It's cheap, it's soft, and it's available virtually everywhere craft supplies are sold. While many professional cloth doll artists use only organic materials including what they select for the filling, that's not to say polyester fiber filling is the wrong choice. In fact, it's probably the best choice for doll's you plan may need a good washing every now and then.  Just don't always reach for the cheapest you can find as there are different grades of quality.

Pros: 

• Hypoallergenic
• Budget Friendly
• Washable
• Resilient
• Wide Available

Cons:

• Can compact and settle over time, so overfill your dolls.
• Cheap price can mean cheap quality. Make sure you choose a premium polyester fil.
• Cheaper quality mixes can be lumpy and beard.

Bearding means that the polyfil pushes through the cotton jersey and it visible from the outside. This can happen with hand stitching elements on your doll.

Bamboo Fiber Fill

Otherwise known as tensel or viscose, bamboo is a luxury fiber that is both soft and cozy!  If you can find a supplier of bamboo fiber, it's worth experimenting with it. Bamboo filling is a plant-based fiber from the bamboo plant. Since bamboo grows so quickly, products manufactured with it make for smart sustainable choices. It's a green option that is also organic.

Pros:

• Organic
• Extremely soft
• Plant-based
• Typically hypoallergenic

Cons:

• Can be expensive
• Hard to Source
• You may have to use more to fill up your doll all the way because it lacks the loft other options have
• If it's washed drying times are extremely long and mold and mildew could be an issue.

100% Organic Cotton Fiber Fill

Also readily available at your local craft store, organic cotton filling is easy to locate. It will likely be available as bleached and unbleached or organic. Since many quilts and pillows use cotton batting, we feel its appropriate to mention it makes a viable option for stuffing your cloth doll as well. It will be more expensive than polyfil.  It also packs in tighter but makes the doll look a bit lumpy from the outside. It, too, can beard through the fabric when making hand stitched elements on your doll. This is where the thread can pull the filling through the fabric to the outside.

Pros:

• Organic
• Hypo-allergenic
• Easily Sourced Locally
• Popular choice for lots of crafting
• Washes and drys well

Cons:

• Because it has less loft it can shift and compress leaving your doll limp looking after handling
• Watch out for bleached varieties if you want a truly organic doll through and through

Hemp Fiber Fill

We cannot talk about natural fibers without mentioning hemp fiber fill. It's expensive, difficult to find however. It's a highly sought after material when it comes to making things people where, decorate with, etc. We found it to wash poorly. It may be because it packs in very tightly and cannot breathe to dry after washing but it seems to stay wet for quite a long time. This leads us to believe it would mold or mildew inside the doll. Not pretty when black spots begin to appear on the exterior of your doll. I felt it took more of this filling to completely stuff the doll.

Pros:

• Organic
• Sustainable
• Packs Densely

Cons:

• Expensive
• Difficult to find
• Not washable
• Could Mold or mildew easily as it seems to soak up and hold onto moisture
• Takes more material to stuff a complete doll.

Corn (PLA) Fiber Fill

 Another great renewable and responsible resource would be corn PLA fiber fill. It's made from corn in some magical way. I'm always amazed how corn crops are used to make just about anything imaginable. Corn fiber filling is dense, grippy feeling and has amazing loft. I cannot foresee this fiberfilling settling significantly over time with handling. It washes well and drys quickly, but I also found it to shed lots of little tiny fibers everywhere all over the outside of the doll and my clothes. This made me feel a little itchy, but it may have been psychological.

Pros:

• Organic
• Hypo-allergenic
• Renewable Resource
• Will not lose loft, which it has in abundance
• Not very Expensive
• 6 oz or have a bag filled an entire 19" doll.

Cons:

• Sheds lots of little fiber pieces
• May make you feel itchy
• Difficult to source

Wool Fiber Fill

Popular amongst Waldorf artist is the wool fiber fill. But don't buy the greasy variety. Wool is processed from sheep and can hold onto field brush, thorns, debris and oils. If you are going to use wool, it needs to be clean, carded and picked through carefully. This can make it one of the most expensive fiber fill options. While sheep can be shorn over and over for their prized locks, it take time for them to grow their coats back. Certain breeds of sheep are prized over others, making Corriedales, for instance, one of the gold standards for the fine micron fiber. A pound of clean wool can cost 2-3 times more than polyester or cotton. It also can be tricky to locate and when you do it can become out of stock with your favorite retailer. One big plus to wool is that is warms up when held which can make your doll feel extra special in little arms.

Pros:

• Lends a wonderful warm feeling
• Organic
• Popular with Waldorf artists and doll makers

Cons:

• Can have an animal "smell"
• Must be washed carefully the way you would a wool sweater
• Expensive!
• Often sells out and take time to come back in stock
• Can settle and loose a little loft.
• Allergens could trigger some users as it is an animal fiber

Quick Comparison Chart