Mattress Nerd Score: 4.2/5
Materials: Kapok and memory Foam
Firmness: Medium
Sleep Trial: 120 nights
Warranty: 5 years
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Mattress Nerd Score: 4.2/5
Materials: Kapok and memory Foam
Firmness: Medium
Sleep Trial: 120 nights
Warranty: 5 years
The Nerd’s Take: The Layla pillow combines all-natural Kapok fibers with shredded memory foam for a feel that’s plush yet supportive. With an adjustable fill level and cooling copper fibers, the Layla Pillow sleeps temperature neutral and suits all sleeping positions. The one downside is that this pillow is on the pricier side.
Kapok yarns are one of the newer materials used in pillows. They’re all-natural fibers harvested from the seed pods of tropical Kapok trees. Kapok has a similar fluffy pillow feel as down and is a popular all-natural and vegan down pillow alternative. Kapok does an excellent job retaining its plush feel and loft throughout the night.
In addition to Kapok fibers, the Layla Pillow contains shredded memory foam. The foam is open-cell, which brings a light and fluffy feel that contours around the head and neck. When I pressed my hand into the pillow, I noticed a slightly slow response memory foam feel that’s quickly balanced with airy expansion. It’s this memory foam that provides support within the Layla Pillow. For similar options, see the best memory foam pillows.
The Layla Pillow has a zippered pillow cover with an aesthetically pleasing hexagonal pattern. The zipper enclosure provides a fast way to adjust the loft by adding or removing the memory foam and Kapok fill.
This pillowcase fabric has breathable polyester, viscose, and lycra fibers paired with CuTEC yarn. CuTEC yarn has copper woven into the fibers to create a cooler, cleaner pillow. Copper absorbs heat from your head and disperses it, helping minimize night sweats. And with copper’s antimicrobial benefits, these fibers combat microbes that can lead to bad odors and allergies.
To help our readers find the right pillow, we score each pillow we review on six features that influence both the sleeping experience, customer experience, and ease of care. Take a look at how the Layla Pillow scored in each of our tests, and see the best pillow guide to learn what to look for in a pillow.
Though the Layla pillow doesn’t sleep actively cool, Layla’s interior is fluffy and breathable, with open-cell foam and natural Kapok yarns which facilitate more airflow than your average foam pillow. The pillow cover is a breathable fabric with temperature-regulating copper fibers woven in, which distributes heat away from your face. My experience with this pillow was sleeping temperature-neutral, instead of a cooling sensation.
See the best cooling pillows for actively cool options.
The primary reason most of us use a pillow is to support healthy alignment along our upper spine. A pillow should support your neck’s proper alignment by not allowing your head to dip too far or be kinked upwards.
One of the Layla pillow’s biggest attributes is it’s adjustable fill, meaning you can remove or add as much as you need to get proper alignment. Plus, the memory foam contours to your head and neck, keeping it in place and supporting it all night. It is even featured in our best pillows for neck pain roundup.
Obviously, an adjustable pillow gets a 5/5 in adjustability. You can adjust the fill to fit any sleep position, and though you can flip, fold, and fluff the Layla pillow, you don’t need to for it to fit your needs.
Layla’s pillows are more expensive than your average pillow, but they have high-quality materials, including eco-friendly and non-toxic materials with all-natural Kapok fibers and CertiPUR-US certified memory foams. However, neither the memory foam nor the cover is 100% natural. Another potential downside is that the pillow is made in China, where there are fewer safety regulations than in the United States or European Union.
You can wash the pillow cover but not the shredded foam and Kapok fiber fill. To wash the cover, remove the fill and place it in a large bag or container. Then throw the cover in the washing machine on a gentle cycle in cold water and hang dry.
All that being said, Layla recommends that you dry clean your pillow cover rather than washing it yourself because your washer has the potential to damage the cover and void your warranty.
