Both, currently — the category includes decorative throw pillow covers and inserts (mostly from Mercana) for styling a sofa or bed, as well as genuine sleep pillows from Natura and Malouf designed for nightly use in the bedroom. Worth checking the brand and product name before ordering to make sure you’re getting the right type.

A cover is just the decorative fabric shell — it needs a separate insert (the actual filled cushion) placed inside it. An insert is the filled form itself. Several Mercana products here are sold as covers only, so you’d pair them with one of the separate insert listings.

Mercana’s pillows are decorative accent pieces — covers and inserts meant to style a sofa or bed visually. Natura and Malouf pillows are functional sleep pillows engineered for head and neck support, using materials like organic latex or zoned memory foam rather than standard decorative fill.

Options span down fill (Mercana inserts), organic latex (Natura), memory foam with bamboo charcoal (Malouf), and standard polyester or cotton-linen blends for the decorative covers — so fill type varies significantly depending on whether you’re shopping decorative or functional.

Inserts here run in sizes like 20″x20″, 21″x13″, and 22″x22″ — as a rule of thumb, an insert one to two inches larger than the cover’s stated size gives the pillow a fuller, less deflated look once stuffed inside.

A zoned pillow has different densities or support levels built into different areas of the pillow — for example, extra support under the neck and softer cushioning elsewhere — which is meant to help side and back sleepers maintain better spinal alignment through the night.

Latex pillows (like the Natura options) tend to be more responsive and bouncy with better airflow, while memory foam pillows (like Malouf’s) contour more closely to the head and neck and retain that shape longer. Latex is also generally more naturally resistant to dust mites and mold. 

A common styling approach is two larger pillows in the back corners plus one or two smaller or lumbar pillows layered in front, though this comes down to personal taste and how full you want the sofa to look.

Decorative pillow covers and inserts run roughly $37–$75. Sleep pillows are considerably higher, from about $99 up to $279, reflecting the more advanced materials (organic latex, zoned foam) used in functional sleep pillows versus decorative fill.

Several of the Mercana pillow covers are sold separately from the inserts, so you can mix and match — useful if you already have inserts and just want to refresh the fabric, or if you want to size up the insert for a fuller look.