Top 5 Tips for Buying a Pillow Online

If you've never done it, shopping for a new pillow is a fun experience. We encourage our customers to kick their shoes off, get comfy, and test out every pillow on our sample bed. However, shopping for pillows online can be a little more daunting. Not to worry! We've put together our top five tips to make shopping for pillows online a breeze.

1) White goose down is a safe bet for a superior quality pillow.

The simple truth: white goose down pillows are some of the best you can buy. We believe that an investment in a good pillow is an investment in a good sleep. If you're currently sleeping on a flat pancake or a hard piece of foam, investing in a new, down-filled pillow will truly transform the quality of your sleep and your life.

If you've decided on down, white goose down is uniformly the best quality down you can buy around the world (regardless if it’s Canadian goose, European goose down, or anything in between). Choosing white goose down will ensure pillows that are quill-free and do not have the odour associated with feathers.

Although our down pillows are certified hypo-allergenic, if you have severe allergies you may want to consider a synthetic pillow. Our Jasper pillow has a down-like feel, with synthetic clusters blown in strand by strand to give it the softness and malleability of down. If you prefer something firmer, a pillow with a mix of down and feathers is another option.

2) Make sure it's certified.

Wherever you buy your pillows, it's important to check that the products are certified and approved by the Down Association. Here in Canada, it's called DownMark; in the U.S.A, it's called the American Down & Feather Council. A pillow that is approved by either of these companies ensures that you are buying from a company that adheres to industry standards.

3) The shell matters.

While the filling of the pillow is extremely important, the shell of the pillow is another feature that shouldn’t be overlooked. We recommend sleeping pillows with a higher thread count shell (300+ Threadcount Cotton Sateen) to ensure that the pillow cover is soft, light, and there is no noisy crunching. You want your head to sink softly into the pillow and a super soft shell will enhance that experience.

4) A pillow for every sleeper.

Consider the way you sleep when selecting the right firmness of pillow for you. For example, if you're a stomach sleeper, a super soft pillow provides good support. A side sleeper might prefer a firmer pillow for better neck support and alignment.

Here is a short guide to help you choose which pillow is right for you:

SUPER SOFT SUPPORT: A good choice for stomach sleepers. Look for a pure white goose down pillow. We recommend the Heirloom Pillow.

MEDIUM TO SOFT SUPPORT: Preferred by back sleepers, but an excellent choice for all sleepers (side, back and stomach.) We recommend a pure white goose down pillow with more fill (ounces of down.) The more down in the pillow, the firmer it will be. We recommend the Au Lit Medium pillow.

FIRM TO MEDIUM SUPPORT: Ideal for side sleepers. Choose a pure white goose down pillow with even more fill, such as the Au Lit Firm.

EXTRA FIRM SUPPORT: Ideal for side sleepers and people who love lots of support. Look for a very dense down fill or a blend of feather and down. We recommend the Summit pillow which is 80% feather surrounded by 20% of down to prevent being poked by quills. 

5) Practice makes perfect.

If you're still not 100% sure about what pillow is right for you, it may come down to trial and error. Due to the nature of down, pillows will soften and transform after a few months of use. We always recommend starting off with our Au Lit Medium pillow, and testing it out for a few months. You may discover that you need something softer, firmer, or you may be someone who likes to use two pillows!

Pro tip: if you've purchased a pillow that's not right for you, there's always a way to make it better. If you'd like your pillow to be more firm, put it in a size smaller protector (for example, using a standard protector on a queen pillow). If you'd like your pillow to be a bit more soft, simply unzipping your pillow protector will allow for more softness or stick it under your mattress for a few days to speed up the softening process.