Pillow Bells & Whistles – What Is A Gusset?

Bed pillows come in all shapes and sizes and can be a confusing item to purchase with all those options. Many consumers are not sure what the pillow extras mean for them. The additional pillow elements include: gussets, embroidery, piping or cording, removable protectors and more.

When a pillow is made the basic pillow construction includes a rectangle shape that is filled with various fillings including down, down alternative or polyester. Pillows used in the United States come in 6 basic sizes and the majority of stores only carry Jumbo & King (except Bloomingdales which uses standard, queen and king):
• Standard – 20 x 26
• Jumbo – 20 x 28
• Queen – 20 x 30
• King – 20 x 36
• Euro – 26 x 26
• Body – 20 x 54 or 20 x 60

Why Are Some Pillows Thicker?
Pillows that have ‘Gussets’ and/or also called ‘Sidewalls’ are basically a pillow that features a border or panel in the middle of the outside. This additional middle fabric allows the pillow to be thicker and thus contain more filling. Typically the pillow gusset runs ½ an inch to 2 inches. Department stores like pillows that look thicker because to the consumer the additional filling and the aesthetic element looks visually more interesting. We do know that the more internal volume you have the more filling needed to keep the pillow looking ‘full’. This additional filling is helpful for someone who wants a firmer pillow (this assumes the pillow fill weight is increased to allow for that correct density).

Having a gusset does not mean a pillow is firmer – in fact they can run soft, medium and firm just the same as a normal pillow constructions. In most cases a pillow with a gusset can be used in existing pillow cases just the same. Sometimes a store may run a promotional pillow with a really thick gusset like 3 inches that do make it hard to fit into a pillowcase and have a ‘couch cushion’ look to them.

What Are The Different Trims or embellishments on a pillow?
Some pillows feature piping pr braiding for decorative aesthetic visuals. In general these decorative elements do not add nor hinder the feeling of the pillow. In some extreme cases the piping or braiding can be large enough to cause an uncomfortable bump underneath a pillow case but that is rare. Other decorative elements can include printed fabric on the pillow, the gusset or both.

How Come Some Pillows Have A Pillow Protector?
Some pillows feature a bonus pillow protector which is great because it makes caring for the pillow easier. It is very typical that a pillow will use a nice outer protector and a basic inner pillow fabric (For example a 500 TC Pillow might use a 500 TC pillow protector and a 230 Cambric Cotton inner pillow). We like to look for pillow protectors that feature a premium smooth zipper so as to not feel the zipper when closed and in bed use.

How Come Some Pillows Have Embroidery?
Some department stores and brands like to use an embroidered logo on their pillows – typically on the outside pillow protector. The embroidery does not serve a purpose but to enforce the brand in a store setting for extra visual appeal.

To learn more about Down Pillows you can visit ShopDownLite.com to buy manufacturer direct or ask other questions we did not cover in this article.