Whether you’re a back sleeper or a person who curls up on one side for the entire night, choosing a supportive pillow that keeps your neck and spine aligned is essential for good sleep. If you’re an eco-conscious individual, sensitive to allergens or don’t want to inhale off-gassing chemicals while you sleep, one of the best organic pillows may be the perfect option for you. Products that have earned third-party organic certifications verify that the materials and manufacturing processes are not harmful to people and the environment.
The best organic pillows can help put sniffles at bay and promote a quality sleep.
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If you’re in the market for an eco-friendly and lux new pillow, you may want to treat yourself to our top pick, the Avocado Green Pillow.We like its multiple organic certifications and its lengthy trial period. Ahead, we’ve rounded up our favorite organic pillows for every kind of sleeper, including latex and down options.
Impressive Certifications, Adjustable Fill Options And Lengthy Trial Period
Avocado
Avocado Green Pillow (Standard)
Size: Standard, queen, king | Trial: 100-nights | Cover material: Organic cotton | Fill: Organic latex and organic kapok tree fibers
Avocado is a company that takes sustainability seriously, so it’s a great choice overall, especially if you want products that are healthy for both people and the environment. Like many of our picks, this pillow uses materials that are Global Organic Textile Certified (GOTS), in addition to latex that meets the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS). But the Avocado Green Pillow is our top pick because it also Greenguard Gold and Made Safe certified, meaning it meets a truly exceptional standard for chemical safety. To top it off, the company is Climate Neutral certified and a B Corp.
This pillow has adjustable fill consisting of GOLS-certified organic latex shreds and GOTS-certified organic kapok, a type of tree fiber with a fluffy consistency. You can add to or take away material until it feels just right to you. That’s a huge plus if you can never seem to get comfortable or tend to get a crick in your neck from too-tall pillows. Both latex and kapok sleep cooler, so they’re a good choice if you often get too hot at night. Because it’s down-free, it’s a suitable for people who are vegan or suffer from down-related allergies.
The pillow also comes in three sizes, and the GOTS-certified organic quilted liner is machine-washable. Like Avocado’s other products, you’ll have a full 100 nights to test this pillow out in real life. Because comfort is so subjective, this is a generous amount of time to sleep on a pillow to see if it’s really to your liking. It also comes with a one-year warranty.
What our editors say: With more than 6,000 reviews, the consensus is overwhelmingly positive—and Vetted’s editor’s agree. “I’ve been using this pillow for a couple of years now, and it does not disappoint,” says commerce editor Margaret Badore. “As a stomach sleeper, I didn’t need the extra filling, but I appreciate that you have the option to plump it up. The latex shreds give this pillow a weighty, substantial feel and the pillow’s cover is thick and plush, like a fantastic sweatshirt.”
Best Luxury Organic Pillow
A Sumptuous Pillow With Various Firmness Levels For All Types Of Sleepers
The Company Store
The Company Store Organic Cotton Down Pillow
Size: Standard, queen, king | Trial: 30 nights | Cover material: Organic cotton | Fill: Down
If down is the height of luxury in your book, this lofty, full pillow is the right one for you. With four firmness levels depending on your preference, this pillow has the right amount of support for everyone. The down is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified and comes from ducks and geese that have been treated humanely.
The extra-cushy feel isn’t for everyone, but some sleepers swear by it. The medium loft is a popular choice, especially for side and back sleepers. Although there’s not a long trial period (only 1 month), customer service is responsive about returns.
What the reviews say: Reviewers, especially those who have owned down pillows in the past, rave about the density of this pillow. Many say it has solved neck pain issues. One writes: “I have been looking for just this pillow. I have arthritis in my neck and a chiropractor recommended I sleep in a spine-neutral position. This pillow does the trick. It is well made and very comfortable.”
Best Value Organic Pillow
A Budget-Friendly Cotton And Latex Pillow With A Generous Trial Period
These pillows with a budget-friendly price tag are GOTS, GOLS and Greenguard Gold certified, which makes them a bargain compared to other similar pillows. The company also is committed to environmental stewardship, as evidenced by their many sustainability certifications, including being a member of 1% For The Planet and Women’s Voices For The Earth.
The latex core is wrapped in organic cotton fabric. The pillow comes in two sizes, which tend to be on the smaller side—so if you’re a big fan of large, hefty pillows, opt for the queen. If you’re not sure how latex will feel to you, these pillows come with the best trial period currently in the industry: A generous 120 days. Sleeping on a pillow for a few months will ensure you are completely satisfied with its comfort level, or you will receive a full refund.
