How curtains and blinds are made
Ready-made curtains are cut from fabric rolls to a standard drop, side-hemmed, given a heading and a bottom hem, and packed as single panels or pairs. The heading decides how the curtain hangs: eyelets (grommets) punched and crimped through a stiffened band, tab tops, a rod pocket, or pencil-pleat tape with draw cords and hooks. Lined curtains have a second layer, either sewn in or loose; blackout linings are coated or woven with a dense black yarn.
Roman blinds are flat panels with rods or rings on the back and cords that pull the fabric up in folds. Roller blinds wind on a tube with a chain or spring. Some curtain exporters also make Roman blinds, or fabric for blinds assembled elsewhere; once cords are involved, safety rules apply.
Karur in Tamil Nadu is a Town of Export Excellence for handlooms, and IBEF lists curtains among the handloom made-ups produced there for export.
What we check on curtains and blinds
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Drop and width | Panel hung or laid flat; drop measured at both sides and the middle; width across the heading and the hem | Panels short or long beyond tolerance, hem not parallel to the heading |
| Matched pairs | The two panels of a pair laid side by side for drop, shade and pattern height | Pattern repeat starting at a different height, one panel a shade off |
| Eyelets | Count and spacing; each ring twisted and pulled; finish checked for rust spots and scratches | Loose rings that spin or pull out, rust, sharp burrs, uneven spacing |
| Heading tape | Draw cords pulled to gather the tape; hook pockets counted | Cords stitched into the seam and unable to pull, tape puckered or crooked |
| Blackout and lining | Panel held against a bright light or a torch in a dark room; lining checked for length and attachment | Pinholes and thin patches letting light through, lining hanging below the face |
| Hems and weights | Side and bottom hem widths; corner weights felt | Twisted side hems, missing corner weights, mitres not closed |
| Sheers | Seams and hems checked against the light | Puckered seams, visible stitching faults, snags |
| Blind operation | Blind raised and lowered several times; cord, chain and safety device checked against the spec and label | Uneven folds, cords that tangle, missing tension device or warning label |
Common curtain, drape and blind defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Accessible cord loop on a blind sold in the US or EU without the required safety design | Old design, rules not in the spec | Critical |
| Pair mismatched in drop or pattern height | Panels cut from different points in the repeat | Major |
| Rusting eyelets | Plain steel rings, damp packing | Major |
| Blackout lining letting light through | Coating flaws, needle holes in coated lining | Major |
| Drop out of tolerance | Cutting errors, shrinkage in finishing | Major |
| Slight hem waviness, loose threads | Finishing | Minor |
Your defect list decides the final class.
Market rules for curtains and blinds
- Blind cords in the US. Under 16 CFR 1120.3, stock window coverings that do not meet the operating-cord requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2018 (cordless, short static cord or inaccessible cord), its inner-cord requirements or its on-product label requirement are a substantial product hazard. Custom window coverings must meet the inner-cord and label requirements.
- Blind cords in the EU. EN 13120 sets performance and child-safety requirements for internal blinds, including cords and chains. Buyers usually ask for a test report to it.
- Fire rules for contract use. No general flammability law covers curtains for homes in the US or EU. Hotels, offices and public buildings often require a fire test, such as NFPA 701 in the US or BS 5867-2 in the UK. If your order is for a contract project, put the test in the specification.
- Labels. FTC Textile Act in the US; Regulation 1007/2011 in the EU, which leaves binding and filling yarns that do not form the right side of curtain fabric out of the fibre composition. See EU textile labelling.
- Chemicals. Azo dyes and other restricted substances; see azo dyes and restricted substances. PFHxA limits apply to consumer textiles other than clothing in the EU from 10 October 2027.
Shower curtains
Shower curtains are made of polyester fabric, often with a water-repellent finish, or of PEVA or PVC film. They have their own failure points:
- Hook holes. Count, spacing and reinforcement. Holes punched without metal or plastic grommets tear out.
- Rust. Metal grommets, hem weights and magnets in the bottom hem rust in a wet room. Ask for stainless steel or plastic, and check finish on the sample.
- Water repellency. A spray of water on the face should bead and run off. Fluorinated finishes fall under the EU PFHxA restriction from 10 October 2027.
- PVC film. Plasticised PVC must meet the REACH phthalate limits in the EU, and may need a Prop 65 warning in California. A lab tests this; the inspector checks the film against the tested sample and notes any strong odour.
- Size and hem. Width and drop, a straight hem, and a print that is not upside down when hung.
Matching bath sets with towels: see bath towels and bath mats.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
Curtains are folded with the heading on top so the customer sees the eyelets or tape through the pack. Eyelets rub through polybags and mark neighbouring panels if packs are loose. Velvet and long sheers crease if folded too small, so the fold size is part of the spec. Eyelet curtains packed damp leave rust rings that cannot be washed out.
- Finished drop and width per size, with tolerances, and whether sizes are per panel or per pair.
- Heading type, eyelet material and finish, eyelet count and inner diameter.
- Lining type and blackout or thermal claim, with how it is checked.
- Pattern placement and pair matching rule.
- For blinds: operating system and the cord-safety standard for each market.
- Labels, fold size, pack type and carton quantity.