Replacement Sofa Covers: Keep the Sofa, Replace the Fabric
I've been making loose covers for over 40 years, and one conversation comes up more than any other. Someone rings and says, "The sofa's still lovely to sit on, but the covers have had it. Do I need a new sofa?"
On a well-made sofa, the answer is usually no. The frame, the springs and the cushion interiors are the expensive parts, and on quality furniture they last for decades. The fabric is what wears out. Replacing the covers deals with the part that's worn and keeps everything else you paid for.
This guide explains when replacement sofa covers make sense, the three ways you can order them from us, and how they compare with stretch covers and reupholstery.
When replacement covers make sense
Replacement covers are the right choice when the sofa underneath is still sound. Before you do anything else, run through this quick check:
- The frame is solid. No wobble, no creaking joints, no broken rails.
- The seat is comfortable. It still holds you up and doesn't sink right down.
- The cushions have life in them. If they've gone a bit flat, that's no problem: we can add new cushion fillings or a fresh wrap when we make your covers.
- The problem is the fabric. It's worn on the arms, faded by the sun, stained, bobbled, or you're simply tired of the colour.
If all four are true, new covers will make the sofa look new again for a fraction of what a quality replacement would cost. If the frame is broken or the springs have gone, it's worth talking to us about reupholstery instead. I'll always tell you honestly which is the better route.
Quality sofas are worth keeping
Most of the sofas I make covers for come from makers who built furniture to last: Tetrad, Parker Knoll, G Plan, Ercol, Duresta, Sofa Workshop, B&B Italia and many more.
Multiyork is the best example. The company has gone, but the furniture lives on. Multiyork sofas were built on solid frames with good sprung seating, and most were designed with removable covers. You can't buy replacement covers from the maker any more, but you don't need to. A new set can be made to fit just as well as the originals did. See our Multiyork loose covers page for more.
Tetrad owners are in a similar position. Tetrad can supply covers for some current models, but if your model has been discontinued, or you want a fabric that isn't in the range, an independent maker is the answer. Our Tetrad loose covers page explains more.
Three ways to order replacement sofa covers
Every sofa and every customer is different, so there are three ways to order. All three end with a set of covers made by hand in our Yorkshire workroom.
1. Tailor Made: our premium service
Tailor Made is the service I'm proudest of. I come to you, and I measure and pattern your furniture in person, bringing over 40 years' experience to every piece. Patterning in person on the furniture itself gives the best fit of all.
It's the right choice for:
- Fixed-upholstery sofas. Making loose covers for sofas that were never sold with them is my speciality. It's the same craft I teach to students online.
- Antiques and older pieces. Some furniture needs a careful hand and a trained eye.
- Unusual shapes. Deep curves, shaped backs and one-off designs.
The home visit covers roughly a 150-mile radius of Yorkshire, and we will travel nationwide for jobs over £1,300 (making cost, excluding fabric).
2. Copy Cover: send us your old covers
If your sofa already has loose covers, this is the simplest route, and it's our most popular service. You take off your old covers and send them to us, and we use them as the pattern for your new set. Your old covers were cut to fit your sofa, so we copy them exactly.
- No home visit and no tape measure. You don't need to know the model name either.
- We can arrange collection of your old covers, so you don't have to worry about posting them.
- You don't always need to send everything. For a matching suite, one chair's covers plus a measurement of the sofa is usually enough for us to make the whole set.
- It's a smaller job than it sounds. Covers fold down into a surprisingly small parcel.
Worn covers are fine, as long as the fabric is reasonably intact and holds its shape. If we need an extra measurement or two, we'll ask. It only takes a few minutes on the phone.
3. Measure Your Own
For more straightforward shapes, we send you a simple measurement chart. You fill it in at home, send it back, and we make your covers from your measurements. It isn't right for every sofa, so ask us whether yours is suitable.
Whole suites, single chairs, or just the cushions
Most people have the whole sofa or chair re-covered, so everything matches. But we can make cushion covers on their own if that's all you need.
