"Buckwheat hulls are a byproduct of buckwheat milling. Flattened hulls are used as a high-quality mulch that is much sought-after by rosarians. In Japan, they are a traditional filling for pillows. For a number of years, orthopedic buckwheat hull pillows have been available in the US. A few years ago, a series of infomercials on television for "Sobakawa" pillows have increased awareness of buckwheat hull pillows, and demand for the hulls is great. A serious shortage of buckwheat hulls resulted. In the fall of 1997, several suppliers began marketing large quantities of hulls, both imported and domestically grown. By fall, 1998, industry sources said that the boom was fading some." - τorƍue