How to Recycle Bed Pillows

Ready to replace those old bed pillows, but can't stand the thought of tossing them in the trash? You may not be able to reuse them as bed pillows, but you can recycle and repurpose them into other useful items. Here are some suggestions.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine
• Fabric
• Large box or bin

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the old pillows before recycling them. Polyester, latex and down pillows can be laundered and dried in the washer/dryer. Pillows filled with wool, cotton or kapok will not hold their integrity when laundered; therefore, these should only be sunned and aired.

2. Gather the pillow stuffing in a large box or bin so that you'll have an idea as to what and how much raw and recyclable materials you have.

3. Make toss pillows. Sew toss pillow casings and covers using new or recycled fabric. Fill with recycled bed pillow stuffing. Create different sizes and shapes as fun accents around the house.

4. Make pet beds. Sew pet beds for your dogs and cats and fill with old pillow stuffing. Your familiar smells will comfort them.

5. Make chair pads. Sew chair pads for wood chairs and other hard-surface furniture. Fill with old pillow stuffing and provide seating comfort for little or no cost.

6. Make bench pads. Sew seat pads for the benches and lounging chairs in the lanai or porch. Use weather-resistant fabric and pack with old pillow stuffing.

7. Make stuffed toys. Stuffing from old pillows is great for filling new and repaired stuffed toys for children and pets. Make some stuffed decor and handicrafts too!

Tips & Warnings

• Most of the time the pillow casings are stained, discolored or torn. You can discard the ugly old casings after you've gathered the stuffing in a large box or bin.

• Use a dust mask when handling pillow stuffing, in case you're sensitive to the fine particles of any of the materials.

• Consider making a number of stuffed toys, pet beds and toss pillows to sell or give away.

• Consider offering old pillows to your local freecycle group in case a fellow member has the inclination to recycle or repurpose them.

• Ask Goodwill and other charitable institutions if they will accept old pillows as donations.

Resources

• FreeCycle.org