Kapok saved thousands of lives at sea — its natural buoyancy and water resistance made it the standard filling for life jackets through two World Wars.
A silky fiber obtained from the seed pods of the tropical kapok tree, used as stuffing for cushions, mattresses, and life jackets.
From Malay kapok or kapuk, the name of both the tree and its fiber. The kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) is native to tropical regions worldwide, and its lightweight, water-resistant fiber was widely used before synthetic alternatives. Key roots: kapok (Malay: "silk-cotton
Kapok fiber is eight times lighter than cotton and is naturally buoyant, water-resistant, and hypoallergenic — which made it the standard filling for life jackets and life preservers from the early 1900s through the 1960s. During World War II, kapok life jackets saved countless lives at sea. The kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) can grow