What the reviews say: Reviewers raved about the customer service at Happsy, even if they had to return a pillow for comfort reasons. One reviewer says the pillow is “very springy and doesn’t stay deflated when you get up.”
Best Soft Organic Pillow
A Fluffy, Soft, Resilient Pillow Filled With Non-GMO Sugarcane
Naturpedic
Naturpedic PLA Pillow With Organic Fabric
Size: Standard, standard low fill, queen, king | Trial: 100-nights | Cover material: Organic cotton | Fill: PLA from non-GMO sugarcane
This pillow’s PLA fiber filling is derived from renewable non-GMO sugarcane, meaning it’s made without any animal byproducts or animal testing. This pillow has a lightweight heft that’s also cool, moisture-wicking and resilient so it doesn’t mash down. It’s GOTS-certified, Greenguard and Made Safe certified, and the company also is a member of 1% For The Planet as well as Women’s Voices For The Earth.
Available in several sizes to fit any bed, the stretchy organic cotton cover is machine-washable. What we love is that this pillow offers a 100-night trial and a 1-year warranty, making it a good option if you’re on the fence and aren’t sure if you’ll like the feel of it or not.
What the reviews say: Hundreds of reviews comment on the fluffiness of this pillow. Several reviewers prefer the low-fill option, saying it’s a much more comfortable height than many pillows and is ideal for kids because “adult-sized” pillows typically are too thick. One reviewer says the fabric is “wonderfully thick and soft.”
If you’re primarily a back sleeper, you’ll benefit from a pillow that supports your neck without putting your spine out of alignment. This pillow hits the sweet spot: You can subtract or add how much fill you want to create the perfect height. The company even sends a little extra fill so you can fine tune it.
Naturpedic’s adjustable pillow is filled with latex that’s cut into small pieces. This allows the pillow to keep its loft. Organic cotton fill also is included to help the pillow maintain a smooth, not lumpy, consistency. You also can choose your “comfort” or firmness level: soft, medium or 2-in-1, which has reversible quilted and smooth knit sides. In addition to its organic certifications, this pillow is Made Safe and Greenguard certified. The pillow has a 100-night free trial and a 1-year limited warranty.
What the reviews say: Many reviewers note that customer service is very responsive. One reviewer says, “The support and comfort are unbelievable. I've always used cheaper department store pillows that gave me mild headaches and neck pain every morning. I always just dealt with it and thought it was normal, but once I tried this pillow, my neck pain and headaches were gone and I got the best sleep of my life.”
Best Organic Pillow For Side Sleepers
A Latex Pillow That Side Sleepers Can Shape To Fit Their Neck
Coyuchi
Coyuchi Organic Shredded Latex Pillow (Standard)
Size: Standard, queen, king | Trial: 30 nights for full refund, 1 year for store credit | Cover material: Organic cotton | Fill: Organic latex
This company’s ethos has been focused on sustainability for more than 30 years, and Coyuchi’s organic bedding often receives top marks (including in our own best organic sheets roundup). This shredded latex pillow offers more support than a down pillow, but is still be shaped and adjusted. The latex fill is GOLS-certified and the cotton cover is GOTS-certified. You also can unzip the inner cover to remove fill if it isn’t to your liking.
Shredded latex has a flexible quality that side sleepers like for its malleability. If you prefer to fluff, stack or scrunch your pillows into a shape you want, this is the right material for you. Because it’s latex, it’s not going to get mashed flat after a few uses, providing plenty of support no matter your sleep position.
What the reviews say: Many reviewers say they like the combination of firmness and softness in this pillow. One reviewer commented, “I rarely sleep through the night and have trouble falling back asleep, but not with this pillow. It has helped my neck and shoulder discomfort.”
Best Organic Latex Pillow
A Super-Plush Feel In A Latex Pillow With A Long Trial Period
A second Avocado pillow to make our list, this one’s filling uses Talalay latex, which is softer than other types of latex. The Talalay latex is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which means the latex trees are managed sustainably and without the use of harmful pesticides or other chemicals. The cover is GOTS-certified cotton, and this pillow also has also earned Greenguard and Made Safe certifications.
