Good Questions: Poof For My Pouf?

Hello AT,

I have two of these rectangular, embrodered poufs from Morocco. I had the leather restored in Marrakech and then shipped them home, unstuffed. Does anyone have any ideas about the best material to re-stuff these with? Shredded foam? Biodegradable foam packing peanuts?

Thanks, Ann

(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first.)
Link To All Good Questions

Dear Ann,

This is up to you and is really a question of comfort, but if you want them to feel like the original thing, we would look for a natural solution. Do Moroccans use shredded foam? We hope not. We have a few eastern pillows in our house and they are all stuffed with Kapok and cotton batting (cotton is the kind used in futons). You can stuff in as much as you like - more for firm and less for soft. If memory serves, Moroccan poufs are usually quite solid, so we would go heavy on the batting.

We googled Kapok and found many companies that sell cushions filled with it. We would call one and ask simply to buy the filling.

A futon shop on Broadway would probably also lead you to some cotton batting.

Anyone else?

Comments (12)

Try calling Economy Foam on Houston and Allen[?] and asking them if they have cotton batting. They carry all sorts of foam and cotton batting.

posted by mary on 2006-02-15 10:41:07

I stuff mine with plastic grocery bags. It gives it a solid feel, plus I'm recycling!

My parents stuffed the one they had years ago with that paper you can buy at moving supply places for packing boxes.

posted by Molly on 2006-02-15 10:48:20

You can stuff them with old tshirts, towels or fabric. My sis-in-law did just that - so comfy

posted by M on 2006-02-15 10:53:14

I'm Moroccan...and at home we stuff them with crumpled newspaper...lots and lots of it.

posted by zagoracasa on 2006-02-15 11:17:31

I have a very old camel saddle
(family heirloom)
filled with cotton batting.
So I second the recycling of tshirts or old blankets.

don't plastic bags make a rustling sound when used as pillow stuffing?

posted by guido on 2006-02-15 11:42:44

Anyone know a good leather repair in Brooklyn or Manhattan? Someone skilled on Atlantic Ave perhaps?
There's a reason I know what the camel saddle is stuffed with . . . means this thing needs rehab.

posted by guido on 2006-02-15 11:45:16

i spent weeks debating between using newspapers, cotton batting, etc...i finally just filled mine with old blankets, jeans, tees and it's perfect - picture an over-stuffed backpack as far as firmness goes, but with some built-in structure

now i just need an excuse to go back to morocco...

posted by evee on 2006-02-15 11:55:42

call John Derian or Calypso Home
and ask what's stuffed in theirs

they both sell them

posted by jonathan on 2006-02-15 12:03:59

I stuff mine with newspapers

posted by Adrienne on 2006-02-15 12:35:39

>don't plastic bags make a rustling sound when used as pillow stuffing?

Nope, not when you stuff something as solidly as you do a pouf. I wouldn't use them for a regular pillow, but they're perfect for something like this.

posted by Molly on 2006-02-16 15:00:41

I had had a few poufs -
I find that the cheapest and best is taking sheets of newspaper and squeesing them into balls - may sound strange but this works well.
and when the pouf is full to the brim it will take shap nicely.
hope this helps,

posted by Derek on 2006-09-19 06:02:47

I'm an interior designer in San Francisco and i've done so many Moorish inspired homes .
There is a company called Saint Tropez Boutique located in San francisco who specialized in all the Moorish inspired home decor and Moroccan tiles you may check out their websites:

http://www.sainttropezboutique.us
http://www.sainttropezstone.com
http://www.sainttropezboutique.net

or just call them at : (415) 513-5920
they also have a georgous showroom located at : 25 evelyn way, San Francisco, CA 94127

Marie,

posted by marie54 on March 4th 2008 at 12:35pm
view marie54's profile