FAQs
What is the best fabric for curtains?
While it depends on your preferences, wall colour, decor and interior colour scheme, the most sought after fabrics include:
Polyester: A durable, strong and sturdy fabric, polyester is easy to maintain. It’s mould resistant, less likely to become wrinkled over time and offers great insulation — keeping the heat trapped inside during winter. When it comes to buying fabrics, polyester is one of the most affordable options on the market. This material is ideal for bedrooms and living areas, but not kitchens, as it’s flammable and doesn’t allow for adequate airflow.
Cotton: A versatile fabric with a soft gloss, cotton is often the preferred choice as it’s available in various hues and textures. This lightweight fabric falls as desired and looks sleek, clean and modern when hung properly. Cotton is also resistant to wrinkling, making it the ideal window covering for bedrooms and living rooms. While cotton is easily washable, don’t forget to line your curtains to protect the fibres from the sun if you buy this fabric.
Velvet: With a glamorous, textured finish, velvet curtains give any room an air of class and sophistication. Thick and dense, this fabric insulates spaces against moisture and chill while preventing dust from entering and propagating in the room. Velvet curtains also provide a degree of soundproofing, making them a suitable fabric for cinema spaces and dining rooms.
Within Material World’s collection of textured fabrics online, you’ll find luxurious velvet drapery in various hues that can be used as wide width curtain drops or as a continuous piece.
Silk: Nothing says ‘luxury’ like elegant silk curtains. Usually chosen for their faultless aesthetic appeal, silk drapes work well thanks to their heavy weight. This fabric adds a romantic feel to bedrooms and formal dining rooms; however, it’s not always practical. Silk is typically interlined and must be dry cleaned, and it’s susceptible to sun damage. If you’re searching for a window covering for a room with a lot of natural light, you may want to protect your curtains by installing a roller blind or a lighter coloured panel for the lining. If you’re hoping to mimic this style but need a more durable option, you could also choose a polyester fabric with a similar finish.
Linen: A natural fibre that creates an airy, casual and relaxed atmosphere, linen is the ideal fabric if you love the look of curtains that pool on the floor. While it’s the perfect choice for coastal or Hamptons inspired interiors, it must be lined to protect it from the sun and requires dry cleaning. Being a natural fibre, linen can also change in dimension by up to 3% in accordance with the temperature and humidity level in your room.
How do you choose the right curtain fabric?
With so many textured fabrics online to choose from, it can be challenging to know where to start. To make your decision a little easier, consider the following factors when selecting your desired fabric:
The amount of sunlight you want streaming into your room and whether adding a blackout lining to your curtains might be a more suitable alternative.
The mood, theme and decor of your room. Heavier fabrics suit more traditional rooms, while sheer and lightweight fabrics work well in more minimalist spaces where the decor is contemporary and the walls are neutral-toned.
What curtain material blocks sunlight?
If you’re decorating and furnishing your bedroom, blackout curtains are the ideal choice as they allow you to control how much light enters the room at any given point. While most are made from an opaque fabric that’s coated with an acrylic compound, there are newer fabrics available with a silicone backing that are machine washable.
If the fabric you have fallen in love with doesn’t have a blockout coating on it, that is alright as well. We can easily add a blockout lining to any curtain fabric you select. This not only has insulation benefits, it further reduces light into the room as you won’t get sunlight through the stitch lines thanks to the multiple layers of fabric.
Do you make custom curtains?
Absolutely. When you select from our textured fabrics online, our team can create bespoke curtains that will transform the look and feel of your space. Whether you need blackout, dimout, unlined or sheer curtains, Material World can deliver at highly competitive prices.
If you’d like further information about buying fabrics, you can give us a call or request for one of our consultants to visit your home for a free measure and quote service. Our team can do everything from making your blinds to installing them correctly.
Not seeing your question above? Please get in touch with us and let us know how we can help.
