Hi Margo -- Thanks for your question. For people that are sensitive to chemicals, one option is to get a pillow that does not use any foam at all, since all polyurethane foam uses chemicals. Pillows made with down, feathers, wool, natural latex, fiber filling, or the like would all use inherently fewer chemicals than ones made with foam. That being said, if you are looking for a molded pillow that is shaped in a certain way to support your neck, that makes foam harder to avoid since those options do tend to be made with foam.

The good news is that CertiPUR-certified foam is becoming more and more the standard here in the US, so domestically made foam pillows made with this level of foam are more the norm than they are the exception. It is also possible to get CertiPUR products made overseas, however the compliance with these standards (and the enforcement thereof) has historically been much more lax, especially for products made in China and other parts of southeast Asia.

In addition, there are even higher levels of certifications that foam products can receive to attest to their lack of chemicals and/or off-gassing. Examples of these would be Greenguard Gold, OekeTex, and Eco Institut. So you can look for those certifications as you shop as well.

Net, my advice to you would be to focus on pillows that: a) suit your needs from a support standpoint b) are made with CertiPUR foams at a minimum, and perhaps have one of the additional certifications listed above as well c) are manufactured in the USA

I hope that's helpful.