9 Best Fabrics for Curtains 2023: How to Choose?
Consider the following curtain fabrics to determine which window treatments best suit your needs and decor.
The fabric should be one of your top priorities when selecting window treatments for your house. A curtain’s texture, coverage, durability, and ease of laundering are all influenced by the type of fabric used in its construction. Cotton, silk, linen, polyester, velvet, acrylic, lace, and voile are the most popular fabrics for curtains.
The best materials typically used for curtains are listed below.
Best Fabrics for Curtains
The truth is that there is no right or wrong answer when determining the best fabric for curtains. Everything will depend on your personal preferences!
Voile
The woven material voile is soft, airy, and sheer. Though it can also be polyester, it is typically made of 100% cotton. The best part about it is that it lets in just the right amount of light inside to give you a feeling of privacy while being sheer and has a very fine surface (the better quality ones).
Lace
The open weave of lace fabric makes it ideal for use as a sheer curtain. Though it can be pricey, good quality dressmaking lace.
People typically search for more affordable lace varieties because curtains require a substantial amount of fabric. For a type of lace used as curtains, the terms “Leavers lace” and “Calais lace” are used interchangeably.
Linen
Linen curtains are ideal for a casual dining area, airy bedroom, or modern living room because it tends to be a more billowy fabric while still offering a tailored look. Natural light can enter your home because linen makes for attractive drapes and the sheer fabric doesn’t block the sun.
Linen curtains are typically dry clean only, and they should be hung immediately to avoid wrinkling. In your home, this kind of curtain will be a breath of fresh air, and linen curtains will be the ideal finishing touch for any room where your family congregates.
Cotton
A variety of styles can be achieved using cotton, a versatile fabric. It has a fresh, clean feel that complements both traditional and contemporary styles.
Cotton curtains must be properly lined because they can be a very light fabric, preventing the desired hang and fall. Select cotton with a tight weave or have them well-lined if you want to block sunlight in a bright room.
Silk
Nothing says “luxury” if silk doesn’t. Be warned though—silk is best chosen for its aesthetic appeal rather than functionality. Silk drapes well because it is a somewhat heavy fabric, and it looks incredibly romantic in bedrooms or formal dining rooms. It’s not, however, the most useful.
Silk must only be dry cleaned and is highly photosensitive. If the room receives a lot of natural light, you might want to protect them by lining them with a lighter-colored panel or installing a roller blind underneath. For a more durable option, you might choose a polyester fabric that looks like silk.
Polyester
Due to its strength, durability, and affordability, polyester is a popular fabric for curtains. Polyester curtains are simple to maintain and don’t wrinkle, shrink, or stretch. Polyester curtains are ideal for curtain beginners because they require such little upkeep. Polyester is a fantastic choice for first-time homebuyers.
Curtains for the living room or bedroom should be made from this material. Although polyester is flammable, odor-absorbing, and restricts airflow, you should avoid using it to decorate your kitchen.
There are numerous colors, designs, and styles of polyester curtains. Consider choosing a darker curtain color if you have young children or for windows in high-traffic areas since it can be difficult to remove stains from polyester fabric.
Velvet
Velvet is a heavy fabric that keeps out the cold, making these window treatments ideal insulators for homes with drafty windows. Velvet curtains give you more privacy and help to block light and noise because of their thickness.
Velvet curtains tend to be high-maintenance, but they drape well, so this style offers a polished look that dresses up formal dining rooms, traditionally styled living rooms, or regal master bedrooms.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a lightweight fabric with a texture akin to wool that drapes beautifully and offers excellent insulation. Acrylic curtains easily absorb and disperse moisture, are hypoallergenic, and are mold and mildew resistant.
Nylon Net
An affordable choice for sheer curtains is nylon net. Its structure is knitted. It is not as smooth as voile. The name for the polyester net fabric used for curtains is polyester voile. Ideally, the curtain net shouldn’t stretch, so keep that in mind.
They are known as Point d’Esprit fabrics (also sometimes referred to as lace curtains) and are really pretty if you like net fabrics with small satin feel rounds scattered throughout.
How to Choose the Best Fabrics for Curtains?
Need help to decide on the best material for your curtains? As you look for new curtains, keep in mind the following advice and factors.
Know the Different Fabric Types
There are many different fabrics to choose from when it comes to curtains. Your choice of curtain fabric will determine how they hang and drape, as well as how long-lasting and simple they are to maintain. Because of this, it’s crucial to assess the various fabric varieties before beginning to consider designs.
Consider Your Needs
Do you have an interest in curtains for practical, aesthetic, or both reasons? Your response to this query can assist you in reducing the number of curtain fabric choices you have and selecting the ones that will work best for you.
Sheer curtains are fantastic if you’re looking for decorative options. Choose a polyester blend if you want your curtains to actually block the sun and offer privacy.
Think About Your Space
Certain curtain fabric choices work better in certain rooms than others when it comes to curtains. For instance, sheer curtains add a lovely ambiance of diffused light to living spaces, and polyester curtains are excellent for controlling light in bedrooms.
Because of its tailored appearance, linen is the ideal choice for a stylish living room or casual dining area. For more formal settings, such as dining rooms, silk or velvet curtains are a good choice.
Consider where you plan to hang your curtains before you buy them, as well as whether the material you select will improve the room.
Final Words: Best Fabrics for Curtains
There are countless options for curtains, but some fabric types work better in certain rooms than others. Light-filled rooms probably need a lighter color because a darker one will fade in the sunlight. Rods with decorations can dress up in plain fabrics. Consider pattern repetition as well; if you select a large pattern, make sure it is for a large window for the best effect.
You can find a fashionable option that improves your space by doing some research on the best fabric for curtains!
FAQs
What’s the Difference Between Blackout and Thermal Curtains?
The type of fabric is the short answer. Unwanted sunlight is typically blocked out by blackout curtains, which are typically made of a tightly woven fabric. In order to block light more effectively, blackout curtains are frequently lined. In contrast, thermal curtains typically have a padded lining in between the layers of fabric to act as insulation.
What is a Good Fabric Weight for Curtains?
Anything starting at 150 gms/yard is thought to be fine for regular curtains that won’t need to block light and will be lined for complete coverage. Fabrics marked 200 gms/yard and higher are required for dense curtains, however.
Can You Use Regular Fabric for Curtains?
Drapery can be made of nearly any material you can use to make a fabric. Good drapery fabric can be produced from a variety of materials, including cotton, linen, polyester, silk, wool, rayon, acrylic, viscose, and mixtures of these.
