How to read the labels on a body pillow and its cover

A body pillow has at least two labels—one sewn into the insert, one into the cover—and each describes something different. The insert label covers fill material and care for the shell. The cover label describes the fabric blend and its own care instructions. Read both before washing or reordering anything.

Find the separate labels for the insert and cover

Before you read anything, locate both labels physically. On most body pillows the insert label is sewn along an interior seam or inner zip seam, so it stays with the stuffed shell when you remove the cover. The cover label is usually stitched into a seam of the cover itself—often a short end or side seam.

If you can only find one label, check whether the cover is still on the pillow. Remove the cover and look again. A label that seems to say one thing may actually be the insert label you misread as belonging to the cover, or vice versa. This mix-up is one of the most reliable ways to ruin a fill by machine washing something that should only be spot cleaned ¹.

Keep both labels flat and readable before you proceed. If they are crumpled or folded into a seam, gently ease them out so you can see every line of text and every symbol clearly. Good light helps—label ink is often small and low-contrast on natural fabrics. If you have owned the pillow for a while and the ink has faded, a photograph taken under direct light sometimes recovers detail your eyes miss in dim conditions.

Read fiber and fill percentages without mixing them up

This is where most confusion begins. A **cover label** lists the fiber content of the fabric—for example, a Tencel lyocell blend—expressed as percentages that add up to 100 percent. That number tells you nothing about the pillow fill.

An **insert label** describes the fill, which may be listed by material type rather than as a percentage. Shredded gel memory foam, for instance, is a fill description, not a fiber blend. Some inserts combine materials and will list each one separately.

A practical way to keep them straight:

If a label on your cover appears to describe a fill, you may be holding the insert—double-check which piece you are actually reading.

Memory foam fill, whether solid or shredded, requires careful handling. Solid memory foam should not be machine washed, as this can cause the foam to crack or degrade ¹. Shredded memory foam pillows can sometimes be washed, but you should check any instructions provided by the manufacturer before proceeding ¹. The Cove Classic uses a shredded gel memory foam fill with a removable zip-off cover, so the insert and cover labels will each carry distinct information—confirm you are reading the right one before any cleaning decision. For a broader comparison of fill types and what their labels typically contain, see the memory foam vs polyester body pillows guide.

Match the model and size before ordering accessories

If you plan to order a replacement cover or confirm a compatible accessory, the model identifier on the label is your most reliable reference. Label text often includes a model name or code, a size designation, the country of origin, and the manufacturer or importer name and address.

For crescent-shaped pillows, size matters more than it might for a standard rectangle, because the curve and total length determine whether a cover will zip closed properly. The Cove Classic runs about 52 in [132 cm] along the curve; the Cove Mini is smaller and designed for travel or targeted use such as between the knees or behind the back. A cover made for the full-length version will not fit the Mini correctly, and the label model code is the fastest way to confirm which you have before placing an order.

Some manufacturers also print a batch or production code separate from the consumer-facing model name. This code is mainly useful if you ever need to contact the brand about a material concern or a warranty matter—it helps them identify exactly which run of product you own. It is worth writing down even if you never expect to need it.

See the body pillow cover fit guide for more on measuring before you buy. If you are still deciding which size suits your needs, the body pillow buying guide covers size considerations alongside fill and fabric choices.

Use care symbols together with written instructions

Care symbols are standardized icons covering washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, and dry cleaning. On US-sold textiles the symbols follow ASTM D5489 conventions, which align broadly with ISO 3758 used internationally. However, symbols alone can be ambiguous—a washtub icon with one dot inside means wash in cool water, but the exact temperature cutoff can vary slightly by standard version. Written instructions resolve that ambiguity, and when both appear on the same label, the written instruction is the more specific guide for your product.

The first step in proper pillow care is checking the tag for cleaning tips ¹. Pillows that are machine washable will typically include care instructions on the tag, which may include washing on the delicate cycle or avoiding bleach or harsh detergents ¹.

A reliable reading process:

• [ ] Locate all symbols on the label and note each one before interpreting any of them
• [ ] Read any written instructions printed alongside or beneath the symbols
• [ ] Where a symbol and a written instruction appear together, the written instruction takes priority for your specific product
• [ ] If a symbol shows a crossed-out washtub, look for written confirmation such as "do not wash" or "spot clean only"
• [ ] Check whether the drying symbol matches the fill type—foam fills often carry a do-not-tumble-dry instruction even when the cover can go in the dryer
• [ ] Note any temperature restrictions, especially "machine wash cold," before loading anything into the machine

For everything about the actual washing steps once you have decoded the labels, the body pillow washing guide covers the process in full.

If your cover label references a certification mark such as OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, that mark indicates the textile has been tested for harmful substances against a list of over 1,000 chemicals ². A GOTS mark, by contrast, indicates the product was made with certified organic fibers and that the processing supply chain met defined environmental and social requirements ³. Neither mark is a care instruction on its own, but both are worth understanding when you are evaluating material safety claims. The pillow certifications guide explains what each mark covers and what it does not.

Keep a record of the information you may need later

Labels fade, tear, and become illegible after repeated washing. The best time to record the details is when you first unpack the pillow, before any wash cycle has softened the ink or abraded the stitching that holds the label in place.

Useful things to photograph or write down:

• [ ] Full model name and any code or SKU printed on the label
• [ ] Fiber or fill content, including any listed percentages
• [ ] All care symbols, in sequence
• [ ] Written care instructions, word for word
• [ ] Country of origin
• [ ] Any certification numbers or license codes (for example, an OEKO-TEX certificate number, which can be verified through the official label-check tool ²)

Store the photograph in the same place you keep appliance manuals or purchase receipts—a simple phone album folder works well. If you ever need to contact the manufacturer, report a product concern, or confirm authenticity for a return, this record makes the process straightforward.

For secondhand pillows without a readable label, manufacturer product pages are a good starting point for identifying material types by model. If the fill appears to be memory foam of any kind, err on the side of caution: machine washing solid foam can cause it to crack or degrade, while shredded foam requires you to follow specific manufacturer guidance before any wet cleaning ¹. When in doubt, spot clean the insert and hand-wash or machine-wash cold the cover separately while you track down the original care information.

More in this series: how to evaluate eco-friendly claims on a body pillow and latex vs shredded memory foam body pillows.