How cushions are made for export
Cushion covers are the most decorated home textile India exports: printed, block-printed, woven, embroidered, appliquéd, tufted, or trimmed with tassels, pompoms, fringes and beads. The face panel is often made by one unit (a weaver, an embroiderer or a printer), then stitched to a back panel with a zip or an envelope opening by the exporter's own tailors.
Some buyers order covers only and fill them locally; others ship filled cushions. A filled cushion adds an insert: a cotton or polyester shell with polyester fibre, feathers or foam crumb. That changes the inspection, the fire rules and the freight cost.
IBEF names Panipat and Karur among India's main handloom export centres for made-ups. Panipat is also a Town of Export Excellence for bed linen and floor coverings, and Karur for handlooms. See inspection in Panipat.
What we check on cushions and covers
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Zip | Every zip on the sample run end to end several times; zip ends and stops checked; puller pulled | Zips that jam or split, puller coming off, zip shorter than the opening so the insert will not go in |
| Envelope or button closure | Overlap measured; buttons pulled | Overlap too small, insert showing |
| Cover-to-insert fit | Insert put in the cover; corners checked | Empty corners, cover too tight to close, insert creased |
| Face and back alignment | Print or embroidery centred; stripes and checks matched at seams | Motif off-centre, stripes running off the square |
| Embellishments | Tassels, pompoms, beads, mirrors and sequins pulled by hand on every sampled cover | Pieces that come off, sharp mirror or bead edges |
| Piping and corners | Piping run along each edge; corner shape | Twisted piping, dog-eared corners |
| Insert fill | Insert weighed; pressed and released for recovery; shell seams checked for leaks | Light or lumpy fill, feathers or fibre leaking at seams |
| Pile fabrics | Velvet and tufted faces checked under raking light | Crush marks, pile pressed flat in one area |
| Colour | Damp white cloth rubbed on dark areas and on embroidery threads | Colour transferring to the cloth or bleeding into a light ground |
Common cushion cover and filled cushion defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Needle or pin in the cover or insert | No needle control in stitching or embroidery | Critical |
| Sharp edge on a mirror or bead | Poorly finished shisha work | Critical |
| Zip not working | Low-grade zips, zip caught in the seam | Major |
| Missing UK fire label on a filled cushion | Generic insert, rules not in the spec | Major |
| Tassels or pompoms coming off | Single-thread attachment | Major |
| Cover undersize for the insert | Seam allowance larger than the pattern | Major |
| Motif slightly off-centre, loose thread ends | Hand placement, trimming | Minor |
Your defect list decides the final class.
Market rules for cushions
- UK fire safety. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 cover cushions and pillows for use in the home. Fillings and the primary cover must pass set ignition tests, and the cushion needs a permanent label. Whether, and how, a cover sold empty is caught is a separate question; settle it with your compliance adviser before labels are printed. See UK furniture fire safety.
- US law labels. California requires an official law label (Type No. 1) on decorator pillows (title 4, section 1126 of the California Code of Regulations). Other states have their own bedding laws.
- Fibre labels. In the US, the Textile Act label states fibre content of the cover and fill, origin and the dealer's identity. In the EU, Regulation 1007/2011 asks for the composition of each component that differs, and leather tabs or bone buttons need the phrase "Contains non-textile parts of animal origin". See EU textile labelling.
- Chemicals. Azo dyes and other restricted substances under REACH; water-repellent outdoor cushions fall under the EU PFHxA restriction for consumer textiles other than clothing from 10 October 2027. See EU REACH.
- Prop 65. Metal and glass trims may need a Prop 65 assessment for California.
Packing, transit and loading risks
Covers are packed flat, often with a card inside to keep the square shape, one per polybag. Folding through embroidery or beadwork leaves creases and cracks mirrors, so the fold line is agreed in advance. Inserts are usually vacuum-packed to cut volume; the inspector opens one or two and checks that they recover their shape within the time agreed.
Velvet and tufted covers crush under weight. Cartons should not be overpacked, and heavy cartons should not sit on cushion cartons in the container. Jute and natural-fibre covers need to be dry before packing, or they smell and mould at sea.
What to put in your purchase order
- Cover size and insert size (inserts are often specified slightly larger than the cover).
- Closure: zip type and length, position (bottom edge or concealed), or envelope overlap.
- Face and back fabric, print or embroidery placement, and stripe matching.
- Embellishment type and fixing method, with a pull requirement.
- Insert fill type and weight, and the UK fire test and label if you sell filled cushions there.
- Label artwork per market, fold method and carton quantity.
Embroidered and lace covers: see crochet lace and embroidered textiles. Floor cushions and poufs used as seating are closer to upholstered furniture.