Shopping for new bedding opens up a whole new can of worms – Primaloft pillows and comforters can be confusing!
You might have gone in looking for a particular fill material, like white goose down. But within a few searches, you might get caught up in the fill material debate.
First-time shoppers see the term “Primaloft” and read about its magical powers, and get confused quickly.
Is goose down better than Primaloft? Is Primaloft better than the regular down alternative? Will I even notice any difference? What is Primaloft, and why is it so special?
So let’s take a look at what Primaloft is, and compare it with other popular fill materials. Then we’ll discuss Primaloft applications in comforters and pillows, and finish up with Primaloft maintenance.
By the end of this article, you should have an adequate-enough working knowledge to make a decision.
Primaloft Pillows And Comforters
When it comes down to goose-down alternatives, generally you’ll find two dominant fill materials: Primaloft and Polyester.
Each one has its advantages and disadvantages. While Primaloft is clearly the “luxury” option, polyester still does have its applications.
Primaloft is the superior fill, but it’s not necessarily the best fill for everything. So let’s break down each alternative, and discuss the pros and cons of each.
Primaloft
Primaloft was originally invented for military applications.
For cold weather situations, goose down was the common fill material. Items like sleeping bags and jackets featured goose down for insulation.
The problem was that in outdoor settings, the goosedown would get wet. And wet goose down stays wet – which neutralizes its insulating power.
So, Primaloft was invented as a goose-down alternative. Within a few years, it was also featured in retail products, like pillows, comforters, etc.
Primaloft is really just another form of polyester. However, it is lighter in weight, and stronger as well.
It has a longer and thinner fiber structure than traditional polyester, so it holds heat much more effectively. It costs more to produce and is a better overall insulating material, so it’s also more expensive.
But, for a given amount of heat, less Primaloft is necessary, which results in a lighter overall product.
Polyester
Inside of most “down alternative” products is regular polyester. Polyester is a petroleum-based product.
It is inexpensive, easy to produce, and readily available. It can’t compete with Primaloft on a performance basis, but it’s also much cheaper.
A polyester pillow or comforter is half the price of the comparable Primaloft version.
Polyester isn’t as durable as Primaloft, but it is still durable nonetheless. If handled and maintained properly, polyester can last almost as as long as Primaloft.
Polyester doesn’t insulate as well. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in the right application. Let’s discuss…
Primaloft Comforters
Primaloft-filled comforters often cost as much as a goose-down comforter. And they’re often as luxurious too!
Primaloft’s fiber structure allows for it to hold on to heat as effectively as natural goose down. But its thin fiber structure also allows it to feel soft and silky too.
Many people who switch to a Primaloft comforter never switch back!
In order for a polyester-filled comforter to hold on to as much heat, it needs to be filled with more material – making it heavier and bulkier. In other words, less comfortable.
If you prefer a warm, yet soft comforter to cuddle up with, you can’t go wrong with a Primaloft comforter!
Primaloft Mattress Pads
Primaloft mattress pads are in a bit of a grey area. It all depends on your own personal preference.
These mattress pads are quite comfortable. The fill itself is luxuriously soft and silky. But Primaloft is still a very effective insulator.
This means that the surface that you are sleeping on will get hot, and stay hot.
If you’re a cold sleeper, this could be a good thing. On the other hand, if you prefer a cool sleeping surface, it won’t be a good thing. In fact, on a hot night, it will feel like a sauna.
For the most part, because of the increase in price, we would suggest a regular polyester-filled mattress pad instead.
Primaloft Pillows
Primaloft-filled pillows, on the other hand, are an entirely different story.
Primaloft is amazing as an insulator. The reason why we pay so much for a Primaloft product is because of its heat-retention properties. It holds on to heat, and won’t let it go.
For a comforter, that is a very good thing. For a pillow, not so much.
You want your pillow to stay cool. If your pillow gets hot, and stays hot, you’ll start to sweat. And when you’re hot, it’s almost impossible to fall asleep, and stay asleep.