Choosing your fabric
You have three options, and you can mix them:
- Browse our recommended discount fabric stores. We've teamed up with some great discount fabric sites, so you can browse thousands of options and bag a bargain. See our fabric options.
- Let us source it. Send us a name, a reference or a picture, and we'll try to track it down for you, often at a discount.
- Send your own. If you've already found the fabric you love, send it to us and we'll make your covers in it.
Bear in mind that large patterns and stripes need matching across cushions and panels, so they take more fabric than a plain.
Finishing touches
Because every set is made to order, you choose the details:
- Piping is optional. Piped edges give a crisp, traditional finish. Leaving them off gives a softer, more modern look.
- Valance style: a straight skirt, corner pleats, or no skirt at all.
- Fit: snug and tailored, or a more relaxed look.
How long it takes, and our guarantee
Your covers are usually ready 2–4 weeks after we receive your old covers or measurements. Then they're sent back to your door, ready to fit. We work with customers across the UK and much of Europe.
Every set comes with a lifetime workmanship guarantee. I make the covers myself, and I stand behind every seam.
Replacement covers vs stretch covers
Stretch covers are the cheap, quick option you'll find in most online shops. They come in a few standard sizes and pull over the sofa with elastic. They're fine if you're renting, need to protect a sofa from pets for a while, or have a plain boxy sofa you aren't fussed about.
On a good sofa, though, they don't do the shape justice. A stretch cover can't follow a scroll arm, a shaped back or separate seat and back cushions. It tends to bag, slip and crease, and it hides the lines that made you choose the sofa in the first place.
Replacement covers are cut and sewn for your sofa alone, so they follow every curve and cushion. The finished result looks like the sofa came that way from the factory.
Replacement covers vs reupholstery
Reupholstery means stripping the sofa back to the frame and fixing new fabric to it permanently. It's the right answer when the frame, springs or padding need repair.
If the sofa is sound, new covers are usually the simpler choice, whether or not it had loose covers to begin with. Nothing has to be stripped, the sofa doesn't have to leave your home, and you can take the covers off to wash or replace them in years to come. Our reupholstery vs loose covers guide goes into more detail.
What our customers say
"Extremely happy with the copy Covers of my multi York sofa bed. Given it a new lease of life. Excellent communication from start finish with Tara. Super suggestions. Very Competitive price. Highly recommend."
— Peter H., Multiyork sofa bed, Copy Cover service (Google review)
Frequently asked questions
Can you make replacement covers for a sofa whose maker has closed?
Yes. That's one of the most common jobs we do, especially for Multiyork. With our Copy Cover service we work from your existing covers, so we don't need the maker's patterns.
Do I need to know my sofa's model name?
Not for a Copy Cover. We use your old covers as the template. If you have a label or the paperwork, send us a photo, but it isn't essential.
Do I have to send all my old covers?
Not always. For a matching suite, one chair's covers plus a measurement of the sofa is usually enough for us to make the full set.
How long do replacement sofa covers take?
Usually 2–4 weeks from when we receive your covers or measurements.
Can you add new cushion fillings?
Yes. We can add new cushion fillings or a fresh wrap when we make your covers.
Can you make covers for just the cushions?
Yes. Most customers re-cover the whole sofa or chair, but we can make cushion covers on their own.
My sofa doesn't have loose covers. Can you still help?
Yes. Making loose covers for fixed-upholstery sofas is my speciality. With Tailor Made, our premium home-visit service, I measure and pattern your sofa in person. It's the craft I teach to others online.
Ready to give your sofa a new lease of life?
If your sofa is still comfortable and well made, new covers are the sensible next step.
Get in touch Call 01484 976295 or 07760 777876, or email [email protected].
You can also read more about our made to measure sofa covers.
Owner and master tailor at Eeze Covers, Paul has been producing high quality, bespoke sofa slip covers for over 40 years. In this time, he has covered every shape, color and type of sofa. He is undaunted by difficult furniture and enjoys the challenge of covering awkward, complex or tricky types. Customers often compliment his work on tailored loose covers looks like genuine reupholstery.