Koala Pillow: A Customisable, Temperature-Regulating Pillow Designed for Every Sleeper

As part of the Koala Innovation Engine, the brief challenged the in-house team to consolidate the pillow range into a single all-rounder addressing two primary friction points: seasonality and personalised comfort. Designing for side, back and stomach sleepers required integrating adjustable height and firmness into one cohesive form.A significant hurdle was maximising the bio-content within the foam. The more added, the harder the pillow is to compress, directly conflicting with the goal to reduce packaging size and, in turn, shipping emissions. The team developed a high-performance foam structure that remains highly compressible with excellent recovery, without sacrificing support.

The solution aligned aesthetically and structurally with Koala’s mattress range, validated through rigorous user testing. A major turning point came when early prototypes received poor feedback on weight and density, prompting a complete redesign of the foam’s shape, weight, size and grade.The team engineered an adjustable loft zipper system, allowing sleepers to toggle between firm and plush support. Thermal testing refined the seasonal cover, utilising 450gsm organic cotton for winter and CoolThread™ yarns and Kikoo bands for summer, keeping heat at bay for 12+ hours and delivering a summer side 2.7°C (9%) cooler than the original model.

Designing for reduced packaging requirements represents a significant reduction in freight and last-mile costs (a major win for Sleep Accessories category profitability), while lowering the shipping carbon footprint and reducing packaging waste and damage.Functionally, the impact is measurable: thermal testing confirmed the summer side performs 2.7°C (9%) cooler than the original Koala Pillow. By consolidating cooling, warming and adjustable firmness into one durable, PFAS-free product with a washable cover, the design actively discourages disposable consumption. One pillow, designed for everyone; reducing environmental footprint and strengthening brand standing by solving real user pain points.

The Koala Pillow [2nd Gen] is a modular sleep system engineered for universal comfort. By integrating a layered structure typically reserved for mattresses, the team created an all-rounder solution that addresses the specific needs of side, back and stomach sleepers.Adjustable height and firmness: A zipper system allows users to customise the height and density of the pillow. Keeping both sides zipped provides maximum firmness and support; unzipping one side offers a balanced medium feel, while unzipping both transitions the core to a plush, low-profile feel.Thermal technology: The integration of Kikoo technology within PolarBands™ acts as thermal highways; these flexible graphite strips draw heat away from the surface. This is paired with CoolThread™ fabric, which provides an instant cooling sensation.Seasonality: The flippable cover features 450gsm organic cotton for winter and high-performance cooling yarns for summer. Highly visible ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ tags ensure the functionality is intuitive.Easy to clean: With a removable, washable cover, the Koala Pillow is simple to maintain, ensuring lasting freshness and hygiene.Durable materials: The polyurethane core incorporates 16% bio-content derived from soybean oil. To ensure longevity, Sanitised® antibacterial treatments were used as well as heavyweight knits that maintain shape and recovery over time.