---
title: "Contrast Piping Cushion in a Different Fabric: Mix Freely"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/mix-fabrics-contrast-piping-sides/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-05-05"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "contrast piping cushion different fabric, mix fabrics on cushion, velvet piping linen cushion, different fabric top and sides cushion, daybed mattress cover fabric options"
---

# Can I mix fabrics, like a different fabric for the piping or sides?

*A velvet welt around a linen seat is one of my favorite quiet luxuries: a matte field and one thin line of sheen. The workshop allows it, and a little more besides.*

Also asked as: Linen for the base, velvet for the piping?; Different fabric for the top and sides?

> **The quick answer:** Yes, you can mix fabrics: every fabric family can be used for bench cushions and daybed mattress covers, and families can be combined, such as a linen body with velvet piping or one fabric on the top and bottom and another on the sides. Two fabrics add a small surcharge for the extra cutting and labor. Write each part's fabric code in Personalization.

![Teal velvet daybed cushion on a low teak platform in a whitewashed loggia with linen pillows and a sea view](https://cushionguide.com/media/daybed-cushions/teal-velvet-daybed-mattress-teak-platform-sea-view-1600.webp "A teal velvet mattress on a low teak platform, with linen pillows in oatmeal and rust and the sea just beyond.")

## Key facts

- Every fabric family works for bench cushions and daybed mattress covers.
- Families include velvet (100s), soft fabric (900s), linen and stripes (L and N codes), the outdoor range (M codes) and the P-code family.
- Fabric families can be mixed, such as a linen body with velvet piping.
- The top and bottom can be one fabric and the sides another.
- Two fabrics add a small surcharge for extra cutting and labor.
- Each part's fabric code goes in Personalization.
- Velvet is indoor-only and not water resistant.

## Three ways to split one cushion

| Combination | Where each fabric goes | Codes to write |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast piping | One fabric on the body, another on the welt | Body code + piping code |
| Split body | One fabric top and bottom, another on the sides | Top and bottom code + side code |
| Three-part | Top and bottom, sides and piping each different | Three codes, one per part |

## Is any fabric off-limits?

No family is off-limits for a [bench cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/) or a [daybed mattress cover](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/daybed-cushions/). Velvet, soft fabric, linen and stripes, the outdoor range and the P-code family can all be used, and mixed.

The one practical note is weather. [Velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) is indoor-only and has no water resistance, so a daybed that may get damp wants the outdoor range, piping included.

## Three codes on one slim cushion

A buyer messaged the workshop about a slim cushion, about 12 x 37 in (30.5 x 93.5 cm), with three fabrics in mind: one stripe on the top and bottom, a second stripe on the sides and a linen for the piping. Two fabrics mean extra cutting and labor, so the workshop covered the small surcharge by asking the buyer to select the next size option up, 15.75 x 39.5 in (40 x 100 cm), and to write the true dimensions and all three codes in Personalization.

It is tidy bookkeeping: the larger size option carries the surcharge, and the note carries the truth.

## Choose which fabric leads

When you mix, decide which fabric leads. Let one color speak and the others listen, my friends: a flax linen body with an ink navy velvet welt, or a cream stripe on top with a solid rust on the sides. A change in sheen often reads richer than a change in color alone.

The [piping Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-piping-matching-contrast-none/) walks through matching, contrasting or no welt at all. Which part of your cushion will people see first, the top or the edge?

> **Tailor's margin:** A contrast piping cushion needs two codes in Personalization, one for the body fabric and one for the piping; a split-side cushion needs a code per part.

> A linen cushion with velvet piping is allowed; two fabrics simply add a small surcharge for the extra cutting and labor.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Are there any fabric types I can't use for a bench cushion or daybed mattress cover?

**The workshop's answer:** No restrictions: velvet, soft fabric, linen and stripes, the outdoor range and the P-code family can all be used, and families can be mixed, such as a linen body with velvet piping. The one practical note is that velvet is indoor-only and not water resistant, so choose the outdoor range for anything that may get damp.

**A common question:** Can the top and bottom be one fabric and the sides another?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Two fabrics take extra cutting and labor, so for a cushion of about 12 x 37 in (30.5 x 93.5 cm) the buyer selected the 15.75 x 39.5 in (40 x 100 cm) option and wrote the dimensions and fabrics (one stripe top and bottom, another on the sides, linen piping) in Personalization.

**A common question:** Will linen wrinkle or stain on a seat cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** It holds up. The linen is a linen-polyester blend, so it keeps its shape, wrinkles little and resists stains better than pure linen. It has no coating and washes at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle, then line dries.

**A common question:** I'm sensitive to synthetics. Can my cushion be 100% cotton or linen?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Standard corduroy, velvet and soft fabric contain polyester, so the workshop uses its 100% cotton chart, pure linen or a cotton-linen fabric instead. Covers-only orders are fine.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Does velvet piping on a linen cushion cost more?

A little. Using two fabrics adds a small surcharge for the extra cutting and labor. Write the linen code for the body and the velvet code for the piping in Personalization so both are clear before cutting.

### Can an outdoor fabric be mixed with an indoor one?

Families can be mixed, but think about where the cushion lives. Velvet is indoor-only and not water resistant, so on a cushion that may get damp, keep every part, piping included, in the outdoor range.

### How do I tell the workshop which fabric goes where?

Name each part and its code in Personalization: top and bottom, sides and piping. One buyer listed a stripe for the top and bottom, a second stripe for the sides and a linen for the piping, which is exactly the detail needed.

## Related at the atelier

- [Daybed Cushion in Espresso with Beige Piping and a Knit Throw](https://cushionguide.com/readings/espresso-daybed-cushion-gallery-wall-knit-throw/): To mix patterns around a daybed cushion, give each layer one job: a plain dark fabric for the seat, a heavy texture on top, and pattern only on the rug and walls.
- [Daybed Cushion and Bolster Detail: Taupe Piping on Ecru](https://cushionguide.com/readings/ecru-daybed-seat-bolster-detail-taupe-piping/): On a pale daybed cushion, piping one or two shades darker than the fabric keeps the box edge and the bolster's round end visible in soft light, without adding a new color.
- [Daybed Cushion in Mushroom Velvet with Burgundy Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/mushroom-velvet-daybed-cushion-burgundy-piping/): A daybed cushion should be thicker than the frame's raised rim so it sits above the edge rather than flush with it.
- [Is velvet a good cushion fabric with cats, dogs or small kids?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/velvet-cushions-with-pets-and-kids/): Velvet cushions hold up well with pets and small kids: the tight weave resists snagging from claws, velvet spot-cleans easily, and the covers machine-wash at 86°F (30°C).
- [With pets or kids, should I get a tufted cushion or a removable cover?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/untufted-removable-cover-cushion-pets-kids/): Choose an untufted cushion with a zippered, removable cover if you have pets or kids.
- [Cushions for Louisiana and the Deep South](https://cushionguide.com/places/louisiana-deep-south-cushions/): For New Orleans porch cushions and gallery swings, choose outdoor-rated, water-repellent fabric with zippered covers, and keep velvet and chenille indoors.
- [What to measure for a custom daybed mattress cover](https://cushionguide.com/guides/daybed-mattress-cover-measurements/)
- [How to measure an IKEA Hemnes daybed: two stacked mattresses, one cover](https://cushionguide.com/guides/ikea-hemnes-daybed-cover-measuring/)

*With color and care — Élodie*

---

Written by Élodie Marchand (https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/) 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/mix-fabrics-contrast-piping-sides/