Cleaning
If your pillow is looking a little wrinkled, a light ironing may be all it needs. Use a fine clean cloth to protect your pillow cover from the warm iron.
If your pillow cover has a small stain, I recommend spot treatment with a non abrasive, mild detergent. Air dry. Two gentle detergent brands I’ve tested are listed below.
- Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Castile soap https://shop.drbronner.com/products/baby-unscented-pure-castile-liquid-soap
- Ethique Solid Laundry Bar https://ethique.com/products/flash-solid-laundry-bar-stain-remover
Care & Refreshing
When purchasing any handmade or hand woven product, you can expect to add a unique touch to your space. Along with this, though, you can also expect a little extra care and mindfulness needed to keep your handmade item in good condition. I recommend that my pillow covers be for decorative or very light use. The heavier the use, the more wear and tear will occur. When snuggling up next to your pillow, be extra mindful of any zippers, jewelry, or items that can easily cause a snag or pull in the cover.
Because of the nature of the fibers used in the pillows and the bulkier and textural yarns, some pilling can be expected. Even the most expensive fibers can pill over time so this is absolutely not an indication of a low quality product.
If you experience some pilling, here are some tips that can help refresh your pillow cover:
- Gently lint roll the pillow cover
- Remove any small pills, very gently by hand or snip just the pills with a small pair of scissors. If you decide to use a small pair of scissors, be extra vigilant not to cut any of the actual yarn strands. Tugging too vigorously at the pills will exacerbate the issue so it is best to be as gentle as possible.
- Try a sweater stone. Lay the pillow cover flat on a table with the zipper side at the bottom. Gently brush the sweater stone horizontally, in line with the bulkier yarn (the weft) in the pillow cover. Here is the brand I use and the list on their website of where you can purchase www.sweaterstone.com/#availability
- I do not recommend electrical sweater trimmers, or sweater combs/shavers/rakes. These can pull on handwoven items and create a bigger issue in the integrity of the actual weave.
- When in doubt, email me and I will help answer any questions. Tap HERE to email!
Pillow insert tips
Sizes:
I typically suggest you size up with inserts for a nice full look. The size for each specific pillow will be included on the pillow listing in my shop. You can also see my suggested sizes below.
Pillow cover size 18”x18” = 20”x20” insert
Lumbar cover size appx 11”x23”” = 12”x24” insert
Insert types:
There are so many options when it comes to pillow inserts and it will absolutely come down to preference. Here are a few of the options you may want to consider.
- Wool or Organic Cotton filled inserts: this is an eco friendly option as wool is a renewable resource and naturally biodegradable. A great place to purchase quality wool or organic cotton filled inserts is from Cece’s Wool. They can be found at www.ceceswool.com or on Etsy.
- Down filled inserts: this traditional choice is loved by the interior design world and for good reason. Down pillows have a nice weight and just feel expensive. These can be found at many retailers but I would suggest looking for a down insert that is RDS Certified. According to www.textileexchange.org, this ‘aims to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to any unnecessary harm.’ More information can be found on their website.
- Synthetic Down Alternative inserts: although synthetic fibers are not considered eco friendly, they do tend to be less expensive and I definitely understand the appeal from an affordability point of view. If you are looking for a synthetic option, I’d highly recommend finding one that is American made. One company that has a great variety of sizes and according to their website, they use American made fill and shell for their inserts, is Pillowflex. They are made in Georgia and more info can be found at www.Pillowflex.com. The down alternative option has a really nice weight and feel to it. You can find them on Amazon but you can also purchase from them through their Etsy shop as well.
Fabric back
I like to use 100% linen or a linen/cotton blend for the fabric on the back of my pillows. Sometimes I’ll use a special vintage fabric or something from my fabric stash that I’ve collected over the years. When I do use a vintage fabric or something from my collection, they are typically natural fibers as well. Each specific pillow listing in my shop will include the fabric content used on that pillow.
Custom Orders
I offer a small number of custom slots per season. To inquire about a custom order and to see if there are any custom spots available, please send an email to hello@yellowbirdtextilecompany.com
Find my guide with videos answering frequently asked questions over on Instagram! Tap here to take you to my guide.
Still have questions? Send an email to hello@yellowbirdtextilecompany.com and I'll try my best to answer all of your questions.