Duplex Night Pillow

Why did we develop a Duplex Pillow?

We started this particular pillow line to accommodate customers that were told by their physician or therapist to purchase a hull pillow for better neck support but who were completely new to the idea of hull-filled pillows. Not only did they read for the first time about buckwheat hulls as they searched online - but now there was the option of a millet hull pillow as well! Things quickly became confusing for a lot of people. It’s great of course to have options – but it is equally important to be able to make an educated decision. After all, you will spend a third of your life on your bed pillow, so it better be a decision you feel good about!

Before we started our Duplex line, our phones would literally ring all day with customers asking us to tell them which filling to choose for their pillow. In some cases this was easy (people who perspire a lot during the night should choose the buckwheat hull filling; women who have slept all their lives with cuddly pillows will do better with millet hulls). But for the most part we simply felt customers should have the opportunity to try out both hulls and then choose for themselves. And so the idea came about of a pillow that would contain both millet and buckwheat hulls!

A closer look to the advantages ...

From the outside, the Duplex Pillow looks identical to our buckwheat hull or millet hull pillow. If we were to put you in front of all three pillows, you would only be able to pinpoint which is which after touching & examining them (the two hull types have completely different textures). The Duplex pillow in theory is like two pillows sewn together to make one: A buckwheat hull pillow and a millet hull pillow. In reality, the Duplex Pillow has two separate chambers with a sturdy fabric divider between them. The two types of hulls never touch or mix, yet within their chambers can easily shift and move about.

What the Duplex Pillow does is give you a choice! You can try both fillings at your leisure in the comfort of your own home. Most people have an immediate preference, others like to mix it up and sleep a few nights on one side and then another few nights on the other side. Whichever side you have on top completely hides the filling that is on the bottom! If you prefer the velvety feel of the millet hulls and keep that side of the pillow on top, you will not hear the rustling or be aware of the coarser feel of the buckwheat hulls at the bottom.

A perfect decision for first-time users

The Duplex Pillow was originally developed for first-time users that are new to the whole concept of a hull-filled pillow and the various hulls that exist as pillow fillings (interestingly, there are also spelt hull pillows in Germany (a wonderful filling) and rice hull pillows in Japan (the most firm of all the hull fillings). If you have slept for years on a buckwheat hull pillow and you love it, then there is little reason to try the Duplex. If something works for you and your neck to keep you healthy, there is no need change it. The same holds true for long-time users of millet hull pillows.

If you still feel the urge to be adventurous and try something new, we have a few statistic for you:

• Millet hull users tend not to switch over to buckwheat hulls (it would mean changing from a smooth & velvety feel to a harsh & coarse texture)
• occasionally a buckwheat hull user will switch to millet hulls because of the more inviting feel and because millet hulls don’t rustle

About filling options

The Duplex casing has 2 zippers; one zipper at each end. Please note the following for the adding/removal of hulls when you adjust the height of your pillow:

When adding hulls: Add hulls to the filling that you like better, meaning the hulls that you usually have on top and sleep on. For example, if you prefer the millet hulls and tend to have those hulls on top, add millet hulls to increase the height of your pillow.

When removing hulls: Take out hulls to make the pillow less high and more pliable by removing hulls that you like less. For example, if you always sleep on the millet hulls and tend to keep the buckwheat hulls at the bottom, take out buckwheat hulls when you adjust your pillow.

The buckwheat hull and millet hull filling will adjust itself to the individual form and weight of your head to provide important spinal alignment. The fact that there are two chambers does not diminish the hull’s ability to shift and contour. The constant ventilation of the hull filling as the hulls shift keeps the pillow fluffy and fresh.

Our Duplex Pillows are made with unbleached cotton and have double seams to counter the weight of the hull filling and prevent wear-out. Hull Pillows are temperate, which means they do not naturally take on heat or cold on warm or frigid days.