How to refresh an old pillow by replacing the filling

Has your pillow gone flat and lumpy while the cover is still fine? There is no need to buy a new one: replacing the filling is enough. Here is why pillows flatten, which ones are worth refilling, how to open the pillow, how much filling to use, how to fill it evenly and close it invisibly.

Why a pillow flattens

Every night a pillow carries the weight of a head for hours on end. Under this load the filling fibres gradually pack down and stop springing back, especially if it is sintepon bonded into a sheet. A pillow also absorbs a little moisture from breath and skin, and over time it collects dust and fine particles that stick fibres together into lumps. As a result there is less air between the fibres, and the pillow loses height and softness. The case itself usually stays intact, so replacing the filling brings the pillow back to life for little money.

Refill or buy new

Refilling makes sense when the case is intact and dense and you like the pillow's shape and size. The whole job takes an hour or two, and the only cost is the filling. Buy a new pillow if the case is worn, yellowed or has stains that will not wash out, or if you need a completely different shape, such as an orthopaedic one. Even then you can sew a new case from the old one as a pattern and fill it with hollowfiber.

Which pillows can be refilled

• Synthetic pillows with hollowfiber, sintepon or «silicone»: the simplest case, they are refilled completely.
• Down and feather pillows can be refilled with hollowfiber too. It is lighter than feathers, so use about the weight given in the chart below, not the weight of the feathers that were inside.
• Decorative sofa cushions are refilled the same way and quickest of all: they are small and few.
• Orthopaedic foam or latex pillows are not refilled this way: they are a solid block, and replacing it with fibre changes how the pillow works.

When a pillow needs refilling

• Fold the pillow in half and let go: if it does not spring back, the filling has lost its loft.
• You can feel lumps and empty spots inside.
• The pillow has become noticeably lower and flat.

If the inner case (ticking) of dense fabric is intact, it can be washed and reused.

What you need

• New filling: hollowfiber. How fillings differ is covered in «Hollowfiber, wadding or silicone fibre».
• A seam ripper, needle, strong thread matching the case, pins.
• A large bag for the old filling.

How much filling you need

A 50×70 cm pillow usually takes 0.8-1.2 kg of hollowfiber, 70×70 cm 1.1-1.5 kg, a 40×40 cm cushion 250-400 g. More filling gives a higher, firmer pillow, less a soft and low one. The full table is in «How much hollowfiber you need».

Which height to choose

The pillow should fill the gap between your head and the mattress so that the neck lies straight, continuing the line of the spine. Side sleepers need a higher, firmer pillow: the gap equals the width of the shoulder. Back sleepers need a medium one. Front sleepers need the lowest and softest, otherwise the neck bends. So when refilling, do not rush to close the pillow: fill it, sleep on it for a night or two, and add or remove a handful of filling if needed.

Step 1. Open the seam

Unpick 15-20 cm of one short side of the case, carefully along the old seam, without cutting the fabric. Take the old filling out into the bag.

Unpick the seam itself, not the fabric next to it: that way no marks remain after sewing up and the edge stays straight. Work over a large bag or a spread-out sheet of plastic, because fine fibres of old filling easily scatter around the room.

Step 2. Wash the case

Turn the case inside out, shake out the leftover fibres and wash it according to the label. Dry it completely: never fill a damp case.

If the case fabric is worn or coming apart at the seams, it is better to sew a new one: a thin case lets fibres through. Dense cotton suits an inner case, and for a decorative cushion you can choose a smart fabric such as satin over a plain inner case.

Step 3. Fill evenly

Fluff the hollowfiber by hand and put it in small handfuls: first into the far corners, then along the edges and only at the end into the middle. This gives an even pillow without empty corners. Shake it now and then and check the height.

Step 4. Close with a ladder stitch

Fold the edges of the opening inwards along the old seam line and pin them. Ladder (invisible) stitch: take a 5-7 mm stitch along the fold on one side, then exactly opposite along the fold on the other, and so on, as in the diagram. Every few stitches pull the thread: the edges meet and the stitches disappear inside. Knot the thread and bury the end in the pillow.

Why a ladder stitch? Its stitches lie inside the fold, so the seam is almost invisible from the outside, and it is as easy to unpick later as the old one. Handy if in a year or two you want to add more filling.

Alternative: put in a zip

If you plan to adjust the pillow's height, sew a concealed zip into the opened edge. Then filling can be added or removed in a minute, and the pillow is easy to open for washing the case. For a 50×70 cm pillow a 30-40 cm zip is enough.

How to freshen a pillow without new filling

If a hollowfiber pillow has only settled a little and there are no lumps inside, first try to restore its volume. Wash it on a delicate cycle with a few tennis balls, and while it dries fluff it vigorously by hand from all sides a few times. Air it outdoors in dry weather. If it then springs back again, replacement can wait. Sintepon cannot be restored like this: its fibres are bonded, and once packed down they no longer straighten.

Common mistakes

• Adding new filling to old lumpy filling. The lumps stay, and the pillow remains uneven. Take compacted old filling out completely.
• Filling a damp case. Moisture stays inside, and the filling can develop an unpleasant smell.
• Stuffing in big clumps. Unfluffed fibre makes bumps.
• Sewing up at once. Without a test night it is easy to get the height wrong.

Care

A hollowfiber pillow can be machine washed on a delicate cycle at 30-40 °C, with a few tennis balls so the filling does not clump. Dry it laid flat and fluff it by hand from time to time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix old hollowfiber with new?

If the old filling is still springy and has just settled, it can be fluffed and topped up with fresh. If it has packed into lumps, replace it completely.

How often should a pillow be refilled?

Go by its condition: when the pillow no longer springs back after folding in half, it is time to refresh the filling.

Can a child's pillow be refilled?

Yes. Children's pillows are usually low, so little filling is needed: fill gradually and check that the pillow stays low and soft, and close the case especially securely so the child cannot open it.

What do I do with the old filling?

Synthetic filling goes out with ordinary household waste in a tightly tied bag so the fibres do not scatter.

Where to buy

Hollowfiber in 0.5 kg portions is in the Fillers section. We ship by Nova Poshta across Ukraine.