With three chambers, this latex pillow molds comfortably to your head and neck, cradling your shoulders better than squishier pillows. The latex is surrounded with a blend of wool, silk and mohair for a plush feel. The layers of cotton and wool/silk/mohair make for better breathability, so it’s an ideal combination for hot sleepers. It’s also a good choice if you hate constantly awakening to re-fluff your pillow. The latex core does not get crushed flat, which means you can sleep through the night with less tossing and turning.
What the reviews say: Reviewers agree that this pillow works for all sleeping positions: “It is so comfy, regardless of whether I'm sleeping on my side, back or front.” Many people note that it never compresses flat like so many other types of filling and one comments that, “I never have to fluff or flip it over in the middle of the night.”
We take sleep seriously at Forbes Vetted, with deep dives into everything from the best mattresses and sheets to sleep trackers and blackout curtains. We deeply research every product we recommend and regularly update all our recommendations to ensure our readers get the very best advice. The author of this article, Arricca SanSone is an experienced writer who specializes in covering home topics, and her articles have been published by House Beautiful,Treehugger, Prevention and many more.
We’ve included many good picks, but our favorite is the Avocado Green Pillowfor its impressive list of organic certifications, adjustable fill options, and lengthy trial period of 100 days so you can try it out in real life.
How We Chose the Best Organic Pillows
To ensure all the products on this list live up to the “organic” label, we chose only organic pillows with stringent third-party certification by GOTS and/or GOLS, as well as other certifications such as Greenguard to ensure you’re purchasing products that do not contain high levels of VOCs, which can be harmful to your health. We also looked for companies which have earned other environmentally-conscious certifications, such as Climate Neutral Certified and a Certified B Corporation.
In addition to selecting pillows with third-party organic certification, we also looked at a product’s other features such as trial periods with free returns. We especially like pillows with a lengthy trial time so you can test them out in real life. That’s crucial because what one sleeper finds comfortable may be absolutely miserable for someone else. No matter what the majority of reviews say, the only review that really matters is your personal experience with the product.
Finally, we combed through hundreds of reviews, specifically looking at the negative ones. Products with few or a number of poor reviews were rejected, especially if the customer service did not stand up to its hype after the sale.
What To Look For When Shopping For An Organic Pillow
To ensure your pillows meets strict organic criteria and don’t contain certain VOCs and other chemicals, look for the following certifications which are third-party verified.
Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS)
This certification ensures a product meets strict criteria throughout the supply chain in textile and apparel manufacturing using organically produced raw materials. A textile with the GOTS label also must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic fibers, which are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)
Products with GOLS certification must contain at least 95% organically grown latex.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The FSC certification means that rubber (latex) products meet criteria for sustainable sourcing throughout the supply chain.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100
This standard requires products to contain at least 70% organic cotton, with no use of harmful chemicals.
Greenguard Gold
Products that are Greenguard certified have been tested to show they have lower chemical emissions to reduce the number of VOCs released inside your home. Certified products are screened for more than 11,000 VOCs that can have a negative impact on indoor air quality.
Responsible Down Standard
The Responsible Down Standard is given to products that contain down and feathers from responsible farms that respect the welfare of ducks and geese.
VOCs include many different chemicals. “The emissions from pillows and mattresses of the same material type are very similar, but not exactly the same,” says Homer Swei, PhD, Environmental Working Group (EWG) senior vice president of Healthy Living Science. “Polyurethane foam mattresses have detectable emissions such as formaldehyde, toluene, nonal acetaldehyde and benzene. Polyurethane foam pillows also have detectable formaldehyde, toluene, nonal and acetaldehyde emissions.”
Are Organic Pillows Worth It?
Organic pillows are more expensive than non-organic types. But if you prefer pillows that do not contain VOCs found in materials such as polyurethane, organic pillows of alternative materials, such as latex or plant fibers, may be a good choice for you. Look for third-party certifications, such as GOTS and GOLS, to ensure the product does not contain harmful chemicals and that it meets organic standards throughout its entire supply chain.
What Pillows Are Non-Toxic?
When shopping for pillows that do not contain VOCs, look for those that have been certified by third-party organizations, such as GOTS and GOLS, which ensure pillows comply with vigorous organic standards.
For example, EWG suggests avoiding products containing polyethylene and polyurethane foam, which show the highest amount of emissions, says Swei. Choose organic certified products such as plant-based latex or plant-based fibers instead.
