---
title: "Cushion Covers for a Polyester Allergy: Cotton or Linen"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/natural-fiber-cushion-covers-polyester-allergy/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-03-05"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "cushion covers for polyester allergy, 100% cotton cushion covers, pure linen cushion covers, natural fiber cushion covers, cotton linen cushion fabric"
---

# Can my cushion be made in 100% cotton or linen instead of polyester?

*Yes. Velvet and corduroy carry polyester in their weave; cotton and linen do not. Here is how to ask for the natural cloth, my friends, and what it changes.*

Also asked as: Is the corduroy pure cotton? I'm allergic to synthetics.; I can't use synthetic fabrics like polyester.

> **The quick answer:** A cushion or cover can be made in 100% cotton, pure linen or a cotton-linen fabric for anyone avoiding polyester. The standard corduroy, velvet and soft fabric all contain polyester, so ask for the natural-fiber options instead. On a sofa, cotton costs extra, and covers can be ordered without filling if you'd rather choose your own.

![White Hemnes daybed dressed in cream velvet cushions and bolsters with burnt-orange piping, over a terracotta rug](https://cushionguide.com/media/ikea-hemnes-daybed-covers/cream-velvet-hemnes-daybed-burnt-orange-piping-1600.webp "Cream velvet with a burnt-orange welt turns a white daybed into a sofa that matches the terracotta rug below.")

## Key facts

- The standard corduroy, velvet and soft fabric contain polyester.
- The corduroy is a cotton-polyester blend.
- 100% cotton fabrics and pure linen are available instead.
- A cotton-linen fabric is offered in its own color range.
- Cotton costs a little more than the standard fabric on a sofa; the quote shows the difference.
- Covers can be ordered without filling.
- Fabric swatches are sold through a fabric-samples listing.

## What each cushion fabric is made of

| Fabric | Contains polyester? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard velvet | Yes | The usual choice for sheen |
| Standard corduroy | Yes, a cotton-polyester blend | Soft to the hand, but not pure cotton |
| Soft fabric | Yes | Can be swapped for cotton-linen |
| 100% cotton | No | Costs extra on a sofa |
| Pure linen | No | Confirmed for buyers sensitive to synthetics, dark gray included |
| Cotton-linen | No | Comes in its own color range |

## Linen holds color more quietly than velvet

Swap velvet for linen and the color changes character too. Velvet's pile catches the light and throws it back; a flat linen weave holds it softly, so an ink navy reads a shade calmer and a cream reads more like parchment. Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does.

So order a swatch through the fabric-samples listing and look at it by a window before you decide. Browse the [linen and cotton-linen swatches](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/linen-and-cotton-linen/), and read the label notes on [real linen vs linen-look](https://cushionguide.com/guides/real-linen-vs-linen-look-cushion-fabric/), because a name on a chart is not a fiber content. Which fibers does your skin get along with best?

## How to ask for it

- ✓ **Say why** in your message, whether it's an allergy, eczema or avoiding microplastics, so the natural-fiber options come first.
- ✓ **Name the fabric**: 100% cotton, pure linen or cotton-linen.
- ✓ **Pick the color from that fabric's own chart.** If your shade isn't made in linen, a close one is offered, the way dark gray once stood in for anthracite.
- ✓ **Want to choose the filling yourself?** Order covers only, for any of the [cushion covers](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/cushion-covers/).
- ✓ **Order a swatch first** if the color has to sit beside a sofa or rug.

> **Tailor's margin:** Standard velvet and corduroy cushion covers contain polyester. For a synthetic allergy, ask for 100% cotton, pure linen or cotton-linen by name.

> A daybed set of 4 cushion covers plus the mattress sheet can be made in 100% cotton, covers only, so the filling stays your own choice.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Is the corduroy pure cotton? I'm allergic to synthetics.

**The workshop's answer:** No, the corduroy is a cotton-polyester blend. The shop offers 100% cotton fabrics instead, and a custom-size sofa cover set has been quoted in cotton.

**A common question:** I have severe eczema and can't use polyester, acrylic or nylon. Do you have 100% cotton or linen?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. 100% cotton fabrics are the alternative to the polyester corduroy, and cotton costs a little more; the quote shows the difference. Swatches can be bought through the fabric-samples listing.

**A common question:** Can you make sure my cover is pure linen?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The shop confirmed linen, with dark gray as the fallback if anthracite wasn't available in linen.

**A common question:** Can I get 100% cotton covers only, with no filling?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Pick from the natural-fiber chart; covers only are no problem. A full daybed set of 4 cushion covers plus the mattress sheet has been quoted that way.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Do natural fibers cost more than the standard fabrics?

Usually a little. Natural fibers cost more, paid through a separate fabric-difference link, and one cotton sofa quote came in a little above the usual difference. Ask for the difference on your own sizes before you order.

### Is hemp one of the natural-fiber options?

No. The natural range covers 100% linen, 100% cotton, pure linen and linen-cotton blends. Hemp isn't offered, so name one of those four in your message and ask for its color chart.

### Can a floor sofa or daybed cover be made in linen instead of corduroy?

Yes. Corduroy is standard, but floor sofas, pouf sofas and daybed covers can be made in velvet, smooth soft fabric, linen or white canvas. Write your fabric and color in the personalization box.

## Related at the atelier

- [Does the sofa or the velvet replacement cover contain hemp?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/hemp-sofa-cover-material/): No, neither the corner teddy sofa nor the velvet replacement covers contain hemp.
- [Do you have animal-print fabric like zebra, cheetah or cow print?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/animal-print-zebra-cushion-fabric/): Yes: a patterned chart includes animal prints, among them a zebra-style design coded P-02, and it can be used for chair cushion covers or even the 79 × 118 in (200 × 300 cm) L-shaped corner sofa.
- [How wide are the stripes on your striped fabrics?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/striped-fabric-stripe-widths/): Stripe widths depend on the fabric code: N01 has a bolder 0.55 in (1.4 cm) stripe, N02 a finer 0.28 in (0.7 cm) stripe, and N30 and the codes after it carry wide stripes of roughly 2 to 2.4 in (5-6…
- [Cushion covers for allergies: natural fibers, known fills and covers that wash](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushions-for-allergies-natural-fibers/): For an allergy-prone home, choose a zippered cushion cover in 100% cotton, pure linen or a cotton-linen blend, ask what the fill is made of, and wash the cover at 86°F (30°C).
- [Custom Cushion Covers in Caramel Bouclé With a Side Zipper](https://cushionguide.com/readings/caramel-boucle-cushion-side-zip-front-view/): Custom cushion covers with a zipper along the side panel come off without moving the bench, which matters most when you host.
- [Custom Cushion Cover in Forest Green Bouclé, Hidden Side Zipper](https://cushionguide.com/readings/forest-green-boucle-cover-hidden-side-zip/): A bouclé cushion cover can hide its zipper completely when the zipper sits in the seam of the side boxing strip: once closed, the loops lean over the tape and the front reads seamless.
- [OEKO-TEX Standard 100 on a cushion: what it covers and how to check it](https://cushionguide.com/guides/oeko-tex-standard-100-cushions/)

*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/natural-fiber-cushion-covers-polyester-allergy/