This pillow from The White Company is filled with shredded memory foam, so we just had to try it

Buy now £45, Thewhitecompany.com

• Dimensions:  45cm x 70cm
• Filling: 100% memory foam clusters
• Firmness: Firm
• Cover: 55% polyester, 45% viscose from bamboo
• Rating: 8/10

Firmness and comfort

We were amazed when we first unzipped this pillow from its storage bag. It doesn’t feel anything like a memory foam pillow but is marshmallow-soft with lots of give, so we found it hard to believe it would offer firm support as claimed. The polyester-bamboo outer cover feels blissfully soft too and is quilted for extra luxe, making the pillow seem a lot more expensive than it is.

Once we get in to bed, we were surprised just how much support the pillow gave. Our head felt cradled but sank into the pillow far more than we’re used to with memory foam, so you could easily believe this was filled with down instead.

Read more: Soak&Sleep’s Hungarian goose down pillow gave us that five-star feel

As the memory foam inside is torn into individual pieces rather than in one solid block, it’s easy to fluff into any position you like and really does deliver on that delicious plumped-up feeling. We did feel it was closer to medium/firm than firm overall though.

We also didn’t suffer any of the over-heating often associated with memory foam pillows. The shredded memory foam allows air to flow freely while the bamboo in the outer cover is naturally breathable so we were perfectly cool all night long.

Sleeping position

As this pillow isn’t quite as firm as other options we’ve tried, we reckon it would be a good choice however you sleep. Though front sleepers may prefer a flatter profile, the fact the shredded memory foam can be shifted to suit any position means this pillow will work even if you toss and turn all night.

Read more: Emma vs Simba: Which memory foam pillow is the best?

We prefer to sleep on our side and felt the decent loft suited our position perfectly, so we were happy to forgo our usual second pillow underneath. It was even more comfortable when we lay on our back and was especially ideal for sitting up to read or linger over a morning coffee.

Allergies

There’s also no need to worry if down exacerbates your allergies. The pillow is hypoallergenic so won’t cause any respiratory issues, making it ideal if you yearn for the decadence of down but have to choose a synthetic alternative instead. Bamboo is also used in the viscose cover and is naturally antibacterial to offer protection against night time nasties like dust mites.

Eco-friendliness

We were pleased to discover the viscose in the pillow’s cover is made of bamboo rather than cotton, which is a sustainable plant that quickly renews itself.

Read more: Panda memory foam bamboo pillow review

However, memory foam itself is very hard to recycle and there is no mention of any specific memory foam recycling initiatives on The White Company’s website. The company does have a strong sustainability policy otherwise though, which includes plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and use fully traceable products from farm and forest by 2025.

Care

The cover can be machine washed and even tumble dried, so it’s easy to freshen up whenever you fancy. But please note the memory foam core can’t be washed, but it can be spot cleaned in an emergency. And as the memory foam is shredded rather than solid, we also found it benefitted from a very quick plump each morning when making the bed to stop it looking lumpy.

Price

At £45, we felt the memory foam comfort pillow was decently priced to combine the plush feeling of (more expensive) down with the support of memory foam and The White Company’s reliable quality. It’s likely you may not need a second pillow with this too, so it’s worth trying one on its own before splurging on two. Plus, The White Company offers regular discount codes to knock even more off the price.

The verdict: The White Company memory foam comfort pillow

This was easily the most comfortable memory foam pillow we’ve ever tried. If you’ve steered clear in the past for fear of being stuck with a rock-hard block, this will change your mind in one night. It’s wonderfully comfy so you’ll never want to get out of bed, yet the innovative shredded memory foam means neck pain will be a thing of the past. A great reason for a celebratory lie-in we reckon…