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Short answer
Commercial curtains are specified, not just chosen. Start with what the project specification and the local fire authority require, usually a fire-retardant fabric tested to a named standard. Then cover light (coated blackouts for guest rooms, dimouts and sheers for offices), durability, light-fastness for sunny facades, wide widths for seamless curtains, laundering, and enough stock from one dye batch for the whole project.
What commercial curtains must do
| Space | Main needs | Typical fabric |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel guest room | Full darkness, quiet, fire performance, easy care | Coated blackout main curtain plus a sheer |
| Serviced apartment | As a hotel room, with heavier daily use | Blackout or lined dimout plus a sheer |
| Hotel lobby and suites | Impact, scale, fire performance | Jacquards, velvets and wide sheers |
| Office | Glare control on screens, privacy, a neat facade | Dimouts and sheers, or blinds |
| Meeting and training rooms | Darkening for screens | Blackout or lined dimout |
Fire performance
Most public buildings must use fabric that resists ignition and stops burning when the flame is removed. The requirement comes from the project specification and the local fire authority, not from the supplier.
- Inherently fire-retardant fabric has the property built into the fibre, so it lasts through repeated washing.
- Treated fabric has a fire-retardant finish applied after weaving. It can pass the same tests but may lose performance with washing.
- Standards. BS 5867 is widely used for curtains and drapes, and NFPA 701 is common on American-specified projects. Always ask which standard a collection has been tested to, and get the test report.
See fire-retardant fabrics for collections with a fire-retardant standard recorded on their specification, or ask the JOTEX team.
Watch out
Never assume a fabric is fire-retardant because it is polyester. Ordinary polyester is not fire-retardant; only a test report to the named standard proves it.
Darkness and glare
Guest rooms need full darkness at any hour, so coated blackouts on ceiling tracks with returns, overlaps and floor-length drops are standard. Offices usually want the opposite: daylight in, glare off the screens, so dimouts and sheers or blinds are common. See Blackout Curtains and Dimout Curtains.
Durability and fading
- Curtains are not rubbed like seating, but they are drawn many times a day. Choose firm weaves and strong headings and tracks.
- Upholstery in lobbies, restaurants and offices usually needs 30,000 Martindale rubs or more, or the project's figure. See Martindale Rub Test.
- Sunny facades need good light-fastness, about 6 or more on the Blue Wool scale, and linings. See Light-Fastness Explained.
Widths, consistency and supply
- Wide widths. Extra-wide fabrics of about 280 to 320 cm, used railroaded, give seamless curtains and a consistent look floor after floor. See Railroaded Fabric Explained.
- One dye batch. Colour can vary slightly between batches. Order the whole project, plus spares, from one batch, or confirm batch coverage with the supplier.
- Spares. Keep spare fabric or spare curtains for replacements after damage.
- Samples and approval. Get a cutting from the actual batch approved before production.
Laundering and maintenance
Commercial curtains are cleaned on a schedule, often by contract laundries. Check the fabric's care rating against the cleaning method, and remember that treated fire-retardant finishes can be affected by washing. Detachable linings and hooks make cleaning faster. For healthcare settings, see Hospital Cubicle Curtains.
Specification checklist
- Fire standard required, and the test report for the exact fabric
- Light control: blackout, dimout or sheer, per room type
- Composition, weight, width and recommended direction (up the roll or railroaded)
- Martindale rub count for any upholstery use
- Light-fastness for sun-facing elevations
- Care and laundering method, and its effect on fire performance
- Quantity from one dye batch, plus spares
- Lead time against the project programme
Frequently asked questions
Do hotel curtains have to be fire-retardant?
Usually, yes. Public buildings are generally required to use fire-retardant fabric for curtains and upholstery. The requirement and the standard come from the project specification and the local fire authority.
What is BS 5867?
A British standard widely used to test the flammability of curtains and drapes. Projects often specify it, and a fabric must be tested to it to claim compliance.
What curtains do hotels use for guest rooms?
Usually a coated blackout main curtain with a sheer behind it, on ceiling-mounted tracks with returns and a centre overlap, so the room can be fully dark at any time.
Are fire-retardant curtains washable?
Inherently fire-retardant fabrics keep their performance through washing. Treated fabrics can lose some with washing, so follow the care instructions.
What Martindale rating does commercial upholstery need?
Usually 30,000 rubs or more, or the figure in the project specification.
Why order from one dye batch?
Colour can vary slightly between batches. Curtains from two batches can look different side by side on a facade or along a corridor.
Curtain maker, upholsterer or designer?
Specifications are public on every collection page. JOTEX dealers can log in for live stock and pricing, and our team can send samples or open a dealer account.