---
title: "Cushion Cover Zipper Broken or Seam Open? What to Send First"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-cover-seam-open-zipper-broken/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Rosa Delgado, The Porch Keeper of Savannah"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/"
published: "2026-07-08"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "cushion cover zipper broken, cushion cover seam split, replacement cushion cover, faulty cushion cover, non-slip base shedding"
---

# A seam came open or the zipper broke on my new cover. Can I get a replacement?

*You unzip the new cover, neighbor, and the pull comes off in your hand. Not the front-porch moment anybody ordered.*

Also asked as: A seam is open and coming undone.; The zipper came broken in multiple pieces.

> **The quick answer:** If a seam opens or the zipper arrives broken on a new cushion cover, send the workshop a photo or short video the day you find it. In past cases it made a new cover in the same size and fabric and shared tracking once it shipped, or offered a small partial refund toward a local repair. Ask it to confirm its answer in writing.

![Mustard yellow bouclé box cushion on a floating walnut wall bench with cream and sage pillows and a Berber rug](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/mustard-boucle-cushion-floating-walnut-wall-bench-928.webp "A mustard bouclé cushion brings warmth to a slim floating bench, echoed by dried wheat and flecks in the Berber rug.")

## Key facts

- Open seams, broken zippers and shedding covers have been remade after a photo or video.
- Photo or video evidence is requested.
- Zippers damaged in transit were fixed with a whole new set of covers rather than a refund.
- Anti-slip covers that shed white powder have been replaced after the workshop saw them.
- A small partial refund toward a local repair has been offered for a minor seam fault.
- Tracking is shared once the replacement ships.
- Replacement covers wash like the originals: inside out on a gentle cycle at 86°F (30°C) maximum, then air-dried.
- Handmade covers can differ from the ordered size by about 0.5 to 1 in (1 to 2 cm), and very long one-piece cushions by 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5 cm); that is tolerance, not a fault.
- For a non-fault return, check the listing's return terms before you send anything back; for a faulty cover, send photos and ask about a remake.

## What to send when a cover arrives faulty

1. **Photograph the fault up close**: A clear photo or a short video of the open seam, the broken zipper or the shedding base. The workshop uses these for its own quality control too.
2. **Say which cushion it is**: Name the piece, such as one of the arm cushions, so the new cover is cut to that cushion's size and fabric.
3. **Choose a new cover or a small refund**: For a small seam fault, a replacement cover or a small partial refund toward a local repair have both been offered; say which you'd prefer.
4. **Watch for tracking**: Tracking is shared once the replacement cover ships.

## Follow-up: the zipper broke, can I just have my money back?

One buyer asked exactly that. The cushion fit perfectly; only the zipper had arrived in pieces. Instead of a refund, the workshop made a brand-new set of covers and shipped them free. A cushion that fits is worth keeping, and a cover is the part that can be made again.

Kids and dogs are the real quality control, but a zipper shouldn't fail before either of them gets a turn. If you're choosing where the next one goes, read [zipper placement](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-zipper-placement/) and browse [cushion covers](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/cushion-covers/) and [bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/).

## Follow-up: what's this white powder under the cushion?

That's a faulty [non-slip base](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#non-slip-base), and it's worth a photo. When one buyer's anti-slip bottom began shedding white powder, the workshop apologized, made one new cover right away and shared tracking once it shipped. Covers shedding white particles were handled the same way: two new covers, sent right away.

Which piece gave you trouble: the seam, the zipper or the base?

## What went wrong and what was sent

| Fault reported | What the workshop did |
|---|---|
| Seam open on an arm cushion on arrival | Offered a free replacement cover or a small partial refund for a local repair |
| Zipper broken in several pieces | Made and shipped a new set of covers free, instead of a refund |
| Anti-slip base shedding white powder | Made one new cover right away and shared tracking |
| Unstitched seam on a cover-only order | Reported by video over email; one new cover sent |

> **Tailor's margin:** Film a broken cushion cover zipper or open seam before anything else; a short video shows the workshop exactly what went wrong.

> A new cushion cover with an open seam or a broken zipper starts with one clear photo, sent the day you find it.
>
> — Rosa Delgado

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** One arm cushion arrived with an open seam. Can I get a new cover or a small refund?

**The workshop's answer:** Either one has been offered. The workshop offered a free replacement cover for that cushion or a small partial refund to pay for a local repair, and asked for photos or video to help its quality control.

**A common question:** The cushion fits perfectly, but the zipper came broken. Can I get a refund?

**The workshop's answer:** In that case, instead of a refund, the workshop made a brand-new set of covers and shipped them free of charge.

**A common question:** The anti-slip bottom on one cushion sheds white powder. Will you replace it?

**The workshop's answer:** It was replaced. The workshop apologized, made one new cover right away to replace the faulty anti-slip cover, and shared tracking once it shipped.

**A common question:** A cover arrived torn or with a hole. What now?

**The workshop's answer:** Send photos of the damage and the packaging. In past cases the workshop made a new cover for that piece and sent it by FedEx, or offered a partial refund toward a local repair.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Is a video better than a photo for reporting a cover fault?

Either works. A short video shows a seam opening or a zipper slipping better than a still, and one unstitched seam was reported by video over email, which was enough for a new cover to be sent.

### Will the replacement cover match the rest of my set?

It is made in the same size and fabric as the faulty one, so it is cut to sit with the rest of the set. Mention your order's fabric code when you report the fault to keep it exact.

### What if the zipper was damaged in shipping rather than in sewing?

Report it the same way, with a photo as soon as the box is open. Zippers that arrived broken after transit were once handled with a whole new set of covers rather than a refund.

## Related at the atelier

- [My cushion color looks different from the swatch. Was it the wrong fabric?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-color-different-from-swatch/): Not necessarily: the workshop first checks its production records to confirm your exact fabric code, because screens, chart scans and indoor light shift how fabric looks.
- [Can I just buy a new cover in a different color instead of returning the cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/replacement-cushion-cover-different-color/): Yes, you can order a replacement cushion cover in a different color instead of returning the cushion.
- [Can I return a custom made cushion or cover?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/return-custom-made-cushion/): Often, yes: a custom made cushion can come back, but who pays depends on why it comes back.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Stripes: Ties, Non-Slip Base, Zips](https://cushionguide.com/readings/sea-green-taupe-navy-striped-box-cushions-stack/): On a custom bench cushion in a stripe, fastening starts with the face: stripes are matched on one face only, so that face points out and the zipper sits on the back wall.
- [Custom Bench Cushion for a Stair Landing: Mistakes to Skip](https://cushionguide.com/readings/pale-cream-weave-bench-cushion-oak-stair-landing/): A custom bench cushion for a pale stair landing should match the room's lightness, not fight it.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Bottle-Green Velvet, Hidden Zipper](https://cushionguide.com/readings/hidden-zip-green-velvet-bench-cushion-cover/): A custom bench cushion in bottle-green velvet looks richest where warm materials surround it: honey oak and terracotta tile make the green read deeper.
- [How to stop a bench cushion sliding: ties, a non-slip base or velcro?](https://cushionguide.com/guides/stop-bench-cushion-sliding-ties-nonslip/)
- [Cushion zipper placement: back edge, underside and odd shapes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-zipper-placement/)

*Porch light's on — Rosa*

---

Written by Rosa Delgado (https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-cover-seam-open-zipper-broken/