So, a cool pillow is a must. You want a pillow to be as cool as “the other side of a pillow”. In general, we don’t recommend Primaloft-filled pillows.
Is Primaloft Worth It?
It depends.
A Primaloft comforter – yes, definitely worth it. If you appreciate a warm and luxurious comforter, you’ll love Primaloft. They will keep you warm. They’re very durable, and with a little bit of care, will last forever.
A Primaloft pillow – no, it’s not worth the cost.
The nature of Primaloft makes for a soft and squishy pillow. But there is an abundance of soft and squishy pillows available, that won’t make you sweat!
How To Maintain Primaloft
Primaloft pillows and comforters are more expensive than other down alternative options. So, you’ll want to maintain them correctly in order to maximize your investment.
You’re going to wash them with the proper detergent, and then dry them correctly, using the right heat setting, and the proper softeners.
Let’s take a look…
Best Detergent
Most people use the same laundry products across the board, regardless of what they’re washing.
So, yellowed whites all get bleached – which is not good for polyester products. Moving forward, no more bleach for polyester fabrics, or polyester-filled bedding items.
The chlorine in bleach is corrosive and eats away at polyester fibers. Do you have clumpy pillows or comforters? Do you have polyester fabrics that get ruined after the first wash?
The most common reason is bleach. Stop using detergents that contain bleach!
For a high-efficiency (HE) washing machine, switch to an HE detergent.
HE detergents are formulated for an HE machine. These machines use less water. So the water is dirtier as well. HE detergent is formulated to trap the excess dirt and keep it away from your fabrics.
On the other hand, if you like to have your larger items dry-cleaned, and you don’t mind the cost of doing so, dry cleaning is an excellent option.
Just make sure they know that it’s a Primaloft-filled comforter or pillow.
Air Fluff
After you wash your polyester products correctly, the next step is to dry them correctly. Just as bleach can ruin polyester, so can heat.
Polyester does not handle heat very well. A little bit of heat can make polyester warp, and melt. Once polyester fibers get sticky, they tend to stick to all of the other fibers, and you’re left with clumps.
Does your current down alternative pillow have nasty clumps inside? You probably dried it on too hot. Did a brand new polyester shirt shrink 3 sizes too small? The heat probably made all of the fibers stick together.
So, from now on, dry anything polyester on the “air dry” or “no heat” setting. Some machines might list that as “air fluff” as well.
No Dryer Sheets
While we’re still on the topic of drying correctly, stop using dryer sheets, or liquid fabric softener on polyester!
Fabric softener tends to stick to polyester. After a few washes, the softener adds up, and makes the polyester very heavy, tacky, and hard.
Once plush and soft pillows will now feel brittle, crackly, and stiff.
Avoid liquid fabric softeners, and dry sheets. Use wool dryer balls instead!
Wool dryer balls are made from 100% natural wool. They usually come 6 to a package. And they are unscented, with no added chemicals of any kind.
Throw the balls in there with your laundry instead of a dryer sheet, and run your machine as your normally would.
FYI – wool dryer balls can be used with any type of garment, fabric, etc. It’s not just for polyester. With a little bit of care, they’ll last up to 1,000 loads of laundry!
Final Thoughts
If you’re shopping for Primaloft pillows and comforters, hopefully, we’ve covered all of the bases for you. You should be able to decide for yourself if Primaloft is right for you.
Treat a Primaloft bedding item with the proper care and respect, and it should return the investment! Primaloft is the closest thing to actual goose down itself.
You might pay a little more upfront, but you definitely get what you pay for.
A Primaloft comforter is definitely a luxury item. It can be as luxurious and feel as nice as a good goose-down comforter. As mentioned earlier, most people find it hard to switch back to natural goose down.
On the other hand, a Primaloft-filled pillow is just for show. It’s a luxury item that is just not necessary.
