Natural filling - online resource

Do you have a happy online place where you can buy natural fillings?

I have given up trying to source a natural filling for my PEP pillow. I have been to the local yarn shop and met a lovely weaver who suggested Michaels. I was reluctant as it’s a big box store on a massive highway and a 2 hr round trip on the bike. Yesterday I visited Lowes . . . I could have bought a small bale of hay from the ‘outdoor decoration’ department’, but it was wrapped in plastic and unbelievably expensive.

Today I visited a small shop that upcycles clothing and runs classes. Met another wonderful person, who also wanted to find local natural filling for padded jackets. She gave me her details incase I found some as she wanted to buy a couple of sacks.

[mini rant]
Maybe it was time to go for a ride and head to Michaels. Big mistake . . . I really wished I looked on the website first. Here’s the first page of stuffings and fillings - 100% polyester. Same experience in the shop. The place was massive. It made me sad, especially when the value of sheep fleece in the UK is so low, that it’s considered a waste product and sometimes buried.
[/mini rant]

Moving on . . . I can’t grow it . . . yet. I can’t find it locally. I’m thinking I could fill it with organic lentils! Unless you come up with an awesome suggestion . . .  

Buckwheat hulls. You can thank me later, once you have slept on the most amazing pillow you will ever have the joy of using.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Buckwheat-Filling-Meditation-Cushions/dp/B00F8FIA5Y

I'm another big fan of buckwheat hulls.... but your pillow has to be a bit smaller, otherwise heaven forbid you have a pillowfight and seriously hurt someone (or yourself).

My mother in law is the queen of hay and cornhusk pillows and all I have to say about that is to double bag, because the hay is amazingly pokey. Also not sure how exactly that is going to work out in the NJ humidity!
I am not familiar with the PEP language, so I don't know if this would help you, but if I were filling a good-sized pillow I would go talk to the folks at my local Salvation Army or other thrift store/place that receives donations and ask to purchase sweaters (or wool blankets!) that are not in any shape to be sold. If you arranged them right you could fit a few nasty wool sweaters in there and save them from whatever landfill they are probably headed towards.

Michael Cox wrote:Buckwheat hulls. You can thank me later, once you have slept on the most amazing pillow you will ever have the joy of using.

Thank you Michael - I knew I went to the wrong Micheal…

The funny thing is, I already have a Buckwheat pillow, I just didn’t connect the dots.

Tereza Okava wrote:I'm another big fan of buckwheat hulls.... but your pillow has to be a bit smaller, otherwise heaven forbid you have a pillowfight and seriously hurt someone (or yourself).

My mother in law is the queen of hay and cornhusk pillows and all I have to say about that is to double bag, because the hay is amazingly pokey. Also not sure how exactly that is going to work out in the NJ humidity!
I am not familiar with the PEP language, so I don't know if this would help you, but if I were filling a good-sized pillow I would go talk to the folks at my local Salvation Army or other thrift store/place that receives donations and ask to purchase sweaters (or wool blankets!) that are not in any shape to be sold. If you arranged them right you could fit a few nasty wool sweaters in there and save them from whatever landfill they are probably headed towards.

Great idea Tereza - my exploration of NJ continues. I’ll have to check with the BB.

Both eBay and Amazon sell buckwheat hulls.

Is there another organic product that you might consider? Wool, cotton, etc.

I am sure they are available on both sites.

I am a fan of eBay because I used to sell there and there are still some sellers who use the postal service to mail their items. I also like their communication system a whole lot better than Amazon.

Amazon sellers usually use UPS which is not reliable for us.

Scoured wool, ready to stuff with. You could easily unstuff the pillow, wash the wool in a bucket or tote, lay to dry, and restuff the pillow.
https://rhlindsaywool.com/product/l-825-scoured-local-grey-xbred/
They source mostly in the US and have other fibers and roving and top available for spinning. Good price if you're going to do big projects and don't want super fine merino for everything.

Wool is easy to wash. If you can find a sheep farm they'd probably give you wool or sell very very cheap. Wool pool is even lower price than it already was before covid. And for stuffing you just need clean wool, doesn't have to be good quality. I have a big bag setting waiting on me that isn't spin-able but was washed before I caught the problem.