Slipcover
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A slipcover (also called loose cover) is a fitted protective cover that may be slipped off and on a piece of upholstered furniture. Slipcovers are usually made of cloth. Another way to describe slipcovers is to say that a slipcover is clothing for furniture. They are tailored just as clothing is, and are fitted loosely or snugly to the taste of the owner or tailor. Some people order furniture upholstered in plain muslin with the intention of using slipcovers only. In the days before home air conditioning was available, it was common to put slipcovers on upholstered furniture in the hotter months of the year to protect the upholstery fabric from sweat, and slipcover tailors offered clear vinyl, or plastic, slipcovers. In some cities in the northeast U.S., slipcover tailors were sometimes given the nickname "summertime millionaires" as their busy season was in the spring and summer. In the 1960's, technology and production techniques made it possible to produce cheap mass-produced furniture that could be sold at prices at or below the price of a custom-made slipcover, and the practice of slipcovering declined sharply. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in slipcovering driven by the interior design industry and the popularity of the very casual "shabby-chic" design style. As this new "looser" fitting style of slipcovers do not require custom tailoring, some furniture manufacturers are beginning to offer "ready made" slipcovers.