Empress Velvet Faux Fur Cushion - Grey

The Empress is a faux fur cushion cover in soft grey, made from 100% polyester with a long, dense pile you can run your hands through. It comes in two square sizes, 45x45cm and 55x55cm, both worked in the same channelled design. The photographs show that pile broken into broad vertical panels by soft seams, so the surface reads as a run of gentle stripes rather than one flat expanse. The face is the fur; the back closes with a hidden zip, which keeps the front clean and lets you take the cover off the pad.

This is a cushion for a living-room sofa or an armchair, and it suits a scheme built around soft neutrals. The grey is a genuine mid-grey that sits well against pale walls, natural wood and other muted tones, so it layers happily with plainer cushions and a folded throw. Because it is a cover with a zip rather than a sealed unit, you can lift the fur off to wash it and drop it straight back on, which matters on a piece that gets leaned against and handled. Choose the 45cm for a smaller settee or to build a pile, the 55cm where you want one cushion to hold its own corner.

Polyester is the reason this one earns its place: the fibre is hard-wearing, holds its shape and does not stain easily, so a busy sofa does not wear it out quickly. The pile is worked in vertical channels divided by seams, giving the striped surface you see in the photographs, and the whole cover comes off the pad through the concealed zip on the reverse. The supplier tells us to wash it separately, which is sensible for anything with a pile this long. Style it plainly and let the texture do the work.

Is this a cover on its own or does it include the pad?

This is a cushion cover with a hidden zip on the back, so you can put it over a pad of your own or wash it easily.

What are the pile and fabric made from?

The whole cover is 100% polyester, worked as a long faux fur pile on the face, which is what gives it the soft, brushable feel.

How should I wash it?

The supplier asks that you wash it separately, which is the sensible approach for anything with a pile this long and dense.

Which size should I choose?

The 45x45cm suits a smaller sofa or a layered pile, while the 55x55cm holds its own in a corner of a larger settee.

Will the grey work with other colours?

It is a genuine mid-grey that sits comfortably against pale walls, natural wood and other muted tones, so it layers well with plainer cushions.

Why does the surface look striped?

The pile is divided into broad vertical panels by soft seams, so the face reads as gentle stripes rather than one flat sheet of fur.