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Short answer
Polyester curtain fabric is judged by its weight, yarn, weave and finish, not by the word polyester. Look for a weight that suits the job (light for sheers, medium for dimouts, heavy for blackouts and velvets), an even weave with no thin spots, a hand that falls into soft, rounded folds, and a width of 280 cm or more if you want curtains without joins. Price rises with width, weight, weave complexity and special finishes such as coatings.
Why most curtain fabric is polyester
Polyester keeps its size when washed, resists creasing and fading, and absorbs very little water, which suits Malaysia's sun and humidity. It can also be made to look like almost anything: fine voile, linen, velvet, damask or a plain matt weave. That is why most of the JOTEX curtain range is 100% polyester.
But two polyester fabrics can be as different as a cheap tablecloth and a hotel curtain. The differences come from the yarn, the weave, the weight and the finish. See The Best Curtain Fabric for Malaysian Homes for polyester compared with cotton and linen.
Yarn: filament, spun and textured
| Yarn | What it is | Look and feel | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filament | Long, continuous fibres | Smooth, often with a soft sheen; strong | Sheers, satins, smooth dimouts |
| Spun | Short fibres spun together, like cotton | Matt, soft and natural | Cotton-look and casual weaves |
| Textured or slub | Yarn crimped or spun with thick and thin places | Bulky, irregular, natural-looking | Linen-look and textured weaves |
| Blended | Polyester spun with cotton or linen | The natural fibre's look with more stability | Linen blends and cotton blends |
Finer yarns make a smoother, softer fabric that drapes in tighter folds. Coarser or slub yarns give texture and a more casual look.
Weave: how the threads are put together
| Weave | Character | JOTEX examples |
|---|---|---|
| Plain weave | Simple, even, versatile; the basis of most dimouts and sheers | COMO, LAUREN plain dimouts |
| Twill and herringbone | Diagonal or zigzag lines; drapes well and hides wear | CALBY herringbone dimout, MERCATO herringbone jacquard |
| Jacquard | Pattern woven in, thread by thread | MONTI damask, MORGAN floral |
| Velvet (pile) | Cut pile with deep colour and a soft surface | VELVET, CINEMA |
| Coated | A backing coating that blocks light | TEKUSU MIDORI, silicon-backed blackout |
See What Is Jacquard Fabric? and What Is Velvet Fabric? for those two in depth.
Weight: what gsm tells you
Weight is given in grams per square metre (gsm). It is the quickest guide to how a curtain will hang and how much light it blocks, though weave and yarn matter as much as the number.
| Weight | Roughly | Typical fabrics | How it hangs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Under about 120 gsm | Sheers and voiles | Floats and moves with a breeze |
| Medium | About 150 to 300 gsm | Dimouts, linen-look weaves, light jacquards | Soft, rounded folds; the all-rounder |
| Heavy | Over about 300 gsm | Coated blackouts, velvets, heavy jacquards | Full, deep folds; blocks more light and heat |
For comparison, TEKUSU ALHAMBRA is about 355 gsm and MIDORI about 400 gsm, while the POSH Creation LINER blackout lining is a light 100 gsm.
Width: extra-wide or narrow
Curtain fabric comes in two broad widths. Extra-wide fabrics, typically about 280 to 300 cm, can be railroaded: turned sideways so the fabric's width becomes the curtain's height, giving a whole curtain with no joins. AMAYA and MIDORI, for example, are 280 cm wide. Narrow fabrics, around 140 cm, are used upright and joined, and patterned ones need extra for matching.
Railroading only works if the design looks right sideways and the drop fits within the fabric width. See How to Measure for Curtains for working out the quantities.
How to judge a sample
- Drape: hold a metre up by one edge. Good curtain fabric falls into soft, even folds; stiff or limp fabric will hang the same way.
- Light: hold it against a bright window. The weave should look even, with no thin lines or pinholes. For a blackout, check the coating covers evenly.
- Crease: crush a corner in your hand for ten seconds. Sharp creases that stay will show on the window.
- Rub: rub the face with your thumb. Fuzz or little balls mean it may pill.
- Seams: pull gently across the weave. If the threads slide apart easily, seams may open under the weight of a long curtain.
- Back: look at the reverse. In a sunny room, the back is what the street sees and what takes the sun.
Tip
Order all the fabric for one room, or one project, at the same time. Colour can vary slightly between dye batches, and curtains from two batches can look different side by side.
Finishes
- Coating: a foam, acrylic or silicone backing that makes a fabric blackout. See Blackout Curtains.
- Brushed or peached: the surface is lightly brushed for a softer, warmer hand.
- Stain-repellent: helps liquids bead on the surface for long enough to blot them.
- Flame-retardant: either built into the fibre (inherently flame-retardant polyester, which keeps the property through washing) or applied as a treatment. Projects often need a specific standard, so check the test certificate. See fire-retardant fabrics.
What drives the price
| Factor | Usually costs more | Usually costs less |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Extra-wide, 280 cm and over | Narrow, about 140 cm |
| Weight | Heavier, denser cloth | Lighter cloth |
| Yarn | Fine, slub or blended yarns | Standard filament yarn |
| Weave | Jacquard, velvet, complex textures | Plain weave |
| Finish | Coatings, flame-retardant, special handles | No finish |
Good to know
Compare the cost of the finished curtain, not the price per metre. An extra-wide fabric costs more per metre but often needs fewer metres and no joins, so the curtain can end up costing the same or less.
Herringbone weaves in the range
Herringbone is a good example of how weave alone changes a polyester fabric's character. Updated from the catalogue; see all collections for every weave.
Browse all collections →Frequently asked questions
Is polyester curtain fabric good quality?
It can be excellent. Quality depends on the yarn, weave, weight and finish rather than the fibre: a fine, evenly woven polyester drapes, wears and keeps its colour very well. Judge a sample by its drape, evenness against the light and how it creases.
What gsm is good for curtains?
Roughly under 120 gsm for sheers, about 150 to 300 gsm for everyday dimouts and linen-look curtains, and over about 300 gsm for coated blackouts and velvets. Weave and yarn matter too, so compare samples, not just numbers.
Does polyester curtain fabric shrink?
Very little. Polyester is one of the most stable curtain fibres. Wash it cool and gently and follow the care label, especially for blends and coated blackouts.
Why is one polyester curtain fabric more expensive than another?
Width, weight, yarn, weave and finish. Extra-wide, heavier, jacquard, velvet and coated fabrics cost more to make. Compare the cost of the finished curtain, because an extra-wide fabric often needs fewer metres.
Can polyester look like linen or cotton?
Yes. Slub and spun polyester yarns give a natural, matt look. Linen-look polyesters copy linen's texture without its creasing and shrinking. See the Linen-Look Curtains guide.
Are polyester curtains hot?
Curtains are not worn, so breathability matters little. How much heat a curtain keeps out depends on its weight, its colour and whether it is coated or lined, and polyester blackouts are among the best at blocking sun heat.
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.