U.S. Patent 6,183,579 on a method of making cooling pads of excelsior, and illustrating such a pad

Excelsior is a wood product made of aspen fibers, used in packaging, cushioning, stuffing of stuffed animals, and for the cooling pads in home evaporative cooling systems known as swamp coolers. Evaporative cooling is a system in which latent heat of evaporation is used to carry heat away from an object to cool it. ... Swamp coolers (also called evaporative coolers or Air coolers) are air conditioners used to cool buildings in dry climates. ...

Excelsior, dyed green, makes an annual appearance as the "grass" in Easter baskets.

Traditionally used in stuffing Teddy bears, it is still used in stuffing the muzzles of some collectible bears. Teddy bear Barrymans original cartoon A Teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear for children. ... A collectible (or collectable) is a manufactured item designed for people to collect. ...