Is Your Pillow Toxic?
We rest our heads on them every night. Maybe, we even drool on them a little. Something so fluffy and soft couldn't be toxic. Right?
What do you think of when you hear the word “contamination”? Maybe you visualize re-called, bad meats or dirty lakes and polluted drinking water. No one ever really thinks of their pillow as a source of contamination. But, did you know that more than 80% of furniture sold in the US is made with dangerous chemicals, like formaldehyde and flame retardants? Scientists have linked these dangerous chemicals to neurological diseases, hormone disruption, and even cancer. And since we spend over a third of our lives in bed, the purity of our pillows really matter.
The Two Worst Chemicals In Pillows
Flame Retardants
One foam pillow requires up to 2 pounds of flame-retardant chemicals. Yep, you read that right. According to Yale University, such intense exposure to this chemical is classified as a human carcinogen linking to brain disorders, cancer, and obesity. But that begs the question: why do manufacturers put flame retardants in pillows at all? It all goes back to a 1970’s California state law that required all homegoods containing foam (memory foam pillows, couch cushions, etc.) to meet anti-flammability requirements in order to reduce the risk of house fires. Researchers and scientists have found the use of these chemicals in our homegoods do serious harm to our health and don’t even reduce the extremity of housefires. Still, the chemical industry pays lawmakers under the table to keep the law active. As of 2014, pillows are just required to pass State and Federal testing, and do not require a flame barrier to do so- but the toxic flame retardants also aren’t banned from use and many companies still use it in their foam- despite the horrors they wreak on public health.
Formaldehyde
Yes, the embalming fluid scientists use to preserve dead bodies is lurking in our precious pillows. Formaldehyde is a cancer-causing chemical that is a combustion byproduct of cigarette smoke and burning fuel. In 2011, the US National Toxicology Program even labeled formaldehyde as a human carcinogen. And yet, it’s in most of our household products. If you’re breathing in formaldehyde during your sleep, you’re at risk for a laundry list of health risks: headaches, asthma, respiratory difficulties, depression, insomnia, joint pain, fatigue, digestive issues, neurological disorders, and even cancer.
Try A Certified Safe & Supportive Pillow
Toxic chemicals are everywhere around us today, so minimizing your exposure to them where you can is an important step to living a healthy, disease-free life! Changing your pillows is an easy and effective way to reduce your daily exposure to toxins. If your pillow is over 2 years old, it’s definitely time to toss it. Check your pillow’s label, where the company should have disclosed their toxin use, and see if your pillow is safe! We make our pillows with certiPUR-US certified foams, which are hypoallergenic and meet strict health standards- guaranteed to be made without formaldehyde, flame retardants, mercury, lead, heavy metals, ozone depleters, phthalates, and VOC’s. AND it offers next-level comfort that brings your spine into perfect alignment!
How does Cosy House’s pillow work?
We’ve intentionally designed our pillow to give extra support, coolness, and pressure relief to the head and neck using three layers of certiPUR-US high-density, adaptive transition shredded memory foam. This pillow will keep its shape for years and years and will keep the head perfectly elevated by distributing the weight evenly, relieving next-day neck and back pain. It also comes encased in the bamboo fabric cover, which resists 100% of non-living allergens, sweat & odor! We hope you enjoy healthier slumbering and, most importantly, a toxin-free life with companies like us that value your family’s health above all else!
We've gone ahead & enclosed a 10% off coupon below for you to use if you'd like to take the plunge and try out our sheets for yourself! To shop our collection & get 10% OFF Use the code 'BLOG10' at checkout & click here.