You might think a scrub brush would be a terrible thing to rest your sleepy head on, but think again.
We can all agree that when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, the proper head support is essential. However, there are many among us who go to sleep each night without the optimal cushion to suit our needs.
For those people, we humbly present the Scrub Brush for Sleep (Suimin-yo Tawashi). A Japanese scrub brush, or tawashi, used for scouring pots and such usually have a very distinctive horseshoe shape full of hard brown bristles.
The Scrub Brush for Sleep was created by head massage experts at Goku No Kimochi, whose products boast sleep within the first ten minutes. After researching the best qualities that a pillow should have – flexibility, breathability, cleanliness, and the ability to give its user a refreshed feeling after waking – surprisingly, a scrub brush was the best fit.
Of course, there is the downside that a tool used for scraping rock-hard baked-on cheese from steel would in all likelihood hurt. So the makers, with the aid of leading tawashi manufacturer Takada Kozo Shoten, took the essential structure of a scrub brush and modified it to become bedding.
The bristles in the Scrub Brush for Sleep are made from domestically grown Trachycarpus palm trees chosen to be gentle yet also providing the scalp with a pleasantly moderate amount of stimulation to promote deeper slumber.
▼ Scrub Brushes for Sleep will be available in classic brown or white
The inside is also a highly porous material to give a little more cushiony support, but also maintain the high breathability of a scrub brush. This not only helps to keep your head down to a comfortably cool temperature while sleeping, it is also very easy to wash and dry on a daily basis. This means it will never accumulate with the dust, mites, or other debris that regular pillows do.
The Scrub Brush for Sleep will go on sale from 24 March for 9,800 yen (US$87). For those who have yet to find that perfect pillow, it may be a solution. However, it probably goes without saying that sleeping on a big scouring pad would be an acquired taste and it would likely take repeated usage before you can really appreciate its benefits.
Also, keep your eyes peeled for the inevitable next step in scrub brush technology: tiny pillows.
Source: @Press, Nelture, Takada Kozo Shoten
Images: Wikipedia/Qurren, @Press, Nelture
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