What is the best way to get rid of old (down-filled) pillows?

Question

I bought some at a bargain place and they shed shed shed even though I put two pillowcases on ...any suggested recycling /disposal options?

Answer 1

no, straight to garbage!

Answer 2

You could phone up a local animal shelter and see if they could use the pillows, or likewise a homeless shelter.  Best of luck :)

Answer 3

take it to the recycling center  

Answer 4

Hate to say it, but you get what you pay for.  Most "down" filled pillows are actually filled with chopped up chicken feathers, and to make it worse, they are put into a cheap fabric, with a low thread count.  This allows the feathers bits to escape forever.

I live on a permaculture farm.  We have cats (all spayed/neutered), some of which live outside year round.  I make houses for them, to keep them warm in the winter.  Personally I would use the pillows to put in the bottom of the kitty houses with a bit of an old wool skirt or shirt over it, or a bit of lambskin.  The cat would be in complete comfy warm heaven.

If you don't have a cat or dog that needs a pet bed, you might concider searching about for someone who does cat rescues, and offering them the pillows.   It's going to need to be a private rescue, not the Humane Society.  

You could explain the problem, and offer them for free on Craigslist to someone with pets (cats would be best).  It's free to put an add on Cragslist.

If you compost, you can cut the pillows open, and dump the feathers out, to compost them.  Note:  You need to cover them right away, or they will blow all over, AND it takes a number of YEARS for a lump of feathers to properly rot.

Good quality feather pillows (made from honest to gosh goose down) should start at $75-$100 each and go up in price from there.  A true quality down pillow, if taken care of properly will last you the rest of your life.  Expensive, but worth the investment.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Owner of two feather beds, and feather pillows made by my Great Grandmother, who harvested the feathers from her own geese herself (yes these feather beds/pillows are still lovely, fresh, and completely useable over 80 years later!)

Answer 5

Give them to a friend who likes down pillows or to charity. We love using them! I would not throw them away as if they go to waste in a landfill nobody ever benefits.

Answer 6

The best way to rid yourself of the down filled pillow is..Since it is filled with feathers you can open the pillow and empty the down into a mulch bed or flower bed for compost.. then dispose of the pillow case properly...