What it is
Polyester fiberfill is made of polyester fibers, often with a hollow core and a slick coating so the fibers slide over each other. It is sold loose, or formed into a batting or a cluster fill. Cluster fill is made of small balls of fiber and is used where a loftier, more pillow-like feel is wanted.
What decides how it performs
- Fiber type: hollow or solid, and the fineness of the fiber.
- Fill weight: the amount in the bed, measured in grams or ounces.
- Construction: loose, clustered, or batting, and whether it sits inside a liner.
- Recovery: how well the fill returns to shape after being compressed.
Two beds with the same outer size can differ a great deal if one has more fill. Fill weight is the first field to confirm.
Specification fields
| Field | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Fill weight | State the weight per size and the tolerance, for example plus or minus a stated percentage. |
| Fiber description | Hollow or solid, virgin or recycled, and the form (loose, cluster, batting). |
| Inner liner | Ask whether the fill sits inside a liner. A liner keeps fill from shifting and from escaping through the zipper. |
| Recycled content | Do not state a recycled content claim unless the supplier gives a document that supports it. |
| Odor | Ask that new fill be free of strong odor on arrival and check this on the sample. |
Sample test
Weigh the fill if you can open the sample. Press the bed flat with a weight for a few minutes, then remove the weight and see how it recovers. Sit the sample for a day and recheck. Fill that flattens quickly in a sample will not recover in a customer's home.
For a donut bed, check that the rim holds its height across the whole circumference. Uneven fill leaves one side higher than the other, which customers notice at once.
Fill and washing
If the whole bed is machine washable, the fill must tolerate water and tumbling. Loose fill can clump in the wash. A bed with a removable cover and a liner around the fill avoids that, and it is the easier design to explain to customers.
Related product line: Donut dog beds. Quotes and specifications are confirmed in writing for each order.