These slipcovers fit - and they stay put, too

MARY BETH BRECKENRIDGE

Knight Ridder Newspapers

Clothing designer Ernesto Cohan took his know-how about knits and applied it to a new line of stretchy slipcovers that are designed to stay in place.

Cohan's Stretch & Cover slipcovers contain Lycra, which helps them hug the furniture. The result is a cleaner, more tailored look than most ready-made slipcovers provide.

Each cover comes with foam tubes to insert into the crevices of the furniture, which pull the fabric tight and keep it in place, as well as elastic bands with clips on both ends to secure the cover underneath the furniture.

The slipcovers come in a number of sizes to fit various furniture shapes and styles, including reclining loveseats and sofas. A slipcover for a recliner or wing chair runs about $99, and sofa slipcovers average $139.

Stretch & Cover products are available in catalogs including Linen Source and Home Visions. They also can be ordered from the company at www.stretchandcover.com or by calling 888-785-5486.

Q&A: RECYCLE YOUR OLD CELL PHONE
Q: I just upgraded to a new cell phone, but the old one is still usable. What can I do with it?
A: A number of organizations collect cell phones for reuse by battered women's shelters and other charities, or by low-income people in developing countries.

The Akron and Cleveland, Ohio, zoos, for example, collect phones for a program called Eco-Cell. It accepts all cell phones and accessories, regardless of age or condition, and pays the collecting organizations for some working digital phones. Phones that can't be reused are disassembled and their parts recycled in environmentally responsible ways.

Organizations such as church and school groups sometimes recycle cell phones as a fundraiser, and some cell phone stores accept phones for recycling. You can find information on stores that do at www.recyclewirelessphones.com.

It's a good idea to remove the numbers in your contact list or other personal information before you donate.