Many down pillows, like any new pillows, will have a particular smell that lingers on them for a few hours after you’ve opened up their packaging. This is easily remedied by airing them for at least 24 hours and thereby releasing any odors. However, they should not, just like other pillow types smell after this time frame. If your down pillow does have an odor, it may be due to moisture present in the filling. This is simple to rectify and requires you to dry out your pillow, either naturally in the sun or via a drying cycle.