The Layla pillow has well over 2,000 reviews with a 4.5/5 star rating. Additionally, Layla offers a 120-night trial and a 5-year warranty for the Kapok pillow, which is well over the industry-standard 100 nights and 1 year we are used to seeing for pillows.
The best pillows for side sleepers require sufficient loft and support to keep the neck from slipping out of alignment with the spine. The Layla Pillow comes generously stuffed, with enough loft for most side sleepers—even tall folks with broad shoulders. And because you can unzip the cover and remove some of the fill, all side sleepers should be able to find a level of support that works for them.
I have a more petite frame and took out about three to four handfuls of fill to support me on my side.
The Layla Pillow is also a good fit for back sleepers. The pillow’s adjustable height ensures that you can find the right fill level for you: I took out just as much for my side as my back. Plus, the Layla Pillow marries a plush feel with memory foam’s support, and I felt supported all night long. For options that are just as supportive, see the best pillows for back sleepers.
As a stomach sleepers, I’ll say that most stomach sleepers should find what they need with the Layla pillow. Typically, stomach sleepers need a thin pillow that adds comfort without too much loft. Because you can remove as much fill as you need, stomach sleepers can find the right height for cozy comfort without having their necks kinked upwards. Personally, I had to take out a few more handfuls of fill until it was flat enough for my stomach.
However, some stomach sleepers prefer a light and fluffy pillow that compresses to almost nothing. With memory foam fill, the Layla Pillow may be a touch too supportive for some stomach sleepers, and those people should check out the best pillows for stomach sleepers.
Score for Side Sleepers | Score for Stomach Sleepers | Score for Back Sleepers |
5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Size | Dimensions | Weight | Price |
Queen size | 18” x 28” | 4 lbs. | $109 |
King size | 18” x 34” | 5 lbs. | $129 |
To lower the price on the Layla pillow, check out these Layla coupons.
Layla Sleep ships its pillows to customers in the 48 continental United States for free, with a fee for shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada. Most pillows arrive in four to nine business days.
The pillow is shipped in a small box and takes around 24 hours to fully expand once you remove it from its packaging. During this time, you may notice an off-gassing odor. Simply allow the pillow to breathe in a well-ventilated room or outdoor area before you sleep on it.
When you buy a new Layla Pillow, you have 120 nights to give it a try and see how you like it. Given that this is an adjustable pillow, the 120 nights provide sufficient time to try different fill levels to see if you can find a feel and height that works well for you.
If you decide that the Layla Pillow isn’t what you want, contact Layla’s customer service during the sleep trial period, and they will help you with a hassle-free return. There are no return shipping fees, although initial shipping charges to Hawaii, Alaska, or Canada are non-refundable.
The Layla Pillow comes backed by a 5-year warranty, which is longer and more generous than the average 1-year pillow warranty. The warranty covers defects, including permanent flattening, unraveled stitching, or a faded cover.
The Layla Pillow is made in China, although the materials come from elsewhere. The Kapok fibers are harvested from the seed pods of Kapok trees in Indonesia. The shredded memory foam fill and fabric for the pillowcase are made domestically in the United States.
This pillow comes with a 5-year warranty and with proper care it should last longer than that.
The Layla pillow is as thick as you want to make it, thanks to the adjustable fill. I would suggest stomach sleepers create a flat pillow, side sleepers create a lofty, tall pillow, and back sleepers should experiment and see what works well with their preferences.
Thanks to the Layla Kapok pillow’s adjustable fill, back, stomach, side, and combination sleepers can all find a loft that works for them. With cooling fibers found in the cover and a breathable fill, this is an excellent pillow for hot sleepers.
While there’s lots of love about the Layla Pillow, it is more expensive than the average memory foam pillow. Additionally, even at a minimal loft, it’s still quite supportive. Some stomach sleepers may prefer a fiber fill, down, or down alternative pillow for less support.
If you decide to try the Layla Pillow, you have a risk-free 120-night sleep trial, so you won’t pay a dime unless you choose to keep it.