Seat cover assembly

A trim cover for a seat assembly, comprising:

• a rigid back panel having first and second sides;
• an intermediate strip having first and second ends, the first end including a zipper portion, and the second end operably coupled to the second side of the rigid back panel;
• a front trim cover having a zipper portion releasably coupled to the zipper portion of the intermediate strip;
• and
• a zipper assembly defined by the zipper portion of the intermediate strip and the zipper portion of the front trim cover, wherein the zipper assembly is concealed by a portion of the front trim cover when the zipper portion of the intermediate strip is coupled to the zipper portion of the front trim cover.

A seat assembly, comprising:

• a seatback frame assembly having first and second side members;
• a cushion assembly operably coupled to the seatback frame assembly;
• a front trim cover at least partially covering the cushion assembly and the frame assembly and having a zipper portion disposed on a first side thereof;
• an intermediate strip having first and second ends, the first end including a zipper portion releasably coupled to the zipper portion of the front trim cover;
• and
• a self-supporting back panel having an edge portion, wherein the edge portion is operably coupled to the second end of the intermediate strip, and further wherein the self-supporting back panel is a compression molded back panel, and further wherein the edge portion is a pierceable edge portion stitched to the second end of the intermediate strip.