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Melissa Looker

Slipcovers vs. Custom Slipcovers: It makes all the difference!

Updated: Feb 28, 2023

By definition, a slipcover is a removable fitted cloth cover for a chair or sofa, also called a loose cover.


A custom slipcover resembles upholstery in it’s fit. When it is done right there is very little shifting and adjusting. The key word here is CUSTOM. There are also mass-produced, off-the-peg slipcovers which are quite different. Some of these covers look like a leotard for your sofa while others are so ill-fitted the lines of your furniture are completely lost. When we make a custom slipcover here at the Slipcover Exchange, we take the fabric you choose and pin-fit it to your sofa or chair allowing us to get a perfect pattern.


When I first started exploring job opportunities I was living in London with my husband and first born, knowing our time in the lovely UK was up and we would soon be returning to my hometown, Dallas, Texas. I had always been a crafter, I loved sewing and painting and just working with my hands. Before moving back I asked my sister-in-law, who works as an interior designer in Dallas, what was needed there. I was considering reupholstering as I have always had such a love for furniture and knew I would really enjoy working in that space. She mentioned that the person they used for slipcovering was looking to mentor someone for slipcovering. I immediately had a vision of a dowdy, frilly, not-my-style type of thing, but hey, who was I to say no to an opportunity like this? So right away I was on board and I am so glad I was.


Once I started researching what custom slipcovers were like my excitement began to grow. Right before I moved back I took a soft-furnishing course to sharpen my sewing skills and it turned out my teacher taught a slipcovering course as well. Little did I know slipcovers were very popular there (and still are); I love the practicality of the Brits! They lovingly hold on to their pieces of furniture, refreshing them as the decades warrant. In fact, if you watch Downton Abbey you can definitely spot a few slipcovers! So nine years later here I am, still making custom slipcovers and refreshing living spaces into beautiful, practical, family-friendly places to live!


While mass-produced slipcovers do fill a need, custom slipcovers will give you that tailor made fit and a lot more flexibility when it comes to the design, from choosing the fabric to the style of the skirt. This is what we love to do and with our expertise you can feel confident that the end result will be perfect!

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