Curious about shredded memory foam? Go beyond memory foam pillows and uncover useful facts on how and where to buy, use, and enjoy the squishy stuff.
(Buying from links on this website sometimes adds a bit of cash to my lumpy mattress fund. It doesn’t cost you more. And helps me spread sweet dreams everywhere.)
Shredded memory foam combines the supportive, elastic qualities of memory foam at a lower price. It gives the home sewer or small business the ability to use visco foam in different shapes without expensive cutting equipment.
Foam shreds are used for memory foam pillows, cushions, soft toys, and stuffing many a memory foam dog bed. It resists mildew and rot and is ideal for outdoor uses.
Do You Want Regular or Crispy?
The best-shredded memory foam is made of the same quality material that regular visco foam mattresses are. It is uniformly soft and elastic.
However, some shreds include hard scraps left over from the manufacturing process. Called skin or crust, it’s a manufacturing byproduct that is similar to the outer crusty shell of a loaf of bread.
If you are making a bean bag chair or other upholstered piece with a heavy fabric like canvas, leather, or vinyl, you may not be able to feel the harder bits through the cover. But if your fabric is thin and delicate, you probably want to stick with a material without crispy skin bits.
If you’re making throw pillows, mix conventional foam bits with your visco elastic shreds. Over time, a pillow made from 100% memory foam bits can start to clump together and your pillow can start to look lumpy.
But if you’re making a soft toy like a stuffed animal, then the slow expansive movement and lumps can become part of the fun.
Where To Find Shredded Memory Foam
Pure visco foam stuffing is hard to find in retail stores. Walmart used to carry it in the early 2000s, but no longer. Your best resources are online, like this Jaxx package on Amazon.
Most of the foam producers do not carry shredded visco elastic foam. Those that do, usually have it hidden under “Accessories”, “Foam Accessories” or “Other Foam Products” on their main navigation menus.
On the surface, it looks as if there are many online suppliers for memory foam shreds. Actually there’s a lot fewer than you’d think.
A note on pricing: Costs for shredded memory foam and shipping vary with the price of oil and the value of the dollar. Check for the latest prices and shipping deals.
FoamExpress1.com Foam N’ More, Inc. is located in Troy, Michigan. Their visco foam shreds do not include skins/crusts.
If you’re estimating how much your project will cost, remember that a cubic foot (12in x 12in x 12in) will weigh 4.3 pounds. When ordering you need to use the drop-down menu beside “Optional Shredded Foam” to specify memory foam shreds. Cost is $2.00 per pound.
Shipping costs are not specified on their website. When you submit your order you will be sent an email with the transportation costs. Orders will not be processed without your approval of delivery expenses.
FoamOrder.com FoamOrder.com is based in San Francisco, California. Their shredded memory foam information is about halfway down the page. It does not contain crusts. Shreds are sold by the pound or in bulk. The cost per pound is $4.59. A 20lbs bag is $52.85 ($2.64/lb). 100 lbs for $239.28 ($2.39/lb). They also offer additional volume pricing if you contact them.
A very thorough shipping information page is presented when you go to your shopping cart. Just click on the Shipping page link right below the UPS Estimate button.
The Foam Factory, based in Michigan has five separate online web stores. Each sells the same mix of 4.5-lb and 5.5-lb memory foam stuffing. It includes skin and crusts. The mix is sold in “Full” 15lb bags for $44.99 ($2.99 per pound). Wholesale starts at $0.85 per mixed low-density foam and memory foam if you purchase 500+ pounds. But that price is only if you pick it up yourself.
The site says that they offer free shipping for orders over $75. And that orders to West Coast, CA, WA, OR, and UT are charged a surcharge per bag. But… Donna (from Dallas) says that she was charged extra for shipping because Texas is located on the West Coast (huh???) So ask about ALL charges before you make your final order. The 5 Foam Factory websites are:
- www.thefoamfactory.com
- www.foambymail.com
- www.foamdistributing.com
- www.moldingsbest.com
- www.usafoam.com
Now go out and get stuffed…with shredded memory foam.