What is kapok?

The Precious Fruit of the Kapok Tree

Just between us, but who in Europe knows about kapok? While this tree fruit can be found in form of mattresses in every bedroom and living room in Thailand, knowledge about these natural fibres has almost completely vanished in Europe. Too bad, because the colourful Thai pillows with a kapok filling are real all-rounders. They are perfectly suited for relaxation, reading, watching TV, sleeping, yoga and meditation, camping, van life and a lot more.

The large kapok pods are filled with very fluffy and soft plant fibres and can be harvested from huge kapok trees in the jungle! There is a large number of kapok trees in Thailand.

Kapok. A natural all-rounder.

The list of positive attributes of kapok seems to be endless:

• Kapok is breathable
• Kapok helps to regulate body temperature
• Kapok is suited for allergics
• Kapok only grows naturally
• Kapok is left untreated before processing
• Kapok is biodegradable

That begs the question, why is kapok so unknown when it brings this many positive attributes to the table?
The answer is easy. Despite kapok being known and used in the industry in Europe, the knowledge concerning the natural fibres has quickly been lost. Why? With the triumphant rise of synthetic materials like cold foam, polyester and latex the use of the more expensive kapok has been steadily declining.

Thank you for your help to preserve the “lungs of the world“

Since the kapok trees release more oxygen than is used during transport from the forest to the consumer, kapok fibres are CO₂ neutral.

livasia Thai Cushion – A Pure Natural Product

The kapok does not originate from monocultures and is therefore not treated with chemical fertilizers or other pesticides. When the harvest approaches, the fibres are picked by hand and simply laid out in the sun to dry.

A further advantage is that because of the wildly growing trees kapok is a stable source of income for farmers and their families. For this very reason the parts of rain forests containing kapok are not a victim of deforestation in order to cultivate palm oil or cotton.

Kapok – The Perfect Filler for Mattresses and Cushions

The kapok fibres are covered with a fine layer of wax. Thanks to the especially silky and smooth surface, kapok fibres can neither spin nor even clump, as is the case with cotton or hemp. The fine wax coat also ensures, that the fibre does not absorb any liquid or moisture. In addition, the bitter tasting substances contained in kapok, keep pests away.