lagoon Lemur Pillow
The Lemur from Lagoon is filled with a mix of bamboo fibers and recycled down-alternative fill. It offers a soft feel and a low loft, making it ideal for stomach sleepers.
Lagoon Lemur Pillow
What Is A Bamboo Pillow?
There is no set definition of a “bamboo pillow” because bamboo can be used in a variety of ways in pillow construction. It can be used in the fill, the cover, or both. However, the most common type of bamboo pillow seems to be pillows with a bamboo viscose (or bamboo viscose-blend) cover. Bamboo viscose is a type of semi-synthetic fabric. It is made from bamboo wood, which through either mechanical or chemical treatment is broken down into pulp to extract fibers and spin them into fabric. In addition to use for pillows, it’s a popular material for sheets.How To Choose A Bamboo Pillow
There are a variety of factors to consider when shopping for any pillow, including a bamboo pillow.Sleeping Position
The most important factor to consider when pillow shopping is your primary sleeping position. Each sleeping position will be best supported by a different type of pillow.
- Side Sleeping: For side sleepers, we recommend a high loft and firm pillow.
- Stomach Sleeping: For stomach sleepers, we recommend a low loft and soft pillow.
- Back Sleeping: For back sleepers, we recommend a pillow with a medium firmness and medium loft.
Loft
As mentioned above, different pillow lofts work best for different sleeping positions. We rate pillows as either low, medium, or high loft. Low is generally two to three inches, medium is four to five inches, and high is over five inches. A higher loft pillow will fill a larger space between your neck and the mattress, such as when you are side sleeping. A lower loft pillow, which isn’t very tall, works better when your neck is already close to the mattress, such as when you are stomach sleeping. There can be some variation in what loft is best for different people, depending on preference and body size. For example, what feels “high” to a smaller person might feel more like a “medium” loft to a larger person, since their bodies are different sizes.Firmness
Firmness is the other half of the equation when choosing the best pillow for your sleeping position. We generally rate pillows as either soft, medium, or firm. A firmer pillow provides more support, while a softer pillow tends to provide less. This is why a firm pillow is helpful for side sleepers — they need more neck support since it is lifted high off the mattress. And vice versa for stomach sleepers — they could even get away sleeping without a pillow at all since their necks are so close to the bed.
Materials
Even if you are confident you want a “bamboo pillow,” it’s still important to look at all the materials used in a pillow’s construction. This will give you an idea of how the pillow will feel, its durability, and whether it is hypoallergenic, cooling, etc. Many bamboo pillows have bamboo covers, although many are blends of bamboo and another fabric, such as polyester. Some have bamboo fiber fill, although that is less common. The majority of bamboo pillows will be filled with another material, such as memory foam or down-alternative fill.Cooling
One great property of bamboo is it is great for regulating temperature and wicking moisture — both pros for hot sleepers! Bamboo is commonly used to make bedding products more cooling, so if you are looking for a cooling pillow, bamboo is a good sign.Care Instructions
If you are purchasing a new pillow, it’s a good idea to see what the recommended care instructions are before purchasing. Some pillows are entirely machine washable, some feature washable covers, and some are spot clean only. It’s helpful to know up front if the pillow’s required care matches well with your expectations and lifestyle.
Price
Of course, price is always an important factor. Bamboo pillows are not often extremely expensive, but they might be more expensive than pillows using less specialized materials, like polyester. The price can also be affected by other materials used in the pillow, such as the foam fill.FAQs About Bamboo Pillows
What are the best bamboo pillows to buy?
It depends on your specific sleep needs and preferences. There is no one-size-fits-all pillow, but hopefully one of our bamboo pillow recommendations from this article will work well for you!
Are bamboo pillows better?
For some people, yes. Bamboo is a great material for cooling, as it regulates temperature and wicks moisture well. Hot sleepers may find bamboo beneficial compared to other materials.
How long should a bamboo pillow last?
Like other pillows, you can expect a bamboo pillow to last at least two years.
Are all bamboo pillows the same?
No, there is quite a lot of variation among bamboo pillows. Many of them utilize the material in different ways, so read closely through the materials to understand which components of the pillow are bamboo.
Is it okay to wash a bamboo pillow?
It depends on the pillow. Check the recommended care instructions from the manufacturer to see whether the pillow can be machine washed.