My slipcovers are six yrs old from Pottery Barn-I have washed them many times in my smallish Kenmore front loader. Its a wonderful thing when coffee or wine spills to just throw them in. They do continue to shrink-I probably overdry-and get harder and harder to stretch back on. These covers are to the point of needing replacement. A new set I have seemed to be cut larger originally. Makes it so easy to clean up after grandkids and grandpa!

Most "Slipcovered" sofas from manufacturers are not designed to pull the cover off and wash it, if that is what you are thinking you will find that's not really going to work. They are tightly tailored to the piece and they can also shrink if washed. Performance fabrics are soap and water cleanable - so they have the advantage vs slipcover. They will not necessarily last longer, however. Durability is determined by the rub count of the specific fabric.

Any experience with the Performance heathered tweed ivory or Performance slub cotton ivory fabrics?

mtnrdredux_gw - We have "Performance Fabric" on our screened-in back porch furniture, and on our living room swivel rockers, and stationary spindle chairs. They are thicker fabrics, but none are what I would call scratchy, or feel like the old Sunbrella fabric. None of our Performance fabrics are patterned, however. My front porch cushions have Sunbrella fabric that is about 6 years old. They are a soft feeling fabric. They are creamed colored, so get dirty easy. I have washed the covers twice and have sprayed and scrubbed with mildew cleaner. I let them air dry. When you washed your slip covers, did you dry in the dryer? Because I am tired of cleaning the front porch cushions every year, I purchased some inexpensive covers (from Amazon) for the cushions. They are not very touch friendly. More like a plasticky rubber feel, like the old Sunbrella material. The covers will be on the cushions during the late fall, winter, and early spring months when we cannot sit outside (the time the cushions get so bad looking). They will come off in late spring. I have been really impressed with the Performance Fabrics. Have had for over a year and have not had to clean. The back screened porch cushions look just as new as the day we purchased the furniture! The inside chairs have held up nicely to my grandchildren, dog, and my husband.