We’re big fans of slipcovered furniture at The Stated Home — being able to remove and thoroughly clean your ENTIRE sofa is very exciting for a neat freak like me. It’s also a good way to worry less if:
- You choose to have a white or lighter colored piece of upholstery.
- You have kids or dogs.
- You drink a lot of red wine.
- You just live a normal life with all the mess that comes with it.
While aftermarket slipcovers can look loose or sloppy, you won’t have as much of an issue if you order furniture that comes slipcovered from the manufacturer. In this case, the cover is very tailored and most times you can’t even tell it is a slipcover. If you want to know if a slipcover is right for you, read our blog about it here. (And if you want to know what is involved in washing slipcovers you can read about how to clean and care for them here.)
what type of fabric is best for slipcovers?
While most people envision a cotton canvas when they think of slipcover, you aren’t limited to that. From cotton to linen to performance, there are several different ways you can go. Many people opt for slipcovers because they have previously had upholstered furniture that has stained and they want to avoid that in the future. If this is you, you may think you should seek out a performance fabric that is also washable. While this seems like a good idea, it will really limit your options — there are some performance fabrics that are washable, but not a lot. It has been our experience that a washable fabric without performance is easy to keep clean and may be good enough for most. There are quite a few other benefits to traditional washable fabrics that we review below. If you want to take a deeper dive into performance fabric options, click here to read our blog about them.
Let’s review what your options are for slipcover fabrics:
(If you prefer shortcuts, navigate directly to the option that you’re curious about by clicking on the category below.)
COTTON WASHABLE
PRICING: $
STYLE: Cotton washable fabrics give a classic, slipcovered look.
FUN FACT: A simple trip to the washing machine for cotton washable slipcovers can resolve almost any messy situation.
Think about your favorite pair of khakis from the 1990s but thicker. These twill and duck fabrics (if we’re getting technical) are made of 100% cotton that just get softer with wear and washing. We love these fabrics for a cottage look, like on our Nantucket sofa, or for a modern farmhouse look with a straight arm sofa, like our Newport or Palm Springs. While cotton washable slipcovers don’t have added stain resistance, we’ve found that a trip to the washing machine can get almost anything out. They can also be thrown in the dryer, speeding up the cleaning process. Here are the pros and cons of cotton washable slipcover fabrics:
PROS
- Durability: Usually have a heavy duty rating, featuring anywhere between 15,000 and 100,000 double-rubs.
- Feel: A natural feel thanks to 100% cotton, that softens over time.
- Washability: Most stains can come out in the wash or with some pre-treatment.
- Drying: Fabrics can usually go in the dryer on low. (Hot tip: Be sure to take the slipcovers out of the dryer while they are still damp to make it easier to get the covers back on your furniture.)
- Cost: Usually a less expensive option.
- Chemical-Free: No chemicals are added to cotton washable fabrics.
CONS
- Lightfastness: Direct sunlight will fade or discolor cotton washable fabric, so it is not great for pieces near windows.
- Additional Protection: No added stain resistance, but you may not need it thanks to its washability.
- Cleanability: Pure white colors will show a lot of dirt; stubborn stains may be hard to remove.
100% Linen
PRICING: $$$$
STYLE: A truly versatile fabric, linen can be used for casual or more formal looks; it also drapes beautifully when used for a slipcover.
FUN FACT: Linen may look delicate, but it is the strongest of the plant fibers — and its strength actually increases when wet.
Oh linen, how we love you for your timeless look, natural fibers, and beautiful colors. The fact that some linen can go in the washer and dryer is the cherry on top. And if you’d like to prolong your time between washes, some linens feature nubby textures that can help hide dirt. Though expensive, linen is a wonderful option for slipcovers (or upholstery for that matter) if you have the budget. Read more about why we love linen on our blog here. Here are some other things about linen to consider:
PROS
- Durability: Heavy duty rating
- Feel: Natural fibers will soften over time.
- Washability: Some linen can go in the washer and dryer (on low), but other linens are dry clean only.
- Chemical-Free: While there are some performance linens on the market, most are not treated with chemical stain-resistance.
CONS
- Cost: VERY expensive
- Washability: As noted above, not all linen can be washed and dried; some are dry clean only, making it more costly to care for.
- Lightfastness: Will fade in direct sunlight
- Cleanability: “Stubborn” stains may actually be permanent stains.
SUNBRELLA
PRICING: $$$
STYLE: There are many different Sunbrella fabric options in all sorts of textures and patterns, making it easy to find something specific to fit your look.
FUN FACT: Sunbrella fabrics can be treated with bleach, making it a great option if you are seeking bright white slipcovers.
Tackling dirt is easy with Sunbrella fabrics. Not only is it made of an acrylic yarn that has built-in stain resistance, but it is also finished with a water-repellant treatment that allows spilled liquids to just bead up. Sunbrella offers a wide range of style options, so there truly is something for everyone. You can read full cleaning instructions for this washable performance fabric on its website here.
PROS
- Durability: Whether used indoor or outdoor, Sunbrella fabrics stays strong.
