A buckwheat hull pillow is wonderfully simple, and that simplicity is part of its charm. At its core, it is a cotton case filled with thousands of tiny buckwheat hulls. This traditional style of pillow has been used for centuries across Asia, and only in recent decades has it become more familiar here in North America. Many people discover it for the first time and are surprised by how different it feels from a conventional pillow.
At Kuseno, each pillow is handcrafted by us in British Columbia using 100 percent cotton fabric and a discreet zipper along one end. That zipper lets you open the pillow, see the hulls inside, and adjust the fill to suit your comfort. Some people like a fuller pillow, while others prefer something lower and more grounded. With a buckwheat pillow, you can fine tune it until it feels just right.
The hulls themselves come from Canadian grown buckwheat. They are thoroughly cleaned so they are odour free and ready for years of use. When you lie down, the hulls shift and settle around your head and neck, creating a supportive cradle that stays in place through the night. Many people describe the feel as cool, stable, and surprisingly comfortable.
If you are new to buckwheat pillows, this page is a gentle introduction. The rest of this learning series explores what buckwheat is, how the pillows work, how to choose the right size, and how to get the most out of yours.