The short answer
Why wool?
Because it does the job a pillow is meant to do without any help. Wool stays dry under your head, holds its shape, and needs no chemical treatments to get there.
What wool does
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It sleeps cooler
You lose a lot of heat through your head at night, and a pillow that traps it gets in the way of sleep. Wool takes in moisture vapor before it turns to dampness, so the air around your head stays steadier through the night. A warm bedroom still needs fixing on its own; no pillow does that job.
Why you get so hot when you sleep -
It wicks moisture rather than holding it
Wool fiber absorbs moisture vapor and lets it go again, and as it releases it carries heat with it. Foam is dense and insulating, so warmth and damp build up under your head. That is the difference you feel at three in the morning.
Wool vs memory foam -
Dust mites have a harder time
Dust mites are the main reason pillows need washing, and they need damp to live. Wool keeps the inside of the pillow drier, which makes it a poor home for them. If you have a confirmed dust mite allergy, put an allergen-proof encasing on the pillow too, under the pillowcase.
Pillow allergy: causes and what helpsDust mites in pillows -
Flame resistant on its own
Wool resists fire naturally, so our pillows carry no flame retardants and no other chemical treatments. Polyester and foam are petroleum products that need added chemistry to pass a flame test, and we filmed how the two behave. There is no chemical smell to air out.
Our fire testWhat is inside a synthetic pillow -
It lasts
Wool fiber springs back from compression, so the pillow holds its shape year after year. Foam softens and polyester flattens, which is where the one-to-two-year replacement rule comes from. We do not promise a number. The people who taught us to make pillows have used theirs for more than 20 years.
Wool vs downHow often should you replace your pillow
Pros and cons
Is a wool pillow right for you?
For most people, yes. Here is the whole picture, including the trade-offs.
Where wool wins
- Sleeps cooler and drier than foam or polyester.
- Resists dust mites, so it needs a full wash far less often.
- No flame retardants or chemical treatments, and nothing to off-gas.
- Holds its shape for years with a pillowcase and the occasional afternoon in the sun.
- Four fills to choose from, and one free fill adjustment if the first choice is off.
What to know first
- It costs more up front than polyester or foam. We build it to hold its shape for years, so you buy pillows less often.
- It is firmer and heavier than down or polyester. If you like a pillow you sink into, start with Thin.
- Care is a pillowcase, spot cleaning and sun. A full wash is for a soiled pillow only: by hand, or in the machine with a full load on delicate, no or low heat, then hang or lay flat. Never the dryer.
- The loft settles a little in the first months. We overstuff every pillow for that, and the fill adjustment covers it if it lands somewhere you do not like.
- New wool has a faint natural fiber scent for the first few nights. It fades on its own.
If you sleep hot or are tired of replacing pillows, wool is a good fit. Pick your fill by how you sleep, and when it is close, start with Medium.
The pillow
The Woolshire Pillow
From $179.99free US shipping
American virgin wool inside an organic cotton shell. Carded on 1960s machinery and sewn by hand at our mill in Sandpoint, Idaho. Queen size, four fills.
Not sure which fill? Find your fill
- One free fill adjustment, with no time limit. We cover shipping both ways.
- 30-day returns on The Woolshire Pillow.
Find your fill
Question 1 of 4
How do you sleep most of the night?
If you switch around, pick the position you start in or wake up in most.
How firm is your mattress?
A softer mattress lets you sink in, which changes how much loft your pillow needs to add.
What's wrong with your current pillow?
Be honest. This is the most useful answer for picking the right fill.
How would you describe your build?
Shoulder width is what sets the gap to fill on your side, so go by your shoulders, not your height or weight.
If it isn't right, you get one free fill adjustment, with no time limit. We cover shipping both ways.
How wool compares
Wool vs down, memory foam and polyester
What each pillow is filled with, and what that means for loft, washing and heat.
| What we compared | WoolThis pillow | DownFeathers | Memory foamPolyurethane | PolyesterFiberfill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill | Virgin wool, washed and carded into batts | Feathers and down clusters | Polyurethane foam | Polyester fiber |
| Where it comes from | Sheep, shorn each spring. A renewable fiber | Ducks and geese | Petroleum | Petroleum |
| Adjust the loft | Yes. Four fills, plus one free adjustment | Only if the cover has a zip | Shredded foam only | Only if the cover has a zip |
| Washing | Spot clean and sun. Machine wash only with a full load. Never tumble dry | Usually machine washable, slow to dry | Usually spot clean only | Usually machine washable |
| Heat and moisture | Wicks moisture. Cool in summer, warm in winter | Insulating, and it holds moisture | Dense, so less airflow | Doesn't absorb moisture |
Good to know
Questions we get
Answered the way we answer them on the phone.
Are wool pillows good for hot sleepers?
Yes. That is where wool does its best work. It works by keeping the air around your head from going damp and sticky, which is what wakes you up, rather than by feeling cold to the touch. A hot room is still a hot room, so fix that too.
Why you get so hot when you sleepDo wool pillows go flat?
They settle a little in the first months of regular use, then hold. We overstuff every pillow for that. If yours settles to a loft you do not like, you get one free fill adjustment with no time limit, and we cover shipping both ways. Extra Full uses compressed wool to resist settling.
How do you wash a wool pillow?
Mostly you do not. Keep a pillowcase on it, spot clean with cold water and a wool-safe detergent, and give it an afternoon in the sun every month or two. A full wash is only for a soiled pillow: hand wash it, or machine wash it with a full load of laundry on delicate with no or low heat, then reshape it and hang or lay flat to dry. Never the dryer.
How to wash a wool pillowAre wool pillows hypoallergenic?
The word has no legal definition in the United States, so we do not lean on it. What we can say: wool keeps the inside of the pillow drier, which dust mites dislike, and there are no chemical finishes to react to. If you have a confirmed dust mite allergy, put an allergen-proof encasing on the pillow too, under the pillowcase.
Pillow allergy: causes and what helps