It may not look like any other pillow you’ve ever slept on, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get some quality sleep with the new Ostrich Pillow Loop. Designed by the same folks who brought you the original Ostrich Pillow back in 2012 (you remember that absurd full-headed contraption that allowed you to turn any surface into a nap surface), the Loop looks something like a cross between a blindfold and a scarf. But don’t be fooled by appearances — this just might be your secret to finally sleeping on planes, trains, and other forms of transportation.
The supremely lightweight pillow is certainly a lot sleeker than its older sibling, which quite literally allowed you to bury your head in a dune of comfort, much like an ostrich might. The Loop, on the other hand, is meant to wrap around your head, plunging you into complete darkness, while providing enough side support for you to comfortably lean up against a window or a wall on your commute.
Thanks to its microbeads filling, the Loop promises to adapt to your head size and facial features, thereby blocking out 99.9 percent of light and other visual stimuli. Plus, because it leaves your ears uncovered, you can either use it with headphones, or just allow the ambient noise of your surroundings to lull you to a state of restfulness.
The Loop actually comes to you as a long band, which you wrap around your head so that it’s truly customizable to your distinct noggin. And hey, when you’re not using it to block out light or sleep, you can wear the Loop as a scarf, or as a large, microbead necklace (though it’s unclear why you might choose to do the latter).
Like the original Ostrich Pillow, the Loop is taking to Kickstarter to jump-start its sales, but this is no ordinary Kickstarter campaign. The first 20 backers of the Loop should be receiving their pillows quite soon, as the team promised to ship these folks their pillows just seven days after the campaign kicks off. That should certainly assuage concerns about contributing to a project that never sees the light of day — backers will start receiving product before the campaign even ends. These 20 individuals will also serve as beta testers, providing feedback to the Ostrich Pillow team and suggesting design, user experience, and materials improvements.
The rest of us can pre-order a Loop now for $20, with an anticipated shipment date of June 2018.