FIT

Pillow Cover vs. Insert Size: Getting Full Corners

The tape goes on the insert, seam to seam, with the insert lying flat.

A throw pillow that looks flat and tired is usually not short of filling. It is wearing a cover that is too big for it. The relationship between the insert and the cover decides whether the corners stand up or droop, and it takes about two minutes to get right.

Measure the Insert, Not the Old Cover

An old cover has stretched, and the label inside it may not match what it measures now. Take the insert out, lay it flat on a table without pressing it down, and measure from seam to seam across the middle in both directions. Inserts are sold by this flat measurement, so an insert that measures 20 inches flat is a 20 inch insert, even though it looks smaller once it is plumped.

Same Size or One Size Down

Same size as the insert: a relaxed, slightly soft pillow. This suits a casual room and a pillow that gets leaned on a lot.
One size down (a 20 inch insert in an 18 inch cover): a full pillow with square corners that hold their shape. This is the look often seen in furniture showrooms.

Going more than one size down strains the zipper and rounds the pillow into a ball, so one step is the limit.

The Fill Changes the Rule

Feather and down inserts compress easily, so they take a cover one size down without complaint and look fuller for it. Polyester fiberfill is springier and pushes back. In a cover one size down it can feel hard, so with a firm polyester insert the same size is often the more comfortable choice.

Between Two Sizes

If your insert measures an odd number, such as 19 inches, take the smaller cover. A slightly snug cover looks deliberate. A slightly loose one looks like it belongs to a different pillow.

A Quick Check Before You Commit

When the cover arrives, slip it over the insert indoors, zip it closed, and look at the corners. They should be filled without the seams straining. If the size is not right, that kind of try-on is fine under our Return & Refund Policy, and you can swap it for the next size.

Thank you for shopping with us, and for giving a good sofa something new to wear.