How is this pillow different from the Hullo Pillow?

It is technically the same as the Hullo Pillow just more affordable and comfortable :) If you compare it to the Hullo or Sobakawa Pillow, the cover is different. We use a Cotton Twill Pillowcase which makes this pillow more durable than Sobakawa Buckwheat Pillows.

Is this pillow the same as the Sobakawa Buckwheat Pillow?

Yes it is technically the same. We just put more buckwheat hulls into it and use a stronger more durable cotton twill fabric :) And our Buckwheat Pillows are all made in Phoenix, AZ whereas most Sobakawa pillows are either made in China or India.

Can you customize pillows?

Our customization options for our Buckwheat and Millet Pillows are limited. We can switch out filling materials and pillowcases upon your request, for the most part.

How many lbs of filling are in these Basic Buckwheat pillows?

PineTales Buckwheat Pillows are filled by volume:

Our 14" x 20" Japanese Size Buckwheat Hull Pillow is filled with 3,6lbs - 4lbs of organic hulls.
Our 11" x 17" Compact Size Buckwheat Hull Pillow is filled with 2,6lbs - 3lbs of organic hulls.
Our 20" x 26" Standard Size Buckwheat Hull Pillow is filled with 8,5lbs - 9lbs of organic hulls.

Is the Basic Buckwheat Pillow made of the same Material as the Premium Buckwheat Pillow with the only difference that the Premium Buckwheat Pillow comes with a Bamboo Pillowcase?

No it is not. The Material used for the Basic Buckwheat Pillow is Cotton Twill whereas the Material used for the Premium Bamboo Buckwheat Pillow is Woven Cotton (for the innner Pillowcase) and High Density Bamboo Fabric for the Designer Pillowcase.

Can I wash this pillow? If so, how often should I do it? I assume I usually just wash the pillow case but does the pillow itself need to be washed?

You are correct. You cannot wash the filling. The Buckwheat Hulls will break down when they are soaked in water. We recommend to wash the cotton twill shell, at least every month(that is if you use another case on top of it). If you use the pillow without a pillowcase on top of it, you should proably wash it weekly.

I will be a first time buyer and trying to decide on Japanese size or standard size, I am a female and usually sleep on a standard size memory foam pillow? What do you think?

Hi there,

you should be fine with the japanese size. The standard size pillow are rather heavy and your head does not really need more surface to lay on then what the japanese size provides.
Also it's easier to mold and shape the japanese size because the hulls have less room to move around due to the smaller surface area the inner case provides vs. when you have standard size.

The standard size is popular among people who tend to put their arm under the pillow (obviously that would not work with a japanese size) and it's also favorited by folks who prefer to keep the estetics of their bedroom unchanged.

Hope this helps with your decision

Your PineTales Team

What are the chances of bugs in the pillow. I have read reviews claiming they have bugs.

Changes of bugs in Buckwheat Pillows are similar than bugs in Memory Foam Pillows or Latex Pillows.

Our Hulls are heat treated and triple screend to minimize the chances.

Bugs are attracted to material that provides "food" to them.

If the Buckwheat and/or Millet Hulls are properly cleaned, there is nothing left for bugs to feed on, which in turn keeps them out of most buckwheat pillows.

I have an old buckwheat pillow that does not have a zippered case so I can remove the hulls. I am ordering one of your pillows through Amazon so I will have two. I was wondering if I could get an extra organic cotton zippered case for my current pillow? My current one is the Japanese size so that is what I would need.

We don't have the inner cases for sale unfortunately.

Can I order the basic cotton pillow case (inner zippered case - japanese size 14x20) by itself to replace my damaged case (older buckwheat pillow)?

Yes you can. We have replacement pillowcases available in our addons section.

We don't sell the inner cases of our premium models though.

But you can purchase the cotton twill pillowcase of our traditional pillow.