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What are weighted blankets made of and What do they put in weighted blankets to make them heavy? With increasing popularity of weighted blankets and the claims that they help in easing out stress and sleeping disorders, it is pertinent to understand the basics of weighted blankets. Let’s explore how weighted blankets are made and address the common questions.

We are living in times where more and more people are experiencing stress and anxiety taking a toll on their mental health. As many as 77% people experience health effecting stress in America. Many people find trouble sleeping in nights. So, naturally people are looking for products that help relieve stress, anxiety and insomnia. Weighted blanket is one such product that is believed to help in stress and insomnia.

What are weighted blankets made of?

Weighted blankets are made of two components, the exterior fabric and the inner filling. The exterior fabric provides the snuggly and cozy touch to human bodies and the inner filling is basically what is put in weighted blankets to make them heavy.

How Weighted Blankets Work?

Weighted blankets are therapeutic blankets, the extra weight that they carry is supposed to apply deep pressure stimulation therapy which works in a similar way as that of a hug. This pressure is believed to relieve stress, anxiety and insomnia.

Exterior Fabric of Weighted Blankets

The exterior fabric is like a usual blanket fabric. It is this fabric against which our bodies snuggle when in bed or on a couch. This fabric can be sewn over inner filling or it can be a removeable piece like a duvet cover. The fabrics usually used on exterior are cotton, fleece, polyester, acrylic mix ,faux fur ,minky etc.

The choice of fabric depends on personal preference and on what sort of sleeper are you. If you feel hot and sweaty while sleeping than you may require more breathable and wicking fabrics. On the other hand, if you feel the need to keep yourself nice and cozy you may need heat retaining fabrics. Following are the major factors to consider when choosing weighted blankets

• Temperature of environment.
• Breathability.
• Texture of fabric.

Cotton Weighted Blankets

Cotton fabric is in use since 5000 BC and it is one of the most widely used fabric in the world. Cotton has numerous advantages but has a few downsides to consider too. Following are Pros and Cons of cotton exterior fabric in weighted blankets.

Try our recommended cotton weighted blanket with glass bead filling.

Eucalyptus Weighted blankets:

Eucalyptus fabric is extracted from pulp of Eucalyptus trees. This fabric is used primarily in cooling weighted blankets which prevent overheating and are used by hot sleepers. Following are some of the features of eucalyptus fabric in weighted blankets.

• Extremely breathable, even more than cotton.
• Super soft.
• They keep body comfortable.
• They very efficiently regulate body temperature.
• They are considered gentle on sensitive skin.
• They are environment friendly. It is more environment friendly than cotton and bamboo.
• The fabric is biodegradable

Bamboo Weighted Blankets

Bamboo fabric is extracted from pulp of bamboo trees through an industrial chemical process. Bamboo fabric is also highly breathable and is used in cooling weighted blankets by hot sleepers. Key features of bamboo fabric in weighted blankets are below:

Try our recommended Bamboo weighted blanket.

Is eucalyptus better than bamboo for Weighted blankets?

Both Eucalyptus and bamboo fabrics have a lot in common as both are breathable and regulate air flow, both are soft to touch, and both come from tree pulps. But Eucalyptus fabric has two major advantages over Bamboo fabric.

• Eucalyptus fabrics are more ecofriendly. The chemical process of producing fabric from bamboo pulp involves chemical processes which are normally not ecofriendly.
• Bamboo fabric wrinkles more than Eucalyptus fabric.

Is Tencel a eucalyptus or bamboo?

Fabric produced from pulp of Eucalyptus tree is called Eucalyptus Lyocell. Tencel is also used sometimes interchangeably with Eucalyptus Lyocell which may confuse some. Tencel is a branded version of Eucalyptus Lyocell , so Tencel is a brand of Eucalyptus Lyocell fibers.

Try our recommended Tencel Eucalyptus weighted blanket.

Which fabric is cooler, eucalyptus or bamboo?

Both Eucalyptus and Bamboo fabric are cooling, both regulate air flow and are naturally wicking. So both can be considered equally cooling , however some people prefer Eucalyptus as they find its texture more cool to touch.

cotton vs bamboo weighted blanket

Both cotton and bamboo have their own benefits , if you need a cooling weighted blanket than you should go for bamboo weighted blanket and if you want your blanket warm and cozy then cotton can be good choice.

Minky Fabric for Weighted Blankets:

Minky blankets are super soft and warm, they are made from best synthetic polyester fibers. They are supposed to mimic mink fur. It is insulates the body from environment and is very good at keeping body hot and cozy. It is a good choice for those who love cuddling up in blankets in cold weather.

• Pros-super soft and warm
• Cons-Can be too hot and less breathable.

You can find more on minky blankets here.

Fleece Weighted Blankets

Fleece is also a polyester fabric which is woven to make it warm and light weight. It’s light weight yet warm. It is recommended for cold weather.

• Pros-warm and light weight
• Cons-less breathable.

Acrylic Weighted Blankets

Acrylic is an artificial fabric which is long lasting, it is wrinkle free and a relatively cheaper option but with time it can lose its softness.

• Pros- Cheap, durable and wrinkle free.
• Cons: Non Breathable, may lose softness and may not suite all skins.

Microfiber Weighted Blankets

Microfiber blankets give soft and warm feel. The fabric is made up of thin synthetic fibers woven together to give light weight, soft and warm feel. The fibers are made from polyester, nylon or wood pulp.

Pros-soft, warm , light weight and durable.

Cons-may become too hot, prone to stains.

Weighted Blanket Filling

Inner filling is the real stuff that they put in a weighted blanket to make it heavy. These fillers can be of different types, however the most popular weighted blanket filling are:

• Micro glass beads
• Plastic poly pellets
• Steel beads

Micro Glass Beads

Micro glass beads are considered one of the best fillers for weighted blankets. They are heavy so require less volume to create the required weight. This makes them less bulky and easy to handle. They get evenly distributed over the weighted blanket.

You can check our our recommended micro glass beads weighted blanket for all seasons.

Are glass beads in weighted blankets dangerous?

Glass beads in weighted blankets are considered extremely safe. They do not harm , they are hypoallergenic , they are even not noticeable from exterior.

Plastic Polly pellets

Plastic Polly pellets are small plastic beads used as fillers for weighted blankets. These are relatively cheaper and are used in non-expensive weighted blankets. But plastic poly pellet fillings can become uneven, and the blanket may become lumpy and uncomfortable. They can also sometimes create an off-putting odor.

Steel Beads

Steel beads are heavy which makes them a good option for weighted blanket filling. But they are usually bigger in size which makes the blankets larger and non-compact. They can also become uneven making the blanket lumpy. They also are slightly noisy and so they may cause discomfort due to noise if you toss and turn rapidly in bed.

Buckwheat Filling for Weighted Blankets

Buckwheat hull filling can also be used in weighted blankets. Buckwheat hulls are small in size and uneven in shape, they constantly move around as filling in blankets which can be off-putting for some. But this also allow constant ventilation of air through the blanket. Traditionally buckwheat filled pillows are used in Japan and they are supposed to improve sleep.

Other Fillings for Weighted Blankets

Other weighted blanket fillings include sand, pebbles, rice, grains etc. We do not recommend these type of fillings, they may be cheap but are certainly not recommended as they will not be comfortable.

Conclusion- What do they put in weighted blankets to make them heavy?

Weighted blanket consist of an exterior fabric (just like a duvet cover) and an inner filling. It is the inner filling that makes weighted blankets heavy. The exterior fabric type selection can either make weighted blanket warm or it can make it a cooling blanket. The popular fillings for weighted blankets are micro glass beads, plastic polly pellets and steel beads.