---
title: "Personalization Box for a Custom Cushion: What to Write"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/personalization-box-custom-cushion-order-details/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-04-05"
updated: "2026-04-05"
keywords: "what to write in personalization box custom cushion, custom cushion order note, fabric code and piping code, personalization box cushion size, custom bench cushion order"
---

# What should I write in the personalization box when I order a custom cushion?

*The little box at checkout is where your cushion actually gets decided, and one vague line in it can hold up the whole order.*

Also asked as: What should I write in the personalization box?; I don't see where you pick the fabric

> **The quick answer:** In the personalization box, write your exact size (width x length), thickness, main fabric code and piping code, or 'same piping' or 'no piping', plus extras such as ties or 'backrest'. Use chart codes, not color names like 'deep red'. The box is for order details only: nothing you type there is printed or embroidered on the cushion.

![Mustard corduroy bench cushion with navy contrast piping on a walnut bench at the foot of a bed, walnut dresser behind](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/mustard-corduroy-navy-piping-walnut-bed-bench-1600.webp "A mustard pad with navy piping on a walnut bench brings the end of the bed to life.")

## Key facts

- Exact size, thickness, fabric code and piping code go in the Add personalization box.
- Piping can be written as a code, 'same piping' or 'no piping'.
- Ties, backrests and piece notes such as 'open end' or 'no handle' go in the same box.
- Pick the closest size range in the dropdown, then type the exact size in the box.
- Exact chart codes are required; color names are not enough.
- Nothing from the personalization box is printed or embroidered on the cushion.
- If the exact size doesn't match the size range bought, the workshop confirms before production.
- Standard thickness is 4 in (10 cm); 2, 3 and 5 in are also offered, and in-between values such as 2.5 or 4.5 in can be written in the box.
- Sizes can be written in inches, halves and quarters included, or in cm; a handmade cushion can differ from the ordered size by roughly 1/2-1 in (1-2 cm).

## The questions, in the order people ask them

1. **“I don't see where to pick the fabric.”**: Choose the closest size in the dropdown first. Fabric code, piping code and your exact size all go in the Add personalization box.
2. **“Can I just write deep red?”**: No. A color name can match several fabrics. Write the exact code from the chart.
3. **“And the piping?”**: A piping code, 'same piping' to match the fabric, or 'no piping'.
4. **“Will my note be printed on it?”**: No. Nothing in the box is printed or embroidered. It's a work ticket, not a monogram.
5. **“My size doesn't match the range I bought.”**: The workshop pauses and asks you to confirm before production. You can also message after ordering to double-check.

## What a complete cushion personalization note says

- ✓ Exact size: width x length, in inches or cm
- ✓ Thickness
- ✓ Main fabric code from the chart
- ✓ Piping: a code, 'same piping' or 'no piping'
- ✓ Ties, if you want them
- ✓ Piece notes: 'backrest', '1 L backrest and 1 straight backrest', 'open end', 'no handle'

## The trouble with 'deep red'

I once wrote 'navy' on a work ticket and learned what a big word it is. The workshop asks for the code for the same reason, and a missing or ambiguous code stops production until you answer the message. A valid code, on the other hand, is made exactly as written.

Measure the bench, not the cushion you used to have, and put those numbers in the box. The [personalization note Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-personalization-note/) walks through a full example, the [piping choices](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-piping-matching-contrast-none/) explain matching versus contrast, and the [bench cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/) pages cover the shapes.

So, dear, what does your note say right now: a code, or a color?

> **Tailor's margin:** Write the fabric chart code, not the color: 'deep red' can match several fabrics, and a custom cushion order waits until the workshop confirms the code.

> The personalization box on a custom cushion order is for size, thickness and fabric codes; nothing written there is ever printed or embroidered on the cushion.
>
> — Maggie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** What exactly goes in the personalization box?

**The workshop's answer:** Your exact size (width x length), thickness, main fabric code and piping code, or 'same piping' or 'no piping', plus any ties or notes such as 'backrest'. 'Deep red' isn't enough; the workshop needs the chart code. If your size doesn't match the range you bought, it pauses and asks you to confirm before production.

**A common question:** Where do I give you my fabric, piping and measurements?

**The workshop's answer:** Select the closest size options, then use the Add personalization box before checkout for your exact measurements, fabric code, piping color, thickness and anything else. The box is for order details only; nothing is printed or written on the cushion.

**A common question:** Where do I write my piece choices, like one L backrest and one straight?

**The workshop's answer:** In the personalization box or the order notes: '1 L backrest and 1 straight backrest', a custom size, a fabric name or an open end. You can also message the workshop after ordering to confirm.

**A common question:** The listing says 'personalized'. What do I type?

**The workshop's answer:** The color number you want, with the size picked from the size menu. The box also takes exact custom measurements or requests such as 'no handle'.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can the workshop embroider a name on my cushion?

No. The workshop doesn't embroider, print or letter names or text. 'Personalization' on a listing means your custom size, fabric and piping codes, and the cushion itself can be made in any size and fabric.

### What happens if I type a fabric code that doesn't exist?

Every code is checked before cutting. A missing, non-existent or ambiguous code triggers a message, and production waits for your reply. A valid code is made exactly as written, so double-check the numbers before you order.

### Can I order a code I saw in a photo but can't find on the chart?

Usually. Some in-stock fabrics are left off the chart because a near-identical shade exists, and some codes have been renumbered. Type the code you saw in the personalization box, and the workshop checks it before cutting.

## Related at the atelier

- [What to write in a custom cushion order note: sizes, codes and extras](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-personalization-note/): In a custom cushion personalization note, write one line per cushion with length x depth x thickness and the unit, then the fabric code and piping code as chart codes, extras such as ties or a…
- [If the size dropdown and my typed size differ, which one do you make?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/dropdown-size-vs-exact-size-which-is-made/): The exact size you type is the one that gets made; the size dropdown only picks the range and sets the price.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Terracotta Boucle: Order It Right](https://cushionguide.com/readings/terracotta-unpiped-cushion-oak-bench-steel-window/): To order a custom bench cushion right the first time, send the bench top's length and depth, the thickness, the fabric chart code, the piping choice and any extras in one message.
- [The dropdown only has sizes. Where do I put my fabric color and piping code?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-color-piping-code-where-to-enter/): Type your fabric color and piping code in the Add Personalization box or the note to seller before adding to cart, for example Main: L09, Piping: L24.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Ivory Linen-Look with Mauve Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/ivory-box-cushion-mauve-piping-detail/): For long sitting on a bench, choose a box cushion about 3 in thick in firm foam, with a zippered cover if the fabric is pale.
- [My size isn't in the dropdown. How do I order an exact size like 18.5 x 51.25 in?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/order-custom-cushion-size-not-listed/): Pick the dropdown range that covers your cushion's widest and deepest measurements, then type the exact size in the Add your personalization (Notes) box, and the cushion is cut from that note.
- [How much fabric do you need for a bench cushion? Yardage worked out](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-yardage-for-cushions/)

*Stitch straight — Maggie*

---

Written by Margaret Holloway (https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/) 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/personalization-box-custom-cushion-order-details/