How To Dispose of Pillows in Australia

Unfortunately, unlike many unwanted items made from cardboard, certain plastics, aluminium and paper, you technically cannot recycle your old pillows.

Why?

Well, many pillow fillings and coverings house flame retardants and potentially harmful synthetic materials and chemicals including polyester fibres and polyurethane.

Much like e-waste and whitegoods, you need to be a bit more proactive to avoid any unnecessary pillow waste ending up in landfill.

And that also goes for other textiles and bedding items in your house which we'll get to a little later.

So, if you can't recycle them, and you don't want them ending up as landfill, what can you do to still create a positive impact for the environment?

Just because chucking your pillow in the yellow bin is out the window, it doesn't mean you can't get creative and give your old pillows new life.

First, you need to figure out if it's time to change your pillow or not.

If it is, here are six ways to 'recycle' without technically 'recycling'.

1. Use them to keep you comfy

2. Turn them into a pet bed

3. Donate them to charity stores or a local animal shelter

Have a look around your local area for organisations and entities that may have a use for your old head pillows.

Many charities, shelters for the homeless, animal shelters and other rehabilitation centres for at-risk wildlife need used bed pillows if they're in reasonably good condition of course.A quick tip: make sure to clean them before donating, and if you're wondering where you can donate,

EcoOrganiser has a detailed list of potential locations for easy disposal of your bedding.

5. Repurpose them as draught stoppers

During the colder months of the year it can be a real battle to stop cold air seeping inside and warm air from escaping.

Instead of acting as the prison guard for warm air however, repurpose an unwanted pillow or two and put them on guard duty instead!

6. Use the stuffing to fill up your bean bag

Bean bag chairs are one of those household textiles that can be the most popular seat in the house, or the ugly duckling that gets no love.

It's all dependent on how full and plush they are!

Old pillow stuffing is a great alternative to traditional beans so if you've got a bean bag getting no love, unzip the side and reinvigorate it with some new stuffing.

As a rule of thumb, treat your memory foam pillows the same as any other pillow.

Unfortunately, they can be made from polyurethane which can pose a risk to the environment and sea life in particular.

So, when buying a bamboo pillow from Ecoy, although it's made from eco-friendly material, remember to repurpose the pillow when the time is right.

If you're sitting there thinking there may be other textile-like items that aren't built for recycling, you're on the money.

There's a host of other bedding items and textile products in your home such as quilt covers, old sheets, old clothing, blankets and towels that if turned into waste, pose the same environmental risks that pillows do.

So when such items reach their use by date, call off the executioner and consider the below:

• Quilt covers - Sheridan has a recycling program and will accept your pre-loved sheets and towels regardless of the brand at any of their locations.
• Old bed sheets - Same as above, or you could use them as canvasses for painting, ghost outfits, or re-covering an old pillow for your pet's new bed!
• Old clothing - This is pretty straightforward but many charity stores will take your unwanted clothing. If you have unwanted corporate or industrial clothing you can contact Total Uniform Solutions for ways to correctly dispose of such clothing.
• Towels - Try talking to your local towels retailer as many will take them off your hands. Otherwise, get creative and see if you can repurpose them or try your local animal shelter.
• Toppers - Depending on the material, you can dispose of mattress toppers through speciality recycling companies like Soft Landing, who will take the memory foam and turn it into carpet underlay.

So there you have it, all the goss when it comes to what to do with your unwanted pillows.

At Ecoy, we're all about living more sustainably, and leaving behind a beautiful, vibrant, and flourishing planet for future generations.

The next time you need to purchase new bedding, whether it bemattress toppers,mattress protectors, pillowcases,quilts, quilt covers or sheets, remember not to simply throw out your old bedding.

Because repurposing is just as good as recycling, perhaps even better!

• Sleep Foundation, "How Often Should You Replace Your Pillows?", April 30 2021