The moss is sometimes bought for use in arts and crafts, or for beddings for flower gardens.It was once used to stuff mattresses. The plant is commonly believed to be a habitat for chiggers, but only collects the mites after it has touched the ground. Spanish moss in its natural habitat, hanging from trees, does not harbor chiggers.
Spanish Moss – Wikipedia
You can dispel Edison myths (alas, the light bulbs burning in the estate are not Edison’s originals), hear funny stories (Henry Ford stuffed the seats of his first Model T imprudently with local Spanish moss, which prompted the first automotive recall when little chiggers started crawling out and biting drivers on the butts), or just learn a little about the quirks of these American legends (Edison hated paparazzi, so he disembarked from the train before the station and walked the rest of the way). – Florida Forum