Sheer curtains guide

What are sheers? Voile, organza, tulle

Sheer curtains are made of translucent fabric such as loosely woven polyester voile, silk or nylon marquisette, or cotton lace ^[7]. Curtains (drapes) are the heavier, mostly decorative panels hung at the sides of the sheer ^[3].

Voile is a soft, sheer fabric, usually made of cotton or cotton blends ^[4]. Organza is thin, plain-weave and sheer; today many organzas are woven from polyester or nylon filament and have a crisper hand ^[5]. In textile terms "tulle" is a fine hexagonal net ^[6], while in retail "sheer curtain" usually covers all transparent curtains. Our advice: with "linen-look" sheers, check the fibre content on the label; the look does not tell you the fibre.

A note for German-speaking countries: "Store" means a sheer curtain in Germany and Austria, but a roller shutter or awning in Switzerland ^[1].

Day and night privacy

Sheers let in daylight while reducing the view from outside; at night, with lights on inside, the room can be seen from outside ^[8][1].

According to one retailer’s product page, sheer fabric diffuses daylight and softens screen glare; by day, people outside can still see shapes and silhouettes ^[9]. Sheers are designed to be layered with heavier curtains or blinds ^[27]; for night-time privacy we recommend combining them with heavier curtains or a blind.

Fabric and fibre

Curtain fabrics use both synthetic and natural fibres such as cotton, linen and silk ^[2]; for tulle netting the most common fibre is polyester ^[6].

According to one curtain fabric maker, polyester is strong, shrinks little and does not crease easily ^[12]. There are also permanently flame-retardant polyester fibres: according to one supplier this is not a finish but a component built into the fibre during production ^[11]. One maker lists weight, width and light fastness per product for a semi-transparent fabric ^[10]; compare these values on the product page.

Fullness and length

A sheer is several times wider than the track; sources give ratios from 1.5 to 3 times. We recommend 1:3 (generous drape). For length, sources suggest 1–2 cm above the floor; there are also styles that touch or pool on the floor ^[15][16].

For example, one retailer multiplies the track width by 1.5 for a light look, 2 for fuller and 2.5 for extra full ^[13]; a German retailer calls 2× the "classic" for voiles and semi-transparent fabrics ^[14]. One retailer suggests a track extending at least 15 cm beyond the window on each side ^[19]. For length, one retailer suggests floor-length curtains finish about 1 cm above the floor ^[16], another 1–2 cm ^[15]. Since fabric can shrink when washed, it is a good idea to wash curtains before shortening them ^[13].

Weight tape and hem

A weight tape sewn into the hem of a sheer helps it hang more evenly ^[17][18].

Weight tapes come in different weight classes ^[17]. Two constructions are known: a weight tape chain-stitched to the bottom edge, or a turned-up sewn hem, which usually also holds a weight tape ^[1]. The weight helps light fabric hang straight instead of billowing ^[18].

Heading tape and hanging

A sheer is gathered with the heading tape along its top edge; a taped sheer hangs on runners with hooks or directly on a pole through the tape pocket, and ring and loop styles also exist. We recommend a ceiling-mounted track: the sheer covers the window fully and the layer order from glass to room is blind, sheer, curtain ^[2][20].

Pulling the cords inside the heading tape forms the folds; the tape type sets the fold style ^[2][18]. According to one retailer’s guide, ceiling-mounted tracks give better sound absorption and make a room look bigger ^[19]. Sheers are often hung together with decorative side panels ^[1].

Washing and care

Care instructions differ even between sheers from the same shop; always follow the product’s care label ^[20][9].

For example, one polyester sheer’s label allows a warm wash ^[20], while a cotton sheer requires a cold wash and no tumble drying ^[9]; in these products shrinkage is up to 4% ^[20][9]. One curtain fabric maker says its flame-retardant polyester curtains can be dry-cleaned or washed at 60 °C with a gentle spin ^[12]. One supplier advises re-hanging sheers while slightly damp after washing ^[18].

Flame-retardant sheers and hotels

In Europe, EN 13773 classifies curtains from class 1 to class 5 ^[21]. Classification certificates are issued for the tested fabric ^[22][23]. Projects such as hotels and public buildings may ask for such a certificate; local regulations set the required class.

For example, an independent laboratory report tested a polyester curtain fabric after 12 washes at 30 °C ^[22]; in France a national laboratory certificate lists a light (27 g/m²) curtain fabric as M1 ^[23]. One permanently flame-retardant polyester fibre is associated with the German DIN 4102 B1 class ^[24]. But fire class is not a pure fibre property; the fabric’s construction also affects the result ^[25]. "Flame-retardant" does not mean "non-combustible".

Light fastness and fading

Curtains differ in how they withstand sunlight ^[7]. A fabric’s resistance to fading is measured as light fastness on the blue wool scale; the value is given per product ^[26][10].

On the light fastness scale, 8 is excellent, 5 good and 4 fairly good ^[26]. One maker lists light fastness 5 for a semi-transparent fabric ^[10]; the product page does not name the scale. For sunny windows, choose a fabric with high light fastness and ask the maker for the value.