Shredded latex pillows
Sep 20, 2007 12:09 PM
Joined: Sep 3, 2007
Points: 167
Thought I would start a new thread, as I've given up on solid latex pillows. I just took out another handful of latex "pellets" from my home-made shredded latex pillow. It seems that it is more important with latex pillows to get the fill level precise, since the latex is more "fluid" than other materials. Latex tends to equalize like water, some what, where other materials (like down and poly) tend to lump and stay put. You can only punch down a shredded latex pillow so much, and then the springyness of all the pellets holds you at a specific level. And I know that when I get my new mattress, I'll have to readjust my pillow, because of different shoulder sinking - but at least with a zippered pillow case it should be easy. One more observation (and I know most of you've heard it before) latex can be rather warm. The shredded latex is probably warmer than solid, because it molds to your head more. 
Re: Shredded latex pillows
Reply #1 Sep 21, 2007 2:53 AM
Joined: Sep 10, 2007
Points: 690
donw wrote:
Thought I would start a new thread, as I've given up on solid latex pillows. I just took out another handful of latex "pellets" from my home-made shredded latex pillow. It seems that it is more important with latex pillows to get the fill level precise, since the latex is more "fluid" than other materials. Latex tends to equalize like water, some what, where other materials (like down and poly) tend to lump and stay put. You can only punch down a shredded latex pillow so much, and then the springyness of all the pellets holds you at a specific level. And I know that when I get my new mattress, I'll have to readjust my pillow, because of different shoulder sinking - but at least with a zippered pillow case it should be easy. One more observation (and I know most of you've heard it before) latex can be rather warm. The shredded latex is probably warmer than solid, because it molds to your head more. 
<BR><BR>I gave up on my shredded latex pillow and found a wonderful Pacific Coast 100% down pillow from Costco. I'm loving it! The granulated latex was okaaaay, but just not as nice as the down.
Re: Shredded latex pillows
Reply #2 Sep 21, 2007 3:02 AM
Foam Nerd
Location: USA
Joined: Aug 30, 2007
Points: 605
I'm hoping the shredded latex core with the down cover pillow I have on order will be a synergistic combination for me. I'm not really unhappy with the Tempur-Pedic body pillow now that it's getting broken in, but I feel compelled to try it.
Re: Shredded latex pillows
Reply #3 Sep 21, 2007 2:19 PM
Foam Nerd
Location: USA
Joined: Aug 30, 2007
Points: 605
One of the cool things about shredded latex is, it's essentially a recycled material, in the sense that it's made from scraps of latex left over from the fabrication process. Latex molds come in only a couple of sizes but there are at least 6 different sizes of mattresses, and that's just in the U.S. Europe has metric size mattresses. There is a lot of cutting and gluing going on and a lot of pieces of latex that are too small to use for anything. Grind it up and make pillows out of it. Brilliant! Another source of scrap latex is undoubtedly cores that fail the quality control step, either for consistency, or because the core got damaged somewhere in the process.

This adds to the "green" nature of latex, that nothing is wasted.