What to Fill a Moroccan Pouf With: 8 Options Ranked Best to Worst

Your Moroccan pouf has arrived. It is flat, deflated, and entirely without character. Within an hour, if you choose the right filling, it will be a firm, domed, beautiful piece of furniture. Here are eight filling options, ranked honestly from best to worst.

1. Old Fabric and Clothing (Best)

The traditional Moroccan filling. Tear or cut old clothing, towels, bedsheets, and fabric scraps into strips or small pieces. Pack tightly and evenly, periodically compressing as you go. The result is a very firm, stable pouf that holds its shape excellently. Completely free. Sustainable. The filling used by artisan families for generations.

2. Buckwheat Hulls

Available from health food stores and online. Heavy, very firm, and excellent for shape retention. The slight give of buckwheat allows the pouf to conform to your body weight. Can make a rustling sound when you sit — some find this pleasant, others find it irritating.

3. Polyester Fiberfill / Pillow Stuffing

Widely available, inexpensive, light, and easy to work with. Creates a softer, bouncier pouf than fabric or buckwheat. The downside: polyester fiberfill compresses over time and the pouf will become noticeably softer within 6–12 months. Needs topping up periodically.

4. Shredded Foam

Firm, supportive, and shape-retaining. Can be purchased from upholstery suppliers or created from old foam cushions. Excellent for poufs used primarily as seating rather than footrests.

5. Old Pillows and Cushions

A convenient option. Works well if the insert fills the pouf tightly.

6. Rice or Beans (Avoid for Seating Use)

Heavy and very firm but risk of pest attraction if not stored carefully. Not recommended for regular seating use.

7. Newspaper (Avoid)

Creates a firm filling initially but compresses quickly. Also imparts a dusty smell. Not recommended.

8. Polystyrene Beads (Worst)

Creates the classic bean-bag feel — no real support. The pouf has no structural stability and topples when sat on. The worst choice for a Moroccan pouf designed for seating use.

Shop our poufs: Moroccan leather poufs available stuffed or unstuffed — ships from Italy.