Cheap Futon Cover Considerations
17 Oct
Decisions, decisions! Pick a cheap futon cover or an expensive futon cover. Exactly what makes them so different?
Material Selection
One of the key decisions that will have to be addressed when selecting a futon cover will be the material used in its fabrication. A poor decision here or lack of thought about this selection can result in a purchase that will inevitably disappoint. Choosing the wrong material for the futon’s intended use can lead to premature wear, shrinkage, or increase the likelihood of damage such as rips, tears and seam failures.
For a good durable, long lasting and cheap futon cover a consumer would be best served by selecting from an upholstery grade fabric designed to survive frequent use. For example, seating furniture that is used regularly would probably benefit from an upholstery grade fabric. Such fabrics are usually always machine-washable – a primary requirement for seating areas that suffer heavy use, ground in dirt and spillage.
For other areas where a futon cover is for occasional use or more decorative than functional there are many fabric choices. Many consumers prefer natural fabrics for their futon covers, and there are five main natural fabrics to select from:
- Cotton
- Cotton-blend
- Linen
- Wool and wool-blend
- Silk
Cotton and Cotton-Blend
Where the risk of soiling and wrinkling associated with heavy use is fairly low to moderate cotton is always a good futon cover option. Offering good resistance against general wear, fading and pilling cotton is a comfortable natural option for a futon cover. Where there is a desirability to purchase a particular cotton cover, but a worry that it may not be durable enough to survive its purpose, then there are a couple of options.
The cotton can be treated with an agent that will provide additional durability and protection against stains, wear and damage, or the cotton can be blended with other fibers to introduce strength where it may otherwise have been weak. Some popular options therefore are a damask weave for formal occasions, or where a more casual use is intended a canvas weave such as sailcloth or duck might be more applicable.
A cotton blend does tend to be a more sturdy cover than 100% cotton and is therefore preferred for everyday use. Of the natural fabics a cotton-blend, with the ease of maintenance and good life expectancy is perceived as the ‘king’ of cheap futon covers.
Linen
For rooms that benefit from lots of natural light the house owner must consider the effect of ultra-violet rays on the futon cover fabric, i.e. fading. For furniture that is placed next to a window for example, a poor choice of fabric can see one arm of the chair noticeably fade in comparison to the rest of the chair.
One fabric suitable to resist such fading is linen. Linen has a natural tendency to resist fading, and also pilling. The trade off is that it will not hold up well under heavy wear, so this should be taken into consideration. Also, for maintenance, linen should be professionally cleaned to avoid shrinkage.
Wool and wool-blend
Another fabric that will resist fading is wool. Usually blended with a synthetic fiber to increase durability and ease of cleaning, a good wool futon cover will provide excellent resistance to fading, pilling and wrinkling. A wool-blend in fact may be in the category of cheap futon covers when one considers the anticipated life. One precaution, even wool-blends may require professional cleaning. Read that small tag which describes the care-of, carefully!
Silk
Finally, for the most beautiful and delicate of fabrics, people may look to silk futon covers. Usually the average consumer would not consider a silk fabric to fall in the category of cheap futon covers. So delicate that it requires professional cleaning and only suitable for occasional use, a silk futon cover can enhance any room with its stunning finish.
Leather is mentioned here not as a fabric-choice but as a natural-choice. Many people consider leather to be one of the better all round upholstery choices; it feels good, matures with age and is very strong and durable. It is easy to clean, but does require regular cleaning and treatment to ensure a long life and avoid difficult defects such as cracking. Most leather futon covers are used only on bi-fold mattresses since leather is usually not flexible enough for a tri-fold mattress.
Totally and 100% natural
Some consumers may require a totally natural futon cover, void of borate, chemicals and synthetics. This is usually for medical reasons where a hypo-allergenic material has perhaps been prescribed by a doctor. A truly hypo-allergenic material carries some risk due mostly to a fire hazard so care should be taken where hypo-allergenic is being considered.
Synthetic materials
In addition to these five natural fibres, there are eight synthetic fibres that can also make splendid cheap futon covers.
Nylon is probably the most well known of synthetic fibres, but for futon covers it is usually blended with other fibers to provide one of the most durable and strong covers possible. After blending, a nylon futon cover provides a very resilient surface that will resist soiling and wrinkling. Care should be taken to avoid fading and pilling however.
Another popular synthetic fabric is of course polyester. However polyester on its own in not suitable for a futon cover and should only be selected if blended with other fibres.
For users looking to have their space benefit from the beauty of a silk cover, but at a lower price point, acetate might be a good option. Developed to be a substitute for silk, acetate can look beautiful however it does have shortcomings. It can wrinkle quite badly, fade under exposure to sunlight and it will shrink if not cared for properly. Probably not a good idea for every day furniture therefore, however, a nice cheap option for silk.
Other synthetics that can be used for futons include acrylic, microfiber, rayon, olefin and vinyl. Each of these can provide good value and durability for a futon cover.
Construction – Seams
Once the fabric is selected paying due attention to the above guides, the manufacture is equally as important in deciding how durable and long lasting the cover will be; in particular the construction of the seams. Double stitched seams offer the best protection against easy defects or wear. Also known as a reinforced seam a double stitched seam will be required for frequent and heavy use futons.
Construction – Closures
Some futon covers come with a zipper flap in the back seam as standard, which offers a good practical option. The fasteners will largely be a choice of preference, selected from drawstrings, Velcro or plastic snaps.
Warranty
After taking so much care to select your futon cover it is important that due attention is given to the manufacturer warranty. Often it will be explicitly stated which cleaners should or should not be used, and the frequency of cleaning. Consumers will ignore these warnings at their peril.
A Few Minutes of Consideration
Finding a cheap futon cover is not hard if you have some idea of the use, the preferred material and the amount of cleaning and care you want to invest keeping the cover looking as nice as possible. Frequently the cheapest price may not lead to the cheapest cost as use, wear and tear and cleaning will add to the original price. A few minutes of consideration can really help you find that cheap futon cover!
I’ve tried cotton, linen and silk. My personal favorite? Cotton! The older the futon gets, the more comfortable it becomes!
Sensuede fabric is also spill proof, wrinkle proof, and shrink proof and comes in a ton of colors, this is what I like to use since I have kids and animals.
I can tell you that just graduating from college my futon got plenty of use. It held up remarkably well. We picked a dark color which helped hide dirt and helped on the ability to keep it longer as it doesn’t look bad. Looking at the tag ours is a cotton blend which would help explain why it held up as good as it did. It still looks nice and it was cheap. On our budgets now can’t beat that!
i’m excited to hear about the 100% natural hypoallergenic futon covers, i didn’t realize you could get them for a decent price, my daughter has very sensitive skin.