- Washability: Sunbrella fabrics can be machine washed in cold water on the delicate cycle, and laid out to air dry; bleach can be used for tough stains.
- Style Options: There are a wide variety of textures and patterns to choose from.
- Lightfastness: Fade-proof, so it’s a good option for sunny spots in your home.
CONS
- Feel: Sunbrella fabrics are not as soft as cotton or linen, and some can actually feel pretty rough.
- Chemical Treatments: For those who would like to avoid any and all chemicals, please note that Sunbrella fabrics have been chemically treated for water resistance. The fabric is GREENGUARD Gold Certified for its low emissions, but it is not chemical free.
- Drying: Sunbrella fabrics cannot go in the dryer.
- Cost: Sunbrella tends to cost more, but it has a well-deserved reputation for being long-lasting.
- Maintenance: When you wash Sunbrella fabrics, its water resistance gradually comes off, so you may need to re-treat if that is an important feature for you.
REVOLUTION
PRICING: $$
STYLE: Revolution’s wide range of performance fabrics includes some that are machine washable; these are mostly patterned fabrics with a few solids in the mix.
FUN FACT: Revolution fabrics are made of Olefin, an upcycled fiber that uses no water or land during its production, making it a green textile with a low carbon footprint.
We are huge fans of Revolution fabrics, which also happen to be 100% made in the USA and GREENGUARD Gold Certified. Not only is it an affordable performance fabric option, but it is also washable, stain resistant, and chemical-free.
PROS
- Cost: These fabrics tend to be a lower-cost alternative to Sunbrella.
- Chemical-Free: Revolution’s Olefin fiber is inherently stain and moisture resistant, which means zero PFAS/PFC chemicals are used to treat it.
- Washability: Revolution fabrics are easily washed at home and can even be dried. The fibers do not absorb water, so you will only need about 10-15 minutes in a low dryer.
- Lightfastness: It is fade-resistant, so it’s a great solution for pieces placed in sunny rooms or outdoors.
- Durability: Revolution fabrics are sturdy and ideal for everyday use, even with pets in the house.
CONS
- Style Options: When it comes to washable options, Revolution offers limited solid colored fabrics.
- Feel: Revolution is not the softest fabric.
CRYPTON WASHABLE
PRICING: $$$$
STYLE: Looking for a more unique option? Crypton offers a variety of styles and feels to enhance any indoor space.
A very popular performance fabric, Crypton differs from Sunbrella and Revolution because its fibers are treated on a molecular level to repel and resist water-based liquids and stains. The majority of Crypton fabrics are not washable, but you may be able to find some stores that carry it (sadly, we are not one of them).
PROS
- Cleanability: Crypton fabrics can be spot cleaned with soap and water; inherent stain resistance will help keep things clean.
- Durability: A fantastic option for high-traffic and heavily used spaces, ie. family room sofas, kitchen chairs, and playrooms.
- Maintenance: Its stain and moisture protection lasts for the life of the fabric — you will not need to re-treat it.
- Feel: Crypton offers some soft, cozy fabrics that are still rated as high-performance.
PROS
- Availability: Crypton Washable fabrics are hard to find (The Stated Home offers Crypton fabrics for upholstered pieces, but not Crypton Washable fabrics).
- Chemical Treatments: No harsh chemicals are used when manufacturing Crypton fabrics — and they are even GREENGUARD Gold Certified for their low emissions — but they are not chemical-free.
- Cost: Most Crypton fabrics tend to be on the more expensive side.
NON-WASHABLE FABRICS
Choosing a non-washable fabric is also an option! If you don’t care about being able to wash your cover, but want the option to change your look down the line or be able to easily replace your furniture cover over re-upholstery, then you can consider a regular upholstery fabric. Here are some considerations if you want to go this route:
- Super thick or bulky fabrics may not drape very well
- Make sure the fabric has some stretch or it may be hard to get it on and off
- Some fabrics (velvet for example) may pucker at the seams a little bit more if not attached to a sofa frame
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
Having lived with a light colored sofa for more than 10 years, I tend to think that performance fabrics may be a nice-to-have versus a need-to-have. I’ve been able to get my slipcovers fairly clean by just washing them at home. However, I would consider getting washable performance fabrics if:
- Pets regularly get on the furniture.
- Kids regularly eat on the furniture.
- It’s a sunny room and you need fade resistance.
- You want a bright white fabric.
A few other things to consider:
- Make sure you purchase fabric that has been pre-washed and pre-shrunk (cotton and linen); Performance fabric yarns don’t have a shrinkage issue.
- For fabrics that are air-dry only, it can be a bit cumbersome to find a place to set up a wet sofa slipcover for it to air dry.
- Don’t stress about it too much! The best thing about slipcovers is that if disaster strikes you can get a new one made for about half the cost of a new sofa. We help with those cases all the time — click below to reach out to us if you need to learn more about slipcover replacements.
- Still indecisive about where to start with your slipcovers? Again, we can help you sort things out — send us an SOS via the button below.
- You can get a literal feel for the different types of fabric we offer. You can order up to 15 fabric samples for free and you’ll have them in hand in about a week.
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