It doesn’t seem like sleeping would have an environmental impact, but even in sleep, our choices are affecting the planet. How much energy we burn to keep the room a comfortable temperature, the bed we sleep on, and the bedding we cover it with all have their impact. Mattresses are probably the most impactful items in our bedrooms. Pillows require fewer materials and less energy to ship. They are also far less likely to contain flame retardants. But we purchase many more pillows than mattresses over our lifetime, and there is much less consumer pressure for pillow-producer responsibility, especially for recycling options. Fortunately, some companies are working to make clean, Earth-friendly pillows. Although companies are less transparent about their manufacturing processes for pillows than for mattresses, Earth911 collected available supply chain, certification, and manufacturing information for 10 sustainable pillow brands to help shoppers find the best Earth-friendly sleep. We’ve filtered out all companies that do not make an explicit promise that their products are green and healthy.

Note that most pillows not made from a solid foam core are intentionally overstuffed with the expectation that purchasers will remove as much of the fill as necessary to reach their personal comfort level. If saved and stored, consumers can reuse that excess fill when the pillow begins to feel flat, extending the useful life of the product. Don’t toss out extra fill