Almost every printed cushion you have ever seen is a square. That is not a design decision, it is a manufacturing one. Squares are easy to cut and easy to sew, so squares are what most printers offer.

We cut around the shape instead.

A custom shaped pillow follows the outline of whatever you upload. A dog with its ears sticking out. A logo. A letter. A slice of pizza. The pillow becomes the thing rather than a picture of the thing printed on a rectangle.

It is a small change that completely alters the effect. A square cushion with a photo of your dog is a cushion. A cushion cut to the shape of your dog is your dog, sitting on the sofa.

Here is how it works. Upload an image, our preview shows you the cut line and the finished shape, and you order only if you like it. No design software, no setup fees, no minimum order.

Shaped pillows start at $25 and ship in days.

This page covers which shapes work, what does not cut well, sizing, fabric, and how to get a clean outline out of a photo you already have.

A custom shaped pillow is a cushion cut and sewn to follow the outline of your design rather than a standard rectangle. You will also see it called a die cut pillow, a contour cushion, or a custom cut pillow.

How the cutting works

We trace an outline around your subject, add a small seam allowance so the stitching has something to hold, then cut two matching panels and sew them together around the edge. The result is a cushion whose silhouette matches your image.

That seam allowance is why the finished shape is always slightly softer than the original outline. Sharp interior corners round off a little. It is a physical limit of sewing fabric, not a shortcut.

Shaped, square or face cut

• Square or rectangular: cheapest, and the right choice for decorative and throw pillows
• Shaped: cut to any outline you upload, which is what this page is about
• Face cut: a shaped pillow where the outline happens to be somebody's head

What comes in the box

A finished cushion, filled and sewn shut. Shaped pillows are not sold as covers, because an irregular shape needs its own filling to hold the silhouette.

What people have us cut

• Pets, cut around ears, tails and all
• Logos and brand marks for offices and events
• Letters, initials and short words
• Hearts, stars, clouds and other simple symbols
• Food, because a giant pizza slice cushion is genuinely funny
• Original illustrations and characters you own

The one restriction is ownership. Your photos, your artwork, your brand: all fine. Somebody else's character or trademark: not fine, and we will decline it.

Fabric has opinions. Some outlines cut beautifully and some fight back. After enough orders the pattern is easy to describe.

Chunky beats delicate

A shape with solid, rounded mass cuts cleanly and holds its filling. Think a sitting cat, a heart, a cloud, a thick letter. These are the shapes that come out looking exactly like the preview.

Thin parts are the enemy

Anything narrower than about two centimeters cannot hold stuffing and cannot be sewn neatly. Whiskers, antennae, thin tails, spindly legs and hairline text all fall into this category. We thicken or simplify them and show you the adjusted outline before you order.

Deep gaps get filled in

A narrow slot between two parts of a shape, for example the space between a dog's front legs, usually gets closed. Cutting into it would leave a weak seam that splits with use.

Photos need a clear subject

For a shaped pillow made from a photo, the subject needs to stand apart from the background. A dog on a plain rug cuts perfectly. The same dog in long grass does not, because there is no clean edge to follow.

Letters and text

Single letters work well in bold, heavy fonts. Whole words rarely do, because the connections between letters become weak points. If you want a word, we usually sew it as one solid block rather than separate characters.

Logos

Send a vector file if you have one. PNG with a transparent background is the next best thing. A logo screenshotted off a website gives us a messy edge to trace, and the cut line will show it.

Quick checklist

• Solid, chunky outline with no hair thin details
• Subject clearly separated from the background
• At least 1500 pixels on the short side, or a vector file
• Nothing important sitting right on the edge

How shaped pillows are sized

Because every outline is different, we size by the longest edge rather than by width and height. A tall thin shape and a wide flat shape can both be a 45 cm pillow, they just measure it in different directions.

Most orders land between 30 and 60 cm. Below 30 cm the details start to disappear. Above 60 cm the shape needs more filling to keep its silhouette, which is possible but costs more.

Mini shapes

Around 15 to 20 cm, cheap enough to order in batches. These are what people buy for party favors, event giveaways and stocking fillers.

Fabric

Peach skin is the default. Soft, matte, breathable, and it holds color accurately. It also behaves well around curves, which matters far more on a shaped pillow than on a square one.

2 way tricot is available and gives more saturated color, but the stretch works against tight curves and can distort a complex outline. For shaped work we usually steer people toward peach skin.

Filling

Polyester fiber fill, hand packed into the narrower parts of the shape so nothing stays flat. Irregular shapes need more attention here than squares do, which is part of why the die cut option costs more.

Printing

Double sided as standard. Most people mirror the same artwork on both sides so the shape reads correctly whichever way it is facing, but two different images cost nothing extra.

Pricing starts at $25. Complex outlines and larger sizes cost more because of the extra cutting, sewing and filling. The exact price shows before checkout with nothing added afterward.

Pets

The biggest category by a distance. A cushion cut to the silhouette of somebody's dog or cat, usually from a photo they already have. Memorial orders are common and we handle those carefully.

Brands and offices

Logo shaped cushions for reception areas, trade show stands and giveaway bags. There is no minimum order, so a single desk piece is as straightforward as a run of fifty for a conference.

Nurseries and kids rooms

Letters, clouds, stars and animals. Initials are the most requested version, usually one big letter in a color that matches the room.

Weddings and parties

Hearts, initials and date shapes as photo props or table decoration, then taken home afterward. Minis in bulk are popular as favors.

Artists and illustrators

Turning original characters into merchandise without ordering a factory run. This group cares most about the cut line matching their linework, which is exactly what the preview is for.

Gag gifts

Food shapes, oversized emoji, inside jokes rendered at cushion scale. If it makes somebody laugh in a group chat, somebody eventually orders it as a pillow.

Whatever the reason, the process is identical. Upload, check the cut line, order.

Washing

Shaped pillows are filled and sewn shut, so they do not unzip. Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap for everyday marks. For a full wash, use a cold gentle cycle inside a laundry bag and reshape it by hand while it is still damp.

Air dry completely. Heat is the one thing that damages a dye based print, so skip the hot dryer and never iron the surface.

Keeping the silhouette

Work the filling back into the narrow parts with your fingers every few weeks. Ears, tails and letter strokes are the first places to flatten, and a minute of hand shaping brings them straight back.

Will the print fade

Not noticeably. The ink sits inside the fibers rather than on top, so there is no layer to crack or peel. Keep it out of constant direct sunlight and it holds color for years.

If the cut is wrong

If the finished shape does not match the cut line you approved in the preview, tell us and we remake it. Approving the outline before printing is exactly why this rarely happens.