34 thoughts on “”

1. Funny…we just took our pillow inserts out and washed the covers 3 days ago. It was the first time since we got them a bit over a year ago though.

   I think quality is important…or that the product you are making is at level that you are comfortable with. Since these are handmade/limited edition pillows it’s ok that they are a little more expensive. I understand wanting to make them affordable which I agree with, but at the same time they are made by you…an artist and not just mass produced by a company. That justifies a higher price tag.

2. Although I’m an avid pillow collector, I rarely wash the covers. As you said, they don’t really ever get dirty. But, I think it’s important that the pillow is removable from a quality standpoint. Maybe try a lower price point with a non removable pillow, but with a cover that is an easier fabric to clean through dabbing, like barkcloth or something with a bit of a light waxed finish.

   -A

3. I, too, make pillows to sell. I choose to make them with removable pillow inserts for washing- I think it adds to the quality. I personally do not think of a removable insert as a prerequisite for a pillow- but do think of it as a bonus (especially in a home with a couple of pets that take ownership of pillows from time-to-time). Therefore, I would be willing to pay a little for for that feature. In the end, it could help keep the pillow looking fresh much much longer!

4. i do wash our pillow covers frequently, thanks to a cat that sheds and a puppy who likes to chew on them. has gus not yet discovered pillows?! or maybe he is just much better behaved than my guy.

5. thanks so much everyone! this is VERY helpful.

   amy- gus doesn’t chew on pillows (yet), but it’s not because he’s well-behaved… he crews on plenty of other things he shouldn’t! not sure why he hasn’t started with the pillows yet…

6. i will only by pillows that have removeable covers. i have washed my pillow covers many times over… i have children, but no pets (yet). it’s just all around nicer to have clean linens spread over the house.

   to my eyes and nose, pillows on the couch are not too removed from linens on the bed.

7. Could you just sell the case without the pillow inside? does that help cut cost? Other than being washable, having the option to remove the pillow inside also considers people with allergies to certain stuffing. But maybe that’s really thinking about it too much.

8. I think that having pillows with a removable cover is nice…it is nice to have the option to clean them, say if someone spills wine on your pillow. That being said, that has never happened to me and I can’t say I have ever removed a pillow cover to launder it. Unless something is spilled they just don’t get that dirty.
   I think its nice you are looking into getting the price down on your pillows, but really, I don’t think your pillows are that expensive. I’m not saying this because I have tons of money, because I don’t…but I have seen many many pillows going for $90 to $100 and beyond that are not half as nice as yours.
   Perhaps you should keep the line you have at the price it is and do another line at a lower price point without inserts and see what happens?
   Good luck with it:) Insert or not, they are still gorgeous.

9. i was just about to leave a note saying that i NEVER wash my pillow covers. and then i looked at one of my pillows and realized that i just washed it last month.

   it’s probably worth the expense for your customers. you make such beautiful things.

10. I have children and pets, so yes, I do wash my cases at least once a year. Though I have thrown entire pillows into the wash.

    -Beklina

11. I have not washed my pillows but do like to spot clean them. I air them out in the summer months when it is really sunny and hot and on occasion, have put them in a net bag (downfilled ones) and washed them with a gentle cycle and mild detergent.
    i have never had problems with them.
    p.s.love your pillows!

12. i was my pillow covers–i have pets and a husband, and i think it’s important to be able to wash the covers… especially a really nice pillow that i want to have around for a long time. i think if i really love a fabric/pillow the extra cost for it to be washable is worth it.

13. I like to wash my pillow covers (and if I was buying a cushion I would prefer one that had a removable cover)

    – What about selling just the printed pillow covers without the pillow insert? Not sure if this would reduce your cost much but would maybe make shipping easier (?)

    N x

14. I have never removed my inserts and I have never based my purchase of a pillow upon whether or not they had removable inserts. I, like you and others, spot clean when needed. I think it is a very plausible solution for your conundrum. (trying to expand my vocabulary here… 😉

15. Lena,

    This is a very interesting question. My family still owns all my grandmother’s amazing pillows, but only the ones with removable covers. Did you ever consider using more durable fabrics, like treated denim or things that are easily wiped down? Just a thought. See you at the dog park.
    -Marc

16. I’m on the fence about this. Personally, I would probably not buy a superexpensive pillow at this point in my life. I feel like my tastes change quickly, and I know I can pick up something reasonable at West Elm. I have a few small Target decorative pillows that don’t have removable covers. Unless the covers are white, I probably wouldn’t care either way.

17. I think for the quality and limited availability of your work it is good to have an insert. My husband is a big believer in lounging; most often I find that the insert helps me to really fluff my pillows nicely. As for covers, I generally spot clean.

