The Cutting Table · a checklist answer
Do you have a waterproof or wipe-clean fabric for toddlers?
Also asked as:Waterproof fabric, since we have a toddler?Which fabric for a modular sofa with kids?
Kids and dogs are the real quality control, and a toddler with a sippy cup is the strictest inspector in the house. Here's what holds up to them.
SaveThe quick answer
The standard indoor cushion fabric is not waterproof, but it is durable, easy to clean and machine washable at 86°F (30°C) or lower through zippered covers. For more spill protection with a toddler, ask for B19, the water-repellent option. The workshop also offers water-resistant, wipe-clean premium charts and a faux leather chart, and any product can be made in any of its fabrics.
Get a quote for a modular floor sofa
Key facts
- Standard indoor cushion fabric is not waterproof.
- Standard fabric is durable and easy to clean.
- Zippered covers machine wash at 86°F (30°C) or lower.
- B19 is the water-repellent option named for homes with toddlers.
- Any product can be made in any of the workshop's fabrics.
- Water-resistant, wipe-clean premium charts and a faux leather chart are offered for families.
- Close-up photos and videos of swatches are available on request.
Have it made
Have Rosa’s workshop cut this for you
Tell the workshop who sits there: grandkids, the dog, a cup of coffee at six. The right fabric and foam follow from the people. — Rosa
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
The toddler checklist, spill by spill
- Spills you want to bead up rather than soak in: ask for B19, the water-repellent option.
- Dinner crumbs and sticky hands at a banquette: ask for the premium charts that are water-resistant and wipe clean easily.
- A bench you'd rather wipe than wash: ask for the faux (vegan) leather chart.
- Everyday wear: the standard fabric is durable and easy to clean, and zippered covers machine wash at 86°F (30°C) or lower.
- Light colors: ask for close-up photos and videos of the swatches first.
Washable is not the same as waterproof
I'll tell you what I tell every young family, neighbor. The standard indoor fabric is a good, sturdy cloth. It cleans up easily, and the covers unzip and go in the machine at 86°F (30°C) or lower. But it is not waterproof, and I won't dress it up as waterproof.
If juice should bead up rather than soak in, you want B19, the water-repellent option the workshop names as a good main pick with a toddler. Blot spills fast; it isn't waterproof either. Since any product can be made in any of the workshop's fabrics, a modular floor sofa or a kids' floor sofa can be ordered in it as easily as a bench pad.
What's the usual spill at your house: juice, milk, or the dog's water bowl?
For crayons, spills and washing, see kid-friendly cushion fabric, and for the wipe-down route, the faux leather Swatch Library.
The light beige kitchen bench
A family wrote to the workshop about a kitchen bench with little ones at the table, and they wanted it light. Beige, of all things. I admired the nerve.
The workshop sent close-up photos and videos of the swatches so they could line the beiges up side by side, and they chose a linen-look L02 in light beige. It machine washes at 86°F (30°C) or lower, and that is how a light bench survives a family: not by never getting dirty, but by coming clean.
Four fabrics for four kinds of mess
| Fabric | Against spills | What the workshop says |
|---|---|---|
| Standard indoor fabric | Washable, not waterproof | Durable, easy to clean; covers wash at 86°F (30°C) or lower |
| B19 | Water-repellent | The option named first, a good main pick with a toddler |
| Premium family charts | Water-resistant | Very easy to wipe clean; offered for banquettes with messy kids |
| Faux (vegan) leather | Wipe-clean surface | Offered for bench cushions that need a quick wipe |
A washable cushion cover and a spill-shedding one are different things; with a toddler in the house, ask for B19 by name.
Rosa
Buyer questions
- A common question
Do you have a waterproof fabric? We have a toddler.
The workshop's answerThe closest is B19, a water-repellent option and a good main pick with a toddler; any product can be made in any of the workshop's fabrics.
- A common question
Is the regular fabric waterproof enough for a toddler?
The workshop's answerIt isn't waterproof, but it is durable and easy to clean.
- A common question
What fabric would you use for banquette cushions with messy kids?
The workshop's answerFor a family banquette the workshop sends premium fabric charts that are water-resistant and very easy to wipe clean. One set of three piped banquette cushions measured 50 × 18½ × 2 in, 59 × 18½ × 2 in and 21 × 11½ × 2 in (127 × 47 × 5, 150 × 47 × 5 and 53 × 29 × 5 cm).
- A common question
Is velvet a sensible choice with small kids?
The workshop's answerYes. Velvet's tight weave resists snags, it spot-cleans easily and the covers machine wash at 86°F (30°C). The workshop recommends it over linen for homes with cats and small kids.
Questions buyers ask next
Can the floor sofa be made in B19 instead of the listed fabric?
Yes. Any product can be made in any of the workshop's fabrics, so a modular floor sofa can be ordered in B19 or a wipe-clean chart. Write the fabric code in your order note.
Is washing the covers enough, or do I need waterproof fabric?
It depends on the mess. Zippered covers machine wash at 86°F (30°C) or lower, which handles crumbs and sticky hands. A spill that soaks through reaches the foam, so for more protection pick water-repellent B19 and blot spills fast.
Can I see the wipe-clean swatches before choosing?
Yes. Close-up photos and videos of swatches are sent on request, so tones and surfaces can be compared side by side. That matters most with light colors, where two beiges can look alike on a phone.
