I have on one of the covers that needs to be dry cleaned - I don't remember the name but it is a green color with a linen like feel. Ours is in the basement where my kids typically watch TV and play Wii when they have friends over, but it doesn't get heavy use like our family room sofa. While my rule is no food/drink down there, I do make exceptions. So far, so good. I have never had it dry-cleaned - it's almost two years old. I probably should but just haven't made the time for it. In hindsight, I wish I'd gotten the washable ones - I did initially have a washable cover, but then we changed the decor, added a second couch and decided to get a different color. If I'd gotten a washable cover, I'd be more inclined to wash it more frequently, but by having to dry clean it, it means going w/o a cover for several days. I suppose I need to plan it for next time we go on vacation!

So yes, mine have held up very well to my four kids, but like I said, it's not a room we use daily. Typically only one or two of my kids goes down there to watch TV, not daily, and then on weekends it gets more use with friends being over as well as lots of sleepovers.

Hmm, I just looked at the IKEA website and they don't even sell my cover anymore. The fabric of mine, which is a green color, is like the one in this link - I'm thinking it's the same material, just different color. You can kind of see the texture of the fabric if you look closely. It's very sturdy.

Here is a link that might be useful: IKEA Slipcover Svandy Brown

We recently replaced our 25 year old Ikea couch (don't even remember the name of it, but it's long been discontinued) with an Ektorp sofa. The plan was to get Blekinge slipcovers, because they're the cheapest, and the sofa was going to be topped with a quilt.

Then to our surprise they had a new cover called Tygelsjo - same price but a very pleasant light beige, almost off-white. I still covered it with the quilt, so I can't really say much about wear and tear and staining.

But it didn't shrink at all in the washer/dryer, and I was able to put it back on without ironing, though I might have touched up the bottom part with the iron if it weren't hidden. We also have the Blekinge cover on a small sofa bed, and it comes out terribly wrinkled from the washer and is very hard to iron. So, definitely an improvement over Blekinge.

Here's what Tygelsjo looks like:

Here is a link that might be useful: ikea Tygelsjo

We recently replaced our 25 year old Ikea couch (don't even remember the name of it, but it's long been discontinued) with an Ektorp sofa. The plan was to get Blekinge slipcovers, because they're the cheapest, and the sofa was going to be topped with a quilt.

Then to our surprise they had a new cover called Tygelsjo - same price but a very pleasant light beige, almost off-white. I still covered it with the quilt, so I can't really say much about wear and tear and staining.

But it didn't shrink at all in the washer/dryer, and I was able to put it back on without ironing, though I might have touched up the bottom part with the iron if it weren't hidden. We also have the Blekinge cover on a small sofa bed, and it comes out terribly wrinkled from the washer and is very hard to iron. So, definitely an improvement over Blekinge.

Here's what Tygelsjo looks like:

Here is a link that might be useful: ikea Tygelsjo

I got mine about a month ago and decided to go with svanby beige, with an extra set of tygelsjo beige as a backup.

I had read that the svanby beige can be washed. Here's a review where the blogger gives her washing procedure:

http://mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com/2010/09/mccreamy.html

I've been really happy with them so far. I did scotchguard the cover, but I don't know how much that helps. But I do think not being bright white makes little things a lot less noticeable than it would appear on bright white.

I haven't been on much lately, but I have been meaning to post some pics of our new sofa and will do that soon.

Wow, Lanval, THANK YOU! I am so tired of the white slipcovers we have for our Ektorp. We got them for another house/completely different decor in mind, and the plan is to put these in the basement and get new ones . . .but not yet. These will definitely buy me some time.

I wonder if you can use Oxyclean with these? I do w/the white.

Nosoccer, I don't know how it feels, but my other plan was to get the Vellinge. In Europe they sold it in pink! Anyway, I like the beige and the appearance of the texture. (How does it feel?) The only thing I don't like about microfiber is that it shows water stains, right? While my kids are good about eating/drinking in the rooms designated for that, water is fine anywhere . . .would be annoying to worry about that, if true.

noellabelle ...
this is exactly the decision I am trying to make!

It would be wonderful if you could provide some insight into the differences between the two materials (svanby beige vs. tygelsjo beige), as there is a _significant_ price difference (for a poor med student...) and little else to go on (I'm not intimately familiar with cotton blends).

The last thing I want is a disheveled, frumpy couch a few months after purchase... my reason for avoiding the Risane natural (no piping, good luck with those corners!).

Fabric thickness?
Thread thickness?
Perceived washability?
Wrinkle-factor?

Again, a comparison of these two fabrics would be great and you're in a unique position to provide us with just that!

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!!

jsilver,

I only had the tygelsjo on for a couple of days before switching to the svanby, and I do like the svanby better.

If I was on a tighter budget though, the cheaper one would have been fine (I've spent many a year as the wife of a poor grad student!)

I've had the idemo on for about 2 months now, and I haven't washed it yet. I did scotchguard it, and I got some folex carpet cleaner that has worked well to remove occasional spots.

I don't remember exactly how the other one looked since it's been awhile, but here are my perceptions on the differences:

I think the thickness is similar, but the idemo has more texture, like you can see the grain of the fabric. The tygelsjo is smoother, which is perfectly fine, but I slightly prefer the texture.

I haven't yet washed the idemo, but I have read that it can be washed. I know I will be more nervious washing that than the cheaper one.

The tygelsjo was a little less wrinkled I think. I didn't iron the idemo, and it's not perfect, but since it's our main sofa and I am not bothered by the minor wrinkles on it. The wrinkles seem much more pronounced in the photos than real life, to my eyes anyway.

I do think that while the bright white ones photograph beautifully, they would be much harder to stay looking clean. I think that if your budget is tight for this, the cheaper one would do the job and have a pretty similar look.

The enormous ottomans have the svanby covers on them too. My dh really wanted them, and while I like the look of a much smaller coffee table, they make our ektorp almost like a bed when they're pulled up, so it's very comfy to all pile on the couch for movies.

We had ektorp with white covers for several years and the issue with washing was not the fabric but the zippers which are terrible quality. A clever friend got the zippers on all her cover replaced as soon as she got them and she loves the covers and does not mind the 50 bucks she spent on all the zippers.