Fire Retardant Curtains

What makes a curtain fire retardant?

In the UK, a contract curtain is fire retardant if its fabric has passed BS 5867 Part 2, the British Standard for the flammability of curtains, drapes and window blinds. The standard defines three types. Type A is a domestic-level test. Type B is the general contract standard, expected in offices, shops, restaurants, schools and most public buildings. Type C is the more demanding test, normally specified where people sleep on the premises or may need help to evacuate, and it also requires the fabric to keep its performance after a defined cleansing procedure. Ships are different again: at sea the IMO FTP Code applies instead.

Every fabric on this site is tested to BS 5867 Part 2 and the test report is supplied with your order. To filter by standard, use BS 5867 Type B, BS 5867 Type C, Crib 5 or IMO certified.

Fire retardant, flame retardant, fire resistant: what the labels mean

These terms are used interchangeably in specifications and in search, and for curtains they point to the same thing: a fabric tested to BS 5867 Part 2 with the certificate to prove it. The distinction that does matter is how the performance is achieved. A treated fabric has a chemical finish applied after weaving, and that finish can degrade with washing and need re-testing. An inherently fire retardant fabric, such as FR polyester, Trevira CS or wool, has the performance in the fibre itself for the life of the curtain. We only list inherently FR fabrics, which is why the rating survives commercial laundering in a hotel, a hospital or a school.

Finding the right fabric

• By type. Blackout for bedrooms, dimout for lounges, wards and meeting rooms, voiles and sheers for privacy, velvets for hospitality, plains and textures or prints and patterns for the scheme.
• By sector. Each sector page explains the standard that applies and what to look for: hotels, care homes, healthcare, schools and universities, student accommodation, restaurants, retail, holiday lodges and cruise and ferry.
• By fabric house. Panaz, