Stuffable Neck Pillow: How It Works and What to Pack

A stuffable neck pillow is a travel pillow with no filling of its own. You fill it with clothes you were bringing anyway, so it does two jobs at once: support for your neck on the way, and extra room for a hoodie, t-shirts and underwear that would otherwise take up space in your bag. Here's how it works, what to pack in it and how to get the most out of it.

What is a stuffable neck pillow?

It's a U-shaped pillow cover with a zipper. The clothes you pack inside give it shape and support, and when it's empty it folds flat. You'll also see it called a fillable or packable neck pillow; it's the same idea.

The space it saves is simple: whatever goes in the pillow stays out of your bag. On a trip with just a carry-on, or only a small bag under the seat, that can be the difference between fitting everything into the bag you already have and paying for a bigger one.

The pillowcase hack vs. a stuffable neck pillow

You may have seen the tip: fill a pillowcase with clothes and take it on board as your "pillow". It works in a pinch, but a loose bag of clothes has no shape, doesn't stay around your neck and can easily look like a second bag, which is exactly what you were trying to avoid.

A stuffable neck pillow is made for the job. It's shaped like a neck pillow, fits around your neck and still looks like one when it's full. That's also why we kept the Volta pillow the size of a regular neck pillow: the stretchy fabric is what makes room for more, not extra size.

What to pack inside

Soft, flexible clothes work best: t-shirts, underwear, socks, leggings, sleepwear, swimwear, a light hoodie or a scarf. All in, the pillow holds about a weekend's worth of clothes.

Leave in your bag anything hard or bulky: shoes, chargers, toiletries, chunky knits, and anything with buckles or hard edges. They make the pillow lumpy, and you'll feel them against your neck.

Some ideas by trip:

• City break: sleepwear, underwear and socks, and a light hoodie for the evening.
• Beach: swimwear, a cover-up and a light scarf.
• Winter trip: thin base layers, a scarf and spare socks. Bulky sweaters stay in the bag, or on you.

How to pack it, step by step

1. Roll your clothes rather than folding them. Rolls follow the curve of the pillow and leave fewer gaps.
2. Fill the two ends first, then the back. That way both sides end up even and your head isn't tilted to one side.
3. Put the softest items where your neck rests. A t-shirt or a scarf on the inside of the curve feels better than a seam or a waistband.
4. Stop before it's packed solid. It should feel firm but still give a little when you press it. It's more comfortable, and it keeps the pillow looking like a pillow.
5. Close the zipper and adjust the fit with the two buttons at the front.

On the way and when you arrive

When you're not wearing it, the same two buttons clip the pillow to your suitcase handle, so your hands stay free in line at the gate and on the train. At the hotel, it unpacks like a small drawer. On the way home, fill it again.

Can you take it on the plane?

Travelers fly with stuffable neck pillows every day. The Volta pillow is a regular-sized neck pillow, and the stretch fabric is what makes room for a weekend's worth of clothes, so even full it keeps the natural look of a normal neck pillow, worn around your neck or clipped to your bag. We go into more detail, and compare stuffable pillows with foam and inflatable ones, in How to Choose a Neck Pillow for Flying.

Looking after it

Empty it, wash it in the machine at 30 °C and let it dry flat.

The Volta stuffable neck pillow

The Volta travel neck pillow weighs 130 g empty, comes in 9 colors and has a matching sleep mask and luggage cover in the same prints. If you'd like more than one piece, our travel kits bring them together for less than buying each one separately.

Volta stuffable neck pillow

A regular-sized neck pillow with no filling of its own. The stretch fabric makes room for a weekend's worth of clothes, and it is machine washable.

See the pillow

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