My favorite natural fill for throw pillows, and bed pillows, is wooly bolus. This loose, organic pillow stuffing is made from felted wool clusters, which are soft and springy.
A pillow stuffed with wooly bolus looks similar to a down/feather pillow. It’s a bit firmer and less squishy but it can be easily fluffed and shaped. I especially like the many feel-good qualities of this wool fill:
- Resists dust mites and mildew
- No toxic fire retardants
- Breathable, good thermal comfort
- Renewable resource processed without harmful chemicals
I buy organic wooly bolus fill by the pound from Organic Cotton Plus. For a 18″ throw pillow I use about 1.5 pounds of fill and for a standard size bed pillow I use 2 to 3 pounds.
For best results, first make a zippered case the size of your decorative pillow cover. I use pre-shrunk cotton sheeting. Then, stuff it with wooly bolus to your desired fullness. This will be your pillow insert. You can remove or add fill any time to adjust the plumpness and refresh compressed fiber.
Can a wooly bolus pillow insert be washed? Yes and no. Check out the results from my wash and dry test. I also include how-to instructions in this article I wrote for Satara Home’s blog.
