Stretch Sofa Covers vs Tailored Covers: An Honest Comparison
Type "sofa covers" into Google and most of what you'll see is stretch covers: one-size-fits-most covers that pull over the sofa with elastic. I make tailored covers for a living, and I've done it for over 40 years, so you might expect me to tell you stretch covers are rubbish. They aren't. They do one job well. They just don't do the same job as a tailored cover.
One thing to be clear about first: we don't make or sell stretch covers. At Eeze Covers we only make tailored loose covers. This is an honest comparison, so you can choose the right one for your sofa.
What is a stretch sofa cover?
A stretch cover is a ready-made cover in a stretchy knit fabric, sold in a handful of standard sizes such as armchair, two-seater and three-seater. You pull it over the sofa, tuck the spare fabric down the sides of the seat, and the elastic does the rest. Many come with separate covers for the seat cushions.
What is a tailored sofa cover?
A tailored cover, also called a loose cover or slipcover, is cut and sewn for one particular sofa. Each panel follows the shape of the arms, back and cushions, with seams in the right places, an optional piped edge and the valance style of your choice. It's still removable, but once it's on, it looks like the sofa came that way. These are the made to measure sofa covers I make in our Yorkshire workroom.
Where stretch covers win
To be fair to them, stretch covers have real strengths:
- They're much cheaper. Compared with any made-to-measure option, they cost very little.
- They're quick. Order today, and they can be on the sofa within days. There's nothing to measure beyond choosing a size.
- They're good for renters. If the sofa isn't yours, or you'll be moving on soon, there's no sense investing in it.
- They're good with young children and pets. A cover you can pull off, wash and put back without a second thought is very handy when there are muddy paws and sticky fingers about.
- They're easy to swap. Fancy a change? Buy another one.
If any of those describes you, a stretch cover may be exactly the right buy, and I'd tell you so if you rang me. You'd buy it from a stretch-cover retailer, not from us, because we only make tailored covers.
Where tailored covers win
Stretch covers run into trouble in a few predictable places.
Fit
A stretch cover can only pull tight over the shape underneath. On a plain, boxy sofa that's fine. On anything with character, the cover sags into hollows, creases over curves and creeps out of the gaps. Most people end up tucking it back in every day. A tailored cover has nowhere to move, because it's already the shape of the sofa.
Unusual shapes
Scroll arms, wing backs, drop arms, camel backs, deep curves and separate back cushions are where stretch covers struggle most. A tailored cover is patterned on the furniture itself, so the shape doesn't matter. In fact, the more character a piece has, the more a tailored cover shows it off.
Fabric choice
Stretch covers have to be made from stretch fabric, so you're limited to the knits and jerseys the manufacturer stocks. With a tailored cover you can choose almost any suitable furnishing fabric: plains, textures, velvets, damasks, checks, stripes and patterns. You can browse our recommended discount fabric stores, let us source a fabric for you (often at a discount), or send us your own. See our fabric options.
Quality furniture
If you own a well-made sofa from Multiyork, Tetrad, Parker Knoll or G Plan, a stretch cover hides the very lines you paid for. Multiyork and Tetrad sofas, in particular, were designed with loose covers in the first place, so a new tailored set simply puts them back as intended. See our pages on Multiyork, Tetrad, Parker Knoll and G Plan covers.
Longevity
Stretch covers are made to be a quick, low-cost fix rather than a long-term one. Tailored covers are made from furnishing fabric chosen for the job and sewn to last, and every set I make carries a lifetime workmanship guarantee.
Side-by-side comparison
| Stretch sofa covers | Tailored sofa covers | |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Standard sizes, held on by elastic | Cut and sewn for your exact sofa |
| Shaped arms, backs and cushions | Sag, crease and slip | Follow every curve |
| Look | Clearly a cover | Looks like the sofa came that way |
| Fabric | Stretch knits from the maker's range | Almost any suitable furnishing fabric, sourced by us or supplied by you |
| Details | None | Optional piping, valance style, snug or relaxed fit |
| Cost | Low | An investment, but far less than a quality new sofa |
| Speed | Days | Usually 2–4 weeks |
| Best for | Renters, short-term protection, kids and pets, plain boxy sofas | Quality sofas worth keeping, unusual shapes, fixed upholstery |
| Guarantee | Varies by seller | Lifetime workmanship guarantee |
How tailored covers are made: three ways to order
If tailored is right for you, there are three ways to order.
- Tailor Made, our premium service. I come to you and measure and pattern your furniture in person. It's the best fit of all, and the right choice for fixed-upholstery sofas (my speciality, and the craft I teach to students online), antiques and unusual shapes. 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).
- Copy Cover, our most popular service. If your sofa already has loose covers, send us your old ones and we copy them exactly. We can arrange collection, and for a matching suite, one chair's covers plus a measurement of the sofa is usually enough.
- Measure Your Own. For straightforward shapes, we send you a simple measurement chart to fill in at home. Ask us whether your sofa is suitable.
Your covers are usually ready in 2–4 weeks. Most people re-cover the whole sofa or chair, but we can make cushion covers on their own, and we can add new cushion fillings or a fresh wrap at the same time. For more on replacing worn covers on a good sofa, read Replacement Sofa Covers: Keep the Sofa, Replace the Fabric.
So which should you choose?
Choose a stretch cover (from a stretch-cover retailer; we don't sell them) if you're renting, if the sofa is near the end of its life, if you need a quick, cheap fix while the children are small, or if the sofa is a simple box shape and you just want protection.
Choose a tailored cover if the sofa is well made and comfortable, if it has a shape worth showing off, if you want a particular fabric, or if you want a finish that lasts for years. On a good sofa, tailored covers are the difference between a sofa that's covered up and one that looks new again.
Frequently asked questions
Are stretch sofa covers any good?
For what they are, yes. They're a much cheaper option, quick and practical, especially for renters, children and pets. They're at their best on plain, boxy sofas and struggle on shaped arms and backs.
Do you sell stretch covers?
No. We only make tailored loose covers, cut and sewn for your furniture. Stretch covers are a much cheaper option, sold by other retailers.
Will a stretch cover fit my sofa?
If your sofa is close to a standard size and shape, probably. If it has scroll arms, wing backs, a camel back or separate back cushions, a stretch cover is unlikely to sit neatly.
Can you make a tailored cover for a sofa that never had loose covers?
Yes. Making loose covers for fixed-upholstery sofas is my speciality, through our Tailor Made home-visit service.
How long do tailored covers take?
Usually 2–4 weeks.
Can I just have new cushion covers?
Yes. Most people re-cover the whole sofa or chair, but we can make cushion covers on their own, and add new fillings or a fresh wrap too.
Find out what your sofa needs
If you're weighing up stretch against tailored, give us a call and we'll talk it through honestly.
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Get in touch Call 01484 976295 or 07760 777876, or email [email protected].
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.