Bemz Review: Made to Order Covers for IKEA Furniture
Bemz is a Swedish company that has been making replacement covers for IKEA furniture since 2005. The proposition is simple. You keep the sofa frame you already own and change the fabric, instead of buying a new sofa. Covers are cut to order for a specific IKEA model, including models IKEA stopped selling years ago.
The catch is price and time. A Bemz cover often costs more than the sofa did.
Rating Summary
- Trustpilot: 4.5 out of 5 from 22,818 reviews. 79% five star, 4% one star
- Bemz replies to 99% of negative reviews
- B Corp certified since 2024
- Independent reviewers score fabric and fit at 9 out of 10 and delivery at 6.5 out of 10
That last line is the whole review in one number. Nobody complains about the product. People complain about waiting for it.
What a Bemz Cover Costs
- Three seat sofa cover: roughly $250 to $600 depending on fabric
- IKEA own brand replacement cover for the same sofa: roughly $60 to $100
- Fabric samples: free, up to five per order, and you can order more than once
- Free shipping over $250
So a linen cover at around $400 on a sofa that cost $500 is a real decision, not an obvious one. The case for it is that IKEA fabric options are limited, often discontinued, and rarely in the colour you want. The case against it is arithmetic.
Fabrics and Fit by Range
Bemz carries over 150 fabrics across cotton, linen, velvet, corduroy and recycled materials. The ranges people buy most:
Panama Cotton
Natural cotton, hard wearing, straightforward to live with. Fits the Ektorp well. Armrests and other high contact areas show wear before the rest of the cover does, which is true of any cotton.
Rosendal Pure Washed Linen
Pre washed linen that gets softer with use. Fits Soderhamn and Kivik. It creases, and it will keep creasing. If a crumpled sofa bothers you, this is the wrong fabric.
Recycled Velvet
Deep jewel colours, available for Farlov and Klippan. Some buyers report the pile running in different directions between panels, which shows as a shade difference in certain light. Worth knowing before you commit to velvet in a bright room.
Loose Fit Urban Linen
A deliberately relaxed cut rather than a tailored one, offered for Klippan. Choose it on purpose. People who order it expecting a tight fit are disappointed by the thing it was designed to do.
Armchair and Footstool Sets
The strongest argument for Bemz. They cover discontinued IKEA armchairs, including certain Poang variants, Jennylund and Stocksund. If you own one of those and the original cover has worn out, Bemz is close to the only option.
Which IKEA Models Fit Best
Fit quality is not uniform across the catalogue:
- Excellent fit reported on established models: Ektorp, Kivik, Soderhamn, Farlov, Klippan
- Mixed reports on newer models. Hyltarp cushion covers have been reported as compressing the cushions too tightly
- Discontinued models are covered, which IKEA itself no longer does
The pattern is that Bemz has had years to refine patterns for older models. Newer releases have less data behind them.
Beyond Sofas
The catalogue also includes armchairs, footstools, sofa beds, headboards and outdoor seating, organised by IKEA model name rather than by furniture type. Searching by your model name is faster than browsing.
Delivery and Returns
- Every cover is cut to order, which takes 3 to 6 weeks before shipping is added on top
- Bemz sends production updates during the wait
- Free shipping on orders over $250
- Returns within 14 days, unused items only
- One reviewer reported a return fee, and another reported nine days for a first reply on a claim
Made to order is the reason the wait exists and also the reason the returns window is tight. Plan for six weeks and order samples first.
Contact Details
- Website: bemz.com
- Company: Bemz AB, Sweden
- Support runs through the website contact form and email
- Trading since 2005, B Corp certified since 2024
FAQs
Are Bemz covers better than IKEA covers?
On fabric, yes. Reviewers consistently rate the material above IKEA own brand options, and the colour and texture range is far wider. On fit, Bemz matches IKEA on established models. On price it is four to six times more.
How long does a Bemz order take?
Three to six weeks in production, plus shipping. It is not a quick purchase.
Do Bemz covers fit discontinued IKEA sofas?
Yes, and this is the main reason people use them. Patterns exist for models IKEA no longer supports, including older Poang variants, Jennylund and Stocksund.
Are the fabric samples free?
Yes. Five per order, and you can place more than one sample order.
Can I return a Bemz cover if I do not like the colour?
Within 14 days, if it is unused. This is why the free samples matter. Screen colour and fabric colour are different things, and one reviewer described a navy that looked closer to petrol blue in the room.
Final Verdict
Bemz works if you already own a good IKEA frame and you are not in a hurry.
The fabric is better than IKEA sells, the fit on established models is accurate, and covering discontinued furniture is something nobody else does properly. Twenty two thousand reviews at 4.5 is a real track record, not a few curated testimonials.
Order samples before you order a cover. Expect six weeks. Avoid velvet if panel shade variation would annoy you, and check recent reviews for your specific model if you own something IKEA released in the last couple of years.
