Kapok - What is Kapok? | The Natural & Organic Choice

KAPOK

The Cocoon Kapok series was developed because our youngest son, Phillip. When Phillip was a child, he got way to hot during the night with traditional sleeping products such as down and feather. In our search for alternative products we found kapok. Kapok has unique temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking properties that was perfect for our son. It was by developing these products that we found a solution for our son, but also the wish to help others, so that they too could achieve a perfect night’s sleep.

The kapok fiber contains 80% air and is the lightest in the world. The high content of air makes kapok incredible temperature-regulating and breathable. Around the fiber lies a thin layer of wax, which prevents kapok from absorbing water. Instead, kapok draws moisture through the fiber and away from the body. You will therefore experience that your kapok products never feel humid or wet.

If you want to add kapok to your sleeping environment without going completely all-in, we suggest that you start with a kapok mattress pad and/or a kapok duvet. A kapok mattress pad is a great addition to any mattress. Many people overlook how much of a difference a breathable, heat-regulating and moisture-wicking underlay can make to one's sleep. Add a duvet to get a nice, dry and temeprature-neutral sleep.

WHAT IS KAPOK?

Kapok is a soft natural fiber that originates from the seed capsule on the kapok tree Ceiba Pentranda. The trees grow wild in the tropical rainforests of southern and central America, India and the western part of Africa.

Each year through the dry season, the kapok tree drops its leaves and slowly begins to bloom and produce fruits. Each kapok tree makes 400 seed capsules, giving 2 kg of kapok fibers. The locals crawl up the trees and picks kapok seed capsules. The capsules are then emptied of the many fine fibers, and then sorted and separated in a wind tunnel. The very finest fibers are used for filling in quilts, pillows and mattresses pads, while the slightly larger fibers are used for filling in mattresses.

Sleeping products with kapok are one of the best choices for those who have problems with house dust mite allergy. The kapok fiber contains a natural bitter substance that bacteria and house dust mites cannot live in. It is also because of this bitterness that the kapok tree is not attacked by pests. Therefore, neither pesticides nor insecticides were used during the production of kapok.

Kapok is incredibly fragile to work with, and the fiber breaks easily. This is also why our kapok products are both sewn and stuffed by hand. Therefore, you may find slight variations in your kapok products.

When you choose to invest in a kapok product, you also invest in a 100% sustainable product. The production of kapok helps to preserve tropical rainforest. The locals who live by the rainforests harvest kapok from the kapok trees year by year. The income they get from selling kapok is a big part of the income. Thus, when you buy a kapok product, you invest in the preservation of the rainforests and secures an income for the local population.

WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
Because the kapok fiber is incredibly fine and fragile, it is very important that you follow our washing instructions. This way you avoid damaging the kapok fibre. Read our washing instructions.