Birch Pillow Review

Buying A Birch Pillow

We loved the all-natural Birch mattress, so we were excited to review the Birch pillow which incorporates the same natural materials you can find throughout their products. Before we get into the good stuff, however, we want to brief you on a few important company policies.

First of all, you’ll receive free shipping and your Birch pillow should be on the way to your home in about 4-6 days. They know you’re taking a risk by purchasing a pillow online without trying it first, so they’ll give you over three months — 100 nights to be exact — to make sure you’re satisfied with your pillow. If not, reach out to customer service to get the return process started up.

Those of you who choose to keep their Birch Pillow will receive three years of warranty coverage in the event there’s a manufacturer defect. If you want to get more details on what the warranty entails, which we highly suggest, head over to their website and check out their warranty page.

Birch is also one of the more philanthropic companies out there, and it’s one of our favorite things about the company. They’ve pledged to donate 1% of all sales to the National Forest Foundation, who hope to plant 50 million trees by 2023. You can read more about their social commitments on the Birch Living website.

Birch Pillow Pricing

Here at The Slumber Yard, we’ve tested out pillows in the $40 range, all the way up to around the $170 range. Compared to the others, we would place the price of the Birch Pillow around the middle. It’s available in two sizes on Birch’s website: standard and king. You can see the MSRP for each size below:

If you aren’t looking for an eco-friendly pillow, those prices may seem a little steep to you. Those who appreciate its all-natural features, however, will probably see the value in it. It all depends on your preference, and how much you’re willing to spend on a pillow.

Latex Pillow Construction

You can find the same three materials in all of Birch’s products; Talalay latex, New Zealand wool, and organic cotton. The Talalay latex is 100% natural, derived from tropical rubber trees found in Southeast Asia, Brazil, and Africa. The brand only sources their Talalay latex from reputable plantations, and it’s OEKO-TEX certified meaning the latex foam is free of harmful chemicals.

If happy cows come from California, happy sheep come from New Zealand. All of Birch’s wool is responsibly sourced from specific farms in New Zealand that are up to the PGC Wrightson Wool Integrity Program standards, meaning the sheep are free to roam and graze on open pasture.

Finally, the Birch Pillow uses 100% organic cotton sourced from the United States. Speaking of the good ol’ US of A, all of Birch’s products are manufactured right here at home — which is great for people who prefer to buy products made in America.

The standard size pillow is 26”x 20”x 5” while the king size pillow is 36”x 20”x 6”. If you end up going with the king size, we recommend you use a king size pillow case.

Responsiveness And Overall Feel

We’ve seen a ton of different pillows come through our door, but we’ve never seen one filled with latex foam and wool. So it’s really unlike any pillow we’ve tried out before, because it’s not like memory foam, but it’s not like neutral-foam either.

We received the standard size pillow and we think it feels airy, but not fluffy. It’s supportive, but still plush. It’s also really great at keeping its shape, even though it’s not a pillow made from one big foam slab — so there is no fluffing necessary. Overall, the pillow is a comfortable combination of springy, soft latex foam and light, airy wool.

If you press your hand down on the Birch Pillow and quickly pull it away, it’ll bounce back almost immediately. Thanks to the latex foam which is naturally a little bouncy, and special construction of the curly wool, it’s an incredibly responsive pillow.

Compare that to the Brooklyn Bedding Pillow (Ventilated Memory Foam), where the imprint of your hand will linger for a few additional seconds before it slowly decompresses. That’s certainly not an experience you’ll have with the Birch Pillow.

Loft And Sleeper Type

If you’re unfamiliar with loft, it’s basically the height of your entire pillow both compressed and or decompressed. The loft of a decompressed Birch Pillow is approximately 5”, and it goes down to about 2.5”-3” when you rest your head on it. So what exactly does that mean in terms of sleeper types?

If you’re a side sleeper, you generally want a pillow with more loft to support your neck and to make sure it’s in proper alignment with your spine. You should essentially be able to run a straight line from your nose, all the way down to your belly button.

We think petite side sleepers will be A-okay with this pillow, it’s a good possibility for medium side sleepers, but heavy side sleepers over 250 lbs might not love it. At least not the standard size. So if you’re a heavier individual, we suggest you look into the king size model, which has about 1” taller loft than the standard size.

Back sleepers usually want a little more loft in their pillow, but could get away with a little less loft than a side sleeper. They just want to make sure their neck is supported, and in a proper “C” curve. After testing out the Birch mattress with several back sleepers at The Slumber Yard, we think it works pretty well for them.

Now, how does it work for stomach sleepers? If your dominant sleeping position is on your stomach, you’ll want a pillow with less loft so you don’t sleep with a bent, kinked neck all night. Luckily, this pillow compresses enough where the loft is low enough for stomach sleepers to sleep comfortably.

Caring For Your Birch Pillow

Unlike MyPillow or the Casper Pillow, the Birch Pillow is not machine washable — but there’s good news. It’s not too difficult to clean if you happen to spill on it. Take a cloth, mild detergent, and warm water, then start to dab the stain out by hand. Just try not to get too much water on the pillow so it doesn’t damage the latex foam. After you’ve removed the stain, lay it out to air dry and wait to put your pillow case back on until it’s completely dry.

The Slumber Yard Verdict

Overall, we think the Birch Pillow is a luxury option for anybody looking for an all-natural, non toxic, comfortable pillow. Between the standard and king model, we think all sleeper types can be accommodated. Heavy side sleepers might want to go with the king size option, since it has a little more loft to it.

If you do decide to purchase a Birch Pillow, keep in mind you’re also contributing to a good cause. So if you see the value in an eco-friendly pillow, we say give it a try. You always have that 100-night trial to ensure you’re satisfied with your purchase, and can return it for 100% of your money back if you don’t.