Cushion Creep

Some fabrics are prone to a unique phenomenon we call "Cushion Creep"

If your cushions have a life of their own and tend to migrate around the filling, you probably have cushion creep. Cushion creep is caused by a nap on the back side of the fabric. Some velvets or chenilles have this characteristic.

You can tell if your fabric will experience Cushion Creep by rubbing your hand back and forth on the back of the fabric. If you feel it drag one direction but slide the other direction, it might be a problem on a cushion. No amount of flipping or fluffing the cushions will solve cushion creep. It will always return to an ugly shape like old Samsonite luggage..

Hopefully your manufacturer will identify this problem before cutting. If so, it should be send out to be backed with a latex or knit backing. This will isolate the problem and provide better performance to the fabric.

“No amount of flipping or fluffing the cushions will solve cushion creep. It will always return to an ugly shape like old Samsonite luggage.”

If, like the photo above, your furniture has already been manufactured, you can either remake the cushions with a backed fabric or "Flat Line" the fabric which is the process of sewing a muslin insulator to the inside of all sides of the cushion. The upholstered body of the furniture should be fine since it is secured by staples on all sides.

Fabric jobbers will not accept any responsibility for cushion creep so it is up to you to check for this characteristic.

Don't let your fabric be a "Creeper"!