18. lena,
    i make my pillows with removable inserts because they take about 5 hours to make (the patchwork ones) and are expensive. i’d hate for someone to spill their coffee on it and not be able to wash it. that said, i just took my inexpensive ikea covers off the other day and washed them. i have two cats and work on my sofa a lot, so pen and red wine sometimes make it onto my pillows. i think the removable insert is nice for pillows…

19. so i’ll put in my 2 cents too… i’d rather pay a bit more… i have dogs and kitties and so i do take my pillows apart for washing

    that said – if they are small… you could just stick the whole cushion in the wash – i have done that… and there’s always dry cleaning….

    wait – now i’m not really helping

    well whatever you decide they will be lovely!!

20. i wash my pillows whether they have removeable covers or not… if they come off, just the cover, but if they don’t, i just wash them whole is that weird? 😛

    so i think if the pillows are of great design, i’d buy them either way! 🙂

21. although i rarely wash them, it has happened enough times where my kids’ “accidents” have forced me to throw the pillow cases in the laundry and at that moment i think — thank god they’re removable!!!

    i do love it when places offer just the pillow covers. it allows me to not only save money but change out the look of the room whenever i choose to.

22. lena – how about selling the covers and also the inserts separately. i know of a great wholesale pillow manufacturer in north carolina i could put you in touch with. i think pottery barn does this – you can buy the cover and the pillow or just the cover. that way people have options. i think it’s also a lot better for those who live outside of the usa and would like to purchase from you – keeps shipping costs down – less bulk.

    just my .02

    holly

23. thanks SO much everyone. this was incredibly helpful! i’m happy to hear that the consensus is that a well made pillow with a removable cover is worth paying more for. i have some of my grandmother’s pillows too, and i love them. having an insert definitely adds to the longevity of a pillow. i’m considering offering both, and seeing how they sell. as well as offering a cover w/o the insert.

    thanks again for all your thought!!

24. if you have children you remove and wash them all the time.
    Have you looked into washing the whole pillow- cover and cushion- they are usually just polyester so maybe you could stuff the whole thing in the washer on a delicate cycle.

25. I do remove the pillow inserts and wash only the covers. Unless if the kids had a bad spill on the pillows then I’d wash the inserts, too.

26. Yup, I do remove the covers and wash them. We got an investation of fleas once. Some of the pillows I’d made without making a removeable inset, got unpicked and never put back together. I wouldn’t buy a pillow now unless it was removeable.

27. Echoing some of the sentiments above:

    I wash my pillow covers regularly.

    I prefer to buy just the covers and switch them out by season.

    I never buy pillows with inserts, even removeable, because I want to keep the number of pillows down while having the option of changing the covers. So I skip the entire package.

    Happy to share an opinion!

28. I have two cats who love to sleep on my pillows. Because of this I wash them about once a month. I usually won’t buy a pillow if I can’t remove the cover. I wish I didn’t have to wash them as much, but oh well, such is life.

29. Why not just sell the covers without the pillow?
    That will really save you in shipping costs because of the reduced size of the package.

    Last month i looked everywhere for pillow covers only…without the pillow inside…and they are hard to find. (Especially nice ones)

30. You probably have received plenty of input, but I will chime in … I do remove my pillows and wash the covers. I have two children so my pillows (which we really use — they’re not just for pretty!) get dirty and need to be washed. I won’t buy a pillow if it doesn’t have a removable cover. I would also buy a pillow cover only — I was going to make that suggestion, but I see it’s already been made! :^)

31. thanks for the continued input everyone! i can’t have too much, so please keep them coming…

32. …since you asked 🙂

    i also like pillows better, where i can remove the cover to wash it. also, i wouldn’t mind paying extra for it. i think the option of separate covers and filling is a very good idea. i have some covers that i like to change, some on the sofa, others in the closet. So, a filling for every cover is not always needed and the cover is easier to store this way, too.

    Hope this was any help for you 🙂

33. Coming very, very late to this post…

    Two things:
    1. Your pillows aren’t priced out of a reasonable range, especially for the quality. And I’m poor, so that’s saying something!
    2. I like buying new covers separate from inserts because – like anne – I switch things up frequently but don’t have a lot of storage space for unused pillows.

    Oh, one more thing – don’t know if this would cut down on cost at all, but have you considered doing away with the zipper closure? I’ve made several pillows that have an overlapped opening at the back (like a sham) that the insert slips through. I like this because I hate sewing zippers, and I also hate napping with zippers. You use a bit more fabric, but much less time.

34. Late to the party, but another vote for the removable cover, possibly for sale separately from the pillow insert.

    I was suprised how far down I had to scroll to see others mentioning my first thought, which is not washing the covers, but switching them. New York apartments, you know.

    Also, I think I’m unlikely to pay $40 (or even over $30-ish) for a pillow without a removable cover – it just seems like it’s lower quality, though I do like the clean lines and have, indeed, removed and washed and re-slip-stitched “unremovable” pillow covers before.