Cushion and Pillow Sham Sizes by Market

A euro sham is a square decorative pillow cover, cut to about 66 x 66 cm (26 x 26 in) in the US and 65 x 65 cm (26 x 26 in) across most of Europe, with an 80 x 80 cm (31 x 31 in) square standard in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Shams and cushion covers are sold to the pillow or insert they dress, not to the bed, so the sizing logic differs from sheets and duvet covers. The figures below are the reference points major retailers stock in each market; confirm the exact finished size and edge against your own insert before you place an order.

Pillow shams by market

A pillow sham is a decorative cover, usually with a flange or a closed back, that goes over a sleeping pillow or a dedicated insert for daytime display. US retailers sell shams by four names. The UK and continental Europe more often talk about pillowcases and continental squares, but the pieces map across closely.

Sham	US size	Notes
Standard	51 x 66 cm (20 x 26 in)	Fits a US standard pillow
Queen	51 x 76 cm (20 x 30 in)	Not always stocked separately
King	51 x 91 cm (20 x 36 in)	Fits a US king pillow
Euro	66 x 66 cm (26 x 26 in)	Square, sits upright against the headboard
Boudoir	30 x 41 cm (12 x 16 in)	Small accent, also called breakfast

Two points catch buyers out. First, a flanged sham is cut larger than the pillow it covers, because the flat border adds to the outside dimension without adding to the pocket. A 51 x 66 cm standard sham with a 5 cm flange measures around 61 x 76 cm (24 x 30 in) at the outer edge. Quote the pillow size and the flange width separately so there is no ambiguity. Second, US shams close at the back with an overlap, not a zip, unless you specify otherwise.

The UK and Europe

The UK sizes pillowcases rather than shams. A housewife pillowcase is 50 x 75 cm (20 x 30 in) with a plain sewn edge; an Oxford pillowcase is the same 50 x 75 cm pocket with a flat border of about 5 cm on all sides, which is the UK equivalent of a flanged sham.

The continental square, sold across France, the Benelux countries and Scandinavia, is 65 x 65 cm (26 x 26 in). German-speaking markets standardise on 80 x 80 cm (31 x 31 in), which is large enough that a US or UK cover will not fit. A range built for a single European price list often has to carry both squares, so decide early which markets you are serving.

Cushion covers: square and rectangular

Cushion covers, or throw pillow covers in US usage, are a separate line from bed shams, though the same factory makes both. Squares dominate, with a smaller run of rectangular lumbar shapes. These sizes are near universal across UK, European and US retailers, with the US quoting the inch figure first in its own catalogues.

Shape	Size	Typical use
Square	40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 in)	Widely stocked, chairs and small sofas
Square	45 x 45 cm (18 x 18 in)	The most common sofa cushion
Square	50 x 50 cm (20 x 20 in)	Fuller sofa and bed arrangements
Square	60 x 60 cm (24 x 24 in)	Oversized, floor and bed dressing
Rectangular	30 x 50 cm (12 x 20 in)	Lumbar, back support
Rectangular	40 x 60 cm (16 x 24 in)	Larger lumbar

Getting the insert right

The finished look of a cushion depends as much on the insert as the cover. Retailers who want a plump, tailored fill specify an insert about 5 cm larger than the cover, so a 45 x 45 cm cover takes a 50 x 50 cm insert. A same-size insert gives a softer, flatter result. This is a merchandising decision, not a manufacturing one, so state the intended insert size in your specification and, where you are buying covers only, tell your fill supplier the same figure. We do not state a fill material as part of a cushion cover specification; the fill and its size are yours to set against the market you sell into.

What we make

Our pillow shams come in Standard, King, Euro and Boudoir, and we make to any size you specify, so a German 80 x 80 cm square or a non-standard hospitality dimension is a specification question rather than a limit. Edges can be flanged, piped or embroidered. Cushion covers and shams sit in the same home décor range as woven, knitted and quilted throws, in linen, linen blends and cotton.

Because a minimum order is set per quality and per colourway rather than per size, a run can be split across sizes: a single sham colourway can cover standard, king and euro without a separate minimum for each. That matters when you are dressing a bed set, where the shams often need to match the duvet cover exactly. The mechanics of setting up a matched programme sit under private label.

How to size a sham or cushion for your market

Work back from the pillow or insert, not the bed. For shams, decide which market names you will print on the packaging, then hold each name to the finished dimension above, because a "king sham" means 51 x 91 cm in the US and has no direct UK equivalent. For cushions, fix the cover size and the insert size as two separate numbers, and record the flange width where there is one. A supplier can match any of these; the risk is a spec that names a size without a dimension, since the same word carries different measurements in different markets. Send a reference sample or a dimensioned drawing with the first order and confirm the sewn measurement on the counter sample before bulk.

Common questions

What is the difference between a euro sham and a euro pillowcase?

In practice very little, but the sizes differ slightly. A US euro sham is 66 x 66 cm (26 x 26 in) and usually has a flange and an overlap back. A European continental square pillowcase is 65 x 65 cm (26 x 26 in) with a plain envelope closure. Specify which construction you want, not just the name.

Are cushion covers and pillow shams the same thing?

No. A pillow sham dresses a bed pillow and is sized to standard, king, euro or boudoir pillow dimensions. A cushion cover, or throw pillow cover, dresses a sofa or chair insert and is sold in square sizes from 40 to 60 cm. They are made the same way but sized to different objects.

Do you follow the flange size the retailer specifies?

Yes. Flange width is part of the finished size and we cut to your figure, whether that is a fine 2 cm border or a broad 6 cm tailored flange. State the pillow or insert dimension and the flange width as two separate numbers so the outer measurement is unambiguous.

Can one colourway cover several sham sizes?

Yes. The minimum is set per quality and per colourway rather than per size, so standard, king and euro shams in one cloth and colour can share a minimum rather than each needing its own.