Curtain fabrics certified to BS 5867 Part 2 Type C, the more demanding fire standard specified for hospitals, care homes, hotel bedrooms and other sleeping-risk premises. Every fabric here is tested to Type C and made to measure, with the certificate supplied for your fire risk assessment. Samples available. Request a quote.

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What is BS 5867 Part 2 Type C?

BS 5867 Part 2 is the British Standard for the flammability of curtains, drapes and window blinds, and Type C is its most demanding classification. Where Type B tests the fabric against a small flame applied to the face, Type C uses a more severe ignition source and requires the fabric to pass after a specified cleansing procedure, so that the rating reflects the fabric as it will actually be in service after repeated laundering. It is specified where the consequences of a curtain fire are greatest: premises where people sleep, or where occupants may need assistance to evacuate.

Every fabric on this page is tested to Type C and, by extension, satisfies Type B. The test report is supplied with your order. For the general contract standard, see BS 5867 Type B curtains.

Where Type C is specified

  • Hospitals and healthcare: wards and patient areas, with NHS Firecode guidance layered on top.
  • Care homes: residents sleep on the premises and many need help to evacuate.
  • Hotel bedrooms: commonly required by the fire strategy, with public areas on Type B.
  • Student accommodation and boarding houses: sleeping accommodation laundered between every tenancy.
  • Hostels, prisons, secure units and supported living, where the fire risk assessment identifies an elevated risk.

Choosing a Type C fabric

Because Type C has to survive cleansing, it is a natural fit for inherently fire retardant fabrics, where the performance is in the fibre rather than in a finish that washing could remove. Every fabric on this site is inherently FR, and the healthcare and hospitality print houses test most of their ranges to Type C as standard, so the choice here is wide: blackout and dimout for bedrooms and wards, prints and plains for a residential feel, and washable qualities for infection control. Use the filters for colour, width and fabric house to narrow it.

Specifying and ordering

Every curtain is made to measure in the UK. Choose the fabric, enter your drop and width, select a heading (pencil pleat, eyelet, wave or pinch pleat), and the configurator prices it immediately. For a ward, a home or a whole building, request a quote with your window schedule and we will price it as a single quotation across every fabric house we carry. The Type C test certificate is supplied for your fire risk assessment and O&M files, and samples are available on every fabric.

BS 5867 Type C FAQs

Do I need Type C or is Type B enough?

Your fire risk assessment decides. The usual rule of thumb is Type B for spaces where people are awake and can leave, Type C where they sleep or may need help. If in doubt, specifying Type C removes the question, and a Type C fabric satisfies a Type B requirement.

Does washing affect the Type C rating?

The Type C test is passed after a cleansing procedure precisely so that laundering is accounted for. Because our fabrics are inherently FR, the rating does not wash out; follow the washing guidance on the product page and the certificate remains valid.

Is Crib 5 the same as Type C?

No. Crib 5 (BS 5852 Ignition Source 5) is an upholstery and bedding test. A specification asking for "Crib 5 curtains" usually means Type C curtain fabric alongside Crib 5-rated seating; see our Crib 5 fabrics.