Different Types of Curtain Fabrics

Update:May.23 2023

When choosing a fabric for your curtains, consider color, texture, light blocking or exposing qualities, durability and sun-fade resistance. Each of these elements affects the look and feel of your curtains.

Cotton blends offer a light drape and suit casual dining rooms, airy bedrooms and modern living spaces. However, they should be well-lined to prevent light seepage.

Damask

Damask is a type of woven fabric that has been in fashion since the Byzantine Empire. Modern damask is woven on Jacquard looms, which allow for a wide range of patterns to be produced that would be impossible on a hand loom. It’s a luxurious fabric, and can be found in many different types of items, including table linens, drapery and clothing.

Unlike other fabrics, damask is often reversible. This is due to the way that it’s woven—the pattern displayed on one side of the fabric is shown in the opposite mirrored image on the other side.

This versatile fabric is often machine washable, making it easy to care for and a great choice for many room settings. Pair it with a white tablecloth and black silk napkins for an elegant dining setting.

Brocade

Brocade is a patterned woven fabric that looks like it was hand-stitched. It is created by weaving silk warp threads with extra weft threads to create a decorative design. The process takes a lot of time and skill, which is why this fabric was once reserved for royalty and the wealthy.

Unlike damask, brocade can be made of both natural and synthetic materials. It’s important to check the label before you purchase, though, as some of these fabrics are not able to be washed at home. This is especially true for those made with polyester and other man-made fibers that release tiny plastic fibers during every washing that contribute to global environmental pollution.

Today, both silk and rayon brocades are often used for draperies, upholstery, and bedding. Heavy brocade drapes can give a living room or dining room a luxurious look while also blocking out light. This fabric is also a popular choice for upholstery on chaise lounges and accent chairs.

Linen

A delicate, natural fabric that strikes the perfect balance between billowy and tailored, linen is a great option for curtains. It's also biodegradable, which is a plus for eco-conscious customers.

Wadding is soft, pliable and typically made from polyester, and it's used to gently pad out material, giving it a smooth or filled appearance. It's often a feature of goblet headings.

This is a thick, synthetic fibre that can be used to add insulation to your curtains or to make them feel and hang better. It's also sometimes used to stiffen pelmets and tie-backs. It's important to always pre-treat polyester and wash it on a cold setting, as high temperatures can discolour the fabric.

Silk

Silk drapes bring a touch of luxury to any room. These curtains are typically dry clean only and prone to sun damage, so consider a faux-silk option if you live in an area with high sunlight.

Taffeta silk is a crisp, smooth woven fabric with a matte appearance that contrasts light and dark areas. It's a common choice for ball gowns and wedding dresses, but it can also work well in window treatments.

Lace

Lace is any openwork fabric formed by looping, twisting, or knotting threads either by hand or machine. Today, hand-made laces may be woven of silk, cotton, polyester or any combination of fibers. Machine-made laces are most often woven of polyester yarn (which performs well on industrial lace machines) or cotton.

Both figured and plain madras muslins were fashionable Curtain Fabrics in the first half of the 19th century until large machine bobbin net lace looms came into use. This prompted the creation of large quantities of Nottingham lace for curtains and led to a decline in fashion for both plain and figured madras muslins.

Lace curtain production starts with the purchase of the lace yarn by the spool--usually in a beige or natural color, although curtains to be sold in colors must then be dyed. When the lace is knit, it is framed in a "tenter frame" to ensure that it will fit the curtain rod and then sewn together.