Bamboo pillow buying guide: what you're actually buying

A bamboo pillow is almost always a memory foam pillow (usually shredded foam you can add or remove) inside a cover made partly from bamboo-derived rayon or viscose. The bamboo is in the fabric, not the filling. When you shop, judge the two parts separately. The cover affects how the surface feels and how warm it seems against your face. The fill decides support, height and whether the pillow suits the way you sleep.

What "bamboo" means on a pillow label

Bamboo stalks are woody and stiff. To get soft fabric out of them, manufacturers dissolve the plant's cellulose with chemicals and spin it into new fibers. The result is rayon, and viscose is the most common kind. Lyocell made from bamboo starts the same way, but the process recovers and reuses most of the solvent.

In the US, the Federal Trade Commission requires these fabrics to be labeled as something like "rayon made from bamboo" or "viscose from bamboo" rather than just "bamboo," and it has taken action against retailers that left the rayon part off. The FTC has also pointed out that the processing removes the original traits of the plant, so claims that a cover keeps bamboo's natural antibacterial qualities deserve some doubt.

In practice, a bamboo cover behaves like rayon. That gives you some real advantages and a couple of weak spots:

• It feels smooth and cool when you first lie on it.
• It absorbs moisture well, so a sweaty face feels less clammy.
• It is weaker when wet and can shrink in hot water or a hot dryer.
• Cheaper blends tend to pill after repeated washing.

Many covers blend bamboo viscose with polyester, and the polyester is often the bigger share. The sewn-in tag lists the split, so check it if the fabric is the reason you are buying.

The main types of bamboo pillow

Nearly every product sold as a bamboo pillow falls into one of these groups. The cover can be identical across all of them, so the fill is what separates them.

Shredded foam

This is the pillow most people mean when they search for a bamboo pillow, and it is popular for a good reason: you can unzip it and take foam out until the height is right. A side sleeper with broad shoulders might keep it full. A back sleeper might remove a few handfuls. Expect it to arrive compressed and a little flat, with a smell that fades after airing out.

Solid and contoured foam

A single piece of foam keeps its shape all night, which some people find steadier than loose shreds that shift. The trade-off is that you are stuck with whatever height it came with.

Polyester fill

Softer and lighter, closer to a hotel pillow. It is the easiest choice for stomach sleepers who need a low profile, though it usually needs fluffing and loses height sooner than foam.

Just the pillowcase

If you like the pillow you own and only want the cool, smooth feel, a bamboo viscose pillowcase gets you that for less money and less waste.

What to check before you buy

Height for your sleep position

Side sleepers generally need the most loft to fill the gap between ear and shoulder. Back sleepers need less, and stomach sleepers the least. If you switch positions during the night or aren't sure, an adjustable fill is the safest bet because you can correct a wrong guess at home.

Where the heat comes from

A bamboo cover feels cool on contact, but memory foam underneath holds body heat. If you sleep hot, look at the fill as much as the fabric: gel-infused foam and ventilated cores are aimed at this problem. A cool cover over dense, unventilated foam can still feel warm by 2 a.m.

Certifications

For the foam, CertiPUR-US certification covers content, emissions and durability testing. For the fabric, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 means the textile was tested for harmful substances. Both are easy to find on a listing if the brand has them. If neither is mentioned, ask.

Washing

The cover should be removable. Wash it cold and dry it on low or let it air dry, since viscose shrinks with heat. Shredded foam fill usually can't go in the washer at all, so a pillow protector is a good idea if you want the inside to last.

Size

Pillow sizes are less standard than people assume. A "queen" from one brand can be a couple of inches different from another's, so compare the actual measurements with your pillowcases before you order.

Where Dosaze fits, and where it doesn't

Dosaze doesn't sell a pillow with a bamboo cover. If bamboo-derived fabric is the main thing you want, you will need another brand, or you can put a bamboo pillowcase on any pillow you choose.

But many people searching for a bamboo pillow are really after the features those pillows are known for: an adjustable memory foam fill and a cover that feels cool and smooth. That is where our pillows overlap.

• The Dosaze Adjustable Pillow (Made in the USA) is the closest match to a typical shredded-foam bamboo pillow. The fill is 100% cooling gel-infused memory foam with no polyester fill, it is fully moldable, and extra foam comes with every pillow. The cover is silky-soft and hypoallergenic. It is queen sized at 18" x 26", so check that against your pillowcases.
• If heat is your main complaint, the Dosaze ThermaCool Adjustable Pillow puts more of the cooling work inside the pillow, with a ventilated gel core and an adjustable cooling fill. It is designed for side, back and stomach sleepers, and the memory foam is CertiPUR-US certified.
• For a fixed shape instead of loose fill, the Dosaze Contoured Orthopedic Pillow is a molded memory foam pillow that cradles the curve of the neck. Its cover is a naturally cooling, anti-microbial fabric that is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, and it comes off for washing.

None of these will feel plush like a polyester-fill pillow. If you want something you can sink into and scrunch, our foam pillows are probably firmer than you'd like.

Adjustable fill takes a few nights to get right, and a pillow that seemed fine in the first week can feel different by the third. Our FAQ covers the 60-night sleep trial, shipping and returns.

Frequently asked questions

Is a bamboo pillow actually made of bamboo?

Usually only the cover is, and even then the bamboo has been chemically processed into rayon, viscose or lyocell. The fill is typically memory foam or polyester. US rules from the FTC require the fabric to be labeled as rayon or viscose made from bamboo.

Are bamboo pillows good for hot sleepers?

The cover feels cool on contact and absorbs moisture well, which helps. But memory foam fill underneath can hold heat, so hot sleepers should also look for gel-infused or ventilated foam rather than relying on the fabric alone.

How do you wash a bamboo pillow?

Remove the cover and wash it in cold water, then dry it on low heat or air dry it, because viscose can shrink. Shredded foam fill generally should not go in the washing machine. Always follow the care tag, since brands differ.

Why does my new bamboo pillow smell?

Most of the smell comes from the memory foam fill, which is often vacuum-packed. Unzipping the cover and leaving the pillow in a ventilated room for a day or two usually lets it fade. Foam certified to CertiPUR-US standards has been tested for emissions.

Can I get the bamboo feel without buying a new pillow?

Yes. A pillowcase made from bamboo viscose gives you the same smooth, cool surface on the pillow you already own. It won't change support or height, so it only makes sense if you are happy with the pillow itself.