One of life’s simplest pleasures is flipping our pillow over to the cool side during the night so it’s hard to imagine life without one, right?
Origins
We often don’t appreciate the luxurious invention when compared to say electricity, gas or cars, but the pillow has been instrumental in improving our sleeping habits and lives since around 7,000 BC. Designed to serve a very different purpose, pillows originated in Mesopotamia as stone structures, carved in to cradle shapes, used to keep insects away from people’s mouth, nose, ears and hair whilst sleeping. The ancient Chinese soon developed a similar idea. They made structures out of hard objects such as porcelain, bronze and wood but embellished them with intricate patterns and more appealing design work.
Development
It wasn’t until the ancient Greeks and Romans had the idea of stuffing pillows with softer materials such as cotton or straw that the invention developed into a likeness of the product we know and love today.
For a while here in England, pillows were seen as a sign of weakness. King Henry VIII banned the use of them during his reign, allowing use only to pregnant women during birth and to rest their head at night. By the Industrial Revolution however, almost everyone was using a pillow as part of their sleeping arrangements. Being more affordable with mass production, pillows became easily accessible and their decorative designs became more elaborate.
Present Day
Very little changes were made to pillows until the 1960’s, with the introduction of polyester filling. Prior to this, pillows were filled with natural materials such as cotton, straw, hay or chicken feathers. Due to mould and vermin, it meant that the stuffing had to be changed often. So as a synthetic material that holds its shape and lasts much longer, polyester filling was a welcome change. It quickly became the popular choice for crafting pillows and remains a common material option still to this day.
Pillows are still continuing to evolve. In recent times, the likes of cool gel pillows, memory foam and body pillows have all become popular choices. Pillows now come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and levels of thickness to help support your head and neck while you sleep. There are a great deal of options out there, meaning there is a pillow to suit everybody.
Future
Looking forward, it is highly likely that pillows made of new materials will become available in the future. As materials and technology advance, the range of options when it comes to choosing a pillow is expected to grow. Currently there is ongoing research in to use of temperature-regulating materials, such as breathable fabrics, to produce cooling pillows. Additionally, Smart pillows are in development. These offer unique features such as smart heating and sleep monitoring. They even have built-in speakers to allow soothing music to be played whilst you drift off to sleep.
Here at WestPoint Home UK, we offer an extensive range of luxury pillows designed to suit the needs and requirements of each individual. From natural and synthetic filled pillows to anti-allergy options, there is something here for everyone. We even have body pillows coated with unique patterns and designs that are sure to add a touch of character to your sleeping/lounging arrangements.
Check them out below:
https://www.visionlinenshome.com/pc/bedroom/bedding/pillows/
