Do You Need a Pillow Insert With Your Custom Body Pillow?

One of the most common questions I get before someone orders a custom body pillow is simple: do I need the insert, or just the cover? It's a fair thing to wonder, so here's the plain answer along with how the two parts actually work together.

The two parts of a custom dakimakura

Every custom body pillow is really two separate things. The cover is the printed shell, the fabric with your art on it. The insert is the actual pillow that goes inside and gives it shape. The cover does nothing on its own, and the insert is just a blank pillow until you slip a cover over it.

Why the insert is one long pillow

A dakimakura insert is a single dedicated long pillow, not a couple of standard bed pillows shoved end to end. Stacking regular pillows leaves a lump in the middle where they meet, and they shift around inside the cover. A proper long insert stays even from top to bottom so the art lays flat and the pillow keeps its shape. Mine use a polyester fill, which is light, springy, and easy to fluff back up.

Cover-only or cover plus insert at checkout

At checkout you'll see both options, so you pick what fits your situation.

• Cover plus insert is the right call if this is your first pillow in that size, or you just want everything to arrive together and fit correctly.
• Cover-only makes sense if you're replacing a worn or older cover, or you already own an insert in the same size. Sizes run from 34x100 up to 60x180 cm, so if your existing insert matches the cover size you order, you don't need a new one.

The one thing to check with cover-only is that your current insert matches the size you're ordering. A cover cut for 50x150 won't sit right on a 40x120 insert. Exact dimensions for every size are in the dakimakura size guide.

Caring for the cover and the insert

This part is easy to remember: the cover is what gets washed, and the insert never goes in the machine. Take the cover off and follow the fabric care for whichever you chose, peachskin or 2way. For the insert, air it out and fluff it by hand now and then to bring the loft back. Keeping the two jobs separate is what keeps a custom body pillow looking good for a long time.

Ready to build yours? Upload your art, pick a size and fabric, and choose cover-only or cover plus insert over at https://customdakimakura.net.