Sobakawa, more commonly known as buckwheat pillows, are traditional Japanese pillows. Instead of being made from synthetic fibers and feathers, these pillows are made of hulls or shells that encase buckwheat seeds.
They are known to improve sleep as they are springy while still being firm. They are also becoming known to improve spinal alignment, sleep posture, and ease stress. Other than all the benefits they provide to humans directly, they are also much better for the environment when compared to regular, traditional pillows.
What Is Buckwheat?
Buckwheat is a grain that originated in China and has been consumed by humans and animals for hundreds of years. It is classified as a fruit as it grows inside a husk that is encased in a shell. These shells are inedible. Due to their durability and comfortable structure, they are used to fill pillows and sometimes even mattresses.
Environmental Benefits of Buckwheat Pillows
These pillows are made from buckwheat, which is a sustainable product. Therefore, they are much better for the environment than typical pillows and there is more than one environmental benefit of buckwheat pillows.
Buckwheat Is Easy To Grow
Buckwheat is a very strong plant that can grow very easily and naturally. Growing buckwheat requires no pesticides or herbicides and very minimal amounts of fertilizers. All of this means that buckwheat doesn’t cause any harm to our environment in its production. No chemicals are used, and no animals are hurt. There is no chemical runoff entering waterways and polluting the environment, and there is no harmful residue or chemicals on the plant when it gets to you.
Buckwheat Is Biodegradable
Typical pillows are made of synthetic materials, so they are not biodegradable. When they are thrown away, they release toxic fumes and materials into the environment for many years to come. Buckwheat, on the other hand, is completely biodegradable. The hulls used to make the pillows are completely compostable and won’t cause harm or destroy the environment even if they end up in landfills.
Buckwheat Is Free From Toxins
As we mentioned earlier, typical pillows are made with synthetic materials. These materials contain harmful chemicals and odors that are detrimental to our health. With buckwheat, the pillows are completely made up of natural, organic, chemical-free materials, making them a perfectly environmentally friendly pillow.
With buckwheat pillows, the chances of you inhaling any harmful chemicals while you sleep becomes minimized, and they have a natural, calming smell that will enhance your sleep and well-being. Purchasing a buckwheat pillow means you are saving yourself from chemicals and other harmful substances and the environment from the same.
Buckwheat Pillows Are Hypoallergenic
Typical pillows are non-hypoallergenic and are known to attract and trap dust and dirt. Inhaling this dust can cause breathing problems, asthma, coughing, and irritations. On the flipside, buckwheat is hypoallergenic and is made from completely organic material. It doesn’t attract or store dust. Furthermore, buckwheat doesn’t attract any bugs as there is no material present that insects would want to eat.
They Last Forever
This is the biggest environmentally friendly factor of using buckwheat pillows – their durability. A good quality buckwheat pillow can last you literally decades with the right care. Traditional pillows always end up compressed and non-comfortable in a year or two. You can easily refresh buckwheat pillows by removing and replacing old hulls with new ones, which means no throwing away pillows to rot in landfills and no spending any extra cash on a new pillow!
