Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is for the original Butterfly Pillow design. If you bought your pillow after September 2026, see our current FAQs.

Product & Fit

Side and back sleepers — especially anyone who wakes up with a stiff neck, sore shoulder, numb arms, or has been doing the midnight pillow shuffle for years. The shape is built around two specific problems: filling the gap between your neck and the mattress, and giving your shoulder somewhere to drop into instead of getting crushed flat. If you've already tried 2–3 pillows that didn't last, you're exactly who we built this for.

Yes — it's the whole reason the pillow exists. Most pillows lift your head but ignore your shoulder, so your full body weight crushes one joint for 8 hours. The Butterfly Pillow has deep cut-outs on both sides so your shoulder drops in instead of getting flattened. You stop tossing because there's nothing to escape from. Most side sleepers feel the difference on the first night.

Yes. Both sides work for back sleeping. Most back sleepers settle on the lower 11cm side, which cradles your head in the centre and supports the natural curve of your neck without pushing your chin forward. If you switch positions during the night, you can roll between the two sides without losing alignment.

Occasionally, yes — primarily, no. If you roll onto your stomach for stretches during the night, that's fine; the lower 11cm side is shallow enough to land on without forcing your neck. But the pillow isn't designed as a stomach-sleeping pillow. If your stomach is your main position every night, this isn't the right one for you — you'd be better off with something flatter built for that position.

Medium-firm. Supportive enough to hold its shape under your full body weight all night, soft enough that you don't feel like you're lying on a brick. The dense memory foam gives slowly to your head and shoulders rather than collapsing. It's the support level the physios who stock it call "consistent" — not the squishy hotel-pillow feeling, not the rigid foam-block feeling.

It might. After years on a flat pillow, the contour shape feels different on night one — your head sits in a cradle instead of floating on top, and your neck gets held in a position it isn't used to. Some people feel the difference immediately. Others take 3–7 nights to adjust as the muscles around the neck and shoulders learn to relax into proper alignment. That's why we give you 100 nights — so you can give it a real trial, not just one.

How to Use the Butterfly Pillow

Place your head on the central dip, shoulder drops into the cut-out — diagonally opposite to another shoulder not on top of it. Here's what that looks like.

Materials & Care

Three layers, each doing a job. The core is CertiPUR-US® certified memory foam — dense enough to hold its shape for years, not flatten in a month. It's wrapped in an inner cover that stays in place. Then finished with an "ice silk" outer cover (nylon and spandex blend) that's removable, machine-washable, and resists pilling. Dimensions: 63 × 38cm with two usable heights — 11cm on the lower edge and 13cm on the higher. Weighs 1.35kg.

Yes — CertiPUR-US® certified. That means it's independently tested to be free from heavy metals, formaldehyde, ozone depleters, and other VOCs that off-gas into your bedroom. It's the same certification used by major mattress brands like Tempur-Pedic. There's a faint new-foam smell when you first unbox it; airing it out for 24 hours clears it.

Yes. Memory foam is naturally resistant to dust mites and mould, which is one reason foam is often suggested over feather or fibre fill for allergy-prone sleepers. The outer cover is also hypoallergenic and machine-washable, so it stays clean.

Less than typical memory foam. The "ice silk" outer cover is breathable and stays cool to the touch — most customers tell us they've stopped flipping to the cold side at 2am. We won't promise it's an icy cold pillow (no foam pillow is), but if you've been frustrated by sweaty foam pillows that warm up after 20 minutes, this is a noticeable upgrade.

Undo the middle button, slip the outer cover off, and machine wash at 30°C on a gentle cycle. Air dry only — don't tumble dry. It's designed to resist pilling, so it keeps its smooth feel after multiple washes. We recommend washing it every 2–4 weeks like any other pillowcase. Not sure how to get the cover off and on? Watch the quick tutorial below.

No — please don't. Memory foam absorbs water and tears apart in a washing machine. The good news is you don't need to. The removable outer cover does all the cleaning work, and the inner cover stays in place to protect the foam. If the foam itself ever gets a small spot, blot it with a damp cloth and let it air dry fully before using again.

How to Change the Pillowcase

Undo the middle button, slide the foam out, slip the fresh case on — the whole thing takes a few minutes. Here's exactly how.

Delivery, Returns & Guarantee

Yes. We ship worldwide. Shipping is free to Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Everywhere else shipping is charged by weight: AUD 4.99 for pillowcases on their own, AUD 9.99 for one pillow, and AUD 19.99 for two or more, converted to your currency at checkout so you see it before you pay.

During high demand periods, it takes us a few business days to dispatch your package. Once it's dispatched, delivery takes 4-7 business days to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and 10-15 business days elsewhere.

Yes. Delivery is free on every order — no minimum spend, no hidden surcharges. The price you see at checkout is the price you pay.

Take your Butterfly Pillow home, sleep on it for up to 100 nights, and decide for yourself. If you're not waking up more comfortable, send it back for a full refund. No hoops. No restocking fees. No having to prove you tried hard enough.

Read the full 100-Night Happiness Guarantee.

Email us at support@sleepsake.co.uk with your order number and we'll send you return instructions. For the Butterfly Pillow, you don't need the original packaging — a regular box is fine. For accessories like pillowcases, items must be unused and in original packaging. Once we receive it, your full refund is processed within 3–5 business days.

Yes — accessories like pillowcases are covered by our 30-day change-of-mind policy. As long as the item is unused and in original packaging, email us within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. Used or washed accessories can't be returned for hygiene reasons. (The 100-Night Happiness Guarantee applies to the Butterfly Pillow only).

Yes — every Butterfly Pillow is covered by a 1-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. If the foam loses its shape or the cover fails through normal use within 12 months, we'll replace it free of charge. The 100-night guarantee handles "is this right for me." The warranty handles "will this last."