PillowFacts / Glossary
What the words on a pillow spec sheet mean
A term earns a place here only if it appears in a specification this index actually holds. The build fails if an entry has no match in the dataset, which is what stops a glossary from quietly becoming a page of filler about pillows nobody sells.
CertiPUR-US
A certification for flexible polyurethane foam covering emissions and restricted substances. It is a content and emissions standard, not a measure of comfort, durability or support.
In this index: Blissbury Ear Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow, Cushion Lab CloudLoft Pillow and 4 more.
Down alternative / microfiber
Fine synthetic fibres imitating down's softness. Light and compressible, which usually means less sustained loft than foam under a heavy head.
In this index: Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow, Cushion Lab CloudLoft Pillow.
Dual-density
Two foam densities in one pillow — typically a softer conforming top over a firmer supportive base. It is the construction that lets a pillow give locally at the ear while still holding the head up.
In this index: Cushion Lab Deep Sleep Pillow.
GREENGUARD GOLD
A certification for low chemical emissions into indoor air, with thresholds stricter than base GREENGUARD.
In this index: Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow.
Gusset
A vertical panel sewn around a pillow's edge, giving it a squared-off side wall instead of a domed one. It holds height at the edges, which is where a side sleeper's head actually rests.
In this index: Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow.
Hyper-Elastic Polymer grid
A moulded grid of flexible polymer that buckles under concentrated pressure and stays firm elsewhere. The buckling is a mechanical version of what a soft top layer does — it gets out of the way where the load is highest.
In this index: Purple Harmony Pillow.
Kapok
A light, silky plant fibre from the kapok tree, used as a natural alternative to down. Compresses readily, which is why it is usually blended with foam rather than used alone.
In this index: Layla Kapok Pillow.
Loft
The height of a pillow under your head. The single number this site is organised around, because it is the one that has to match your body and your mattress rather than your taste.
In this index: Blissbury Ear Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow, Cushion Lab CloudLoft Pillow and 7 more.
Memory foam (visco-elastic)
Foam that softens with body heat and pressure, so it conforms slowly and holds a shape briefly after you move. Conforming is why it can displace around an object in your ear; slow recovery is why some people dislike turning over on it.
In this index: Blissbury Ear Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow, Cushion Lab CloudLoft Pillow and 4 more.
OEKO-TEX
A textile certification testing for harmful substances in the finished fabric. Applies to the cover, not to what is inside the pillow.
In this index: Blissbury Ear Pillow, Elviros C1 Adjustable CPAP Pillow, Layla Kapok Pillow, The Pillow With A Hole Ltd. The Original P.W.A.H® V2.
Shredded fill
Foam broken into pieces rather than moulded as one block. It can be added or removed to change loft, and it is why the pillows that adjust most freely are the ones that publish no height.
In this index: Coop Sleep Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow, Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow, Cushion Lab CloudLoft Pillow, Layla Kapok Pillow.
Talalay latex
Latex foam made by a process that yields a more open, consistent cell structure. Springier than memory foam — it pushes back rather than sinking away.
In this index: Purple Harmony Pillow.
12 terms, each verified to appear in the dataset before the build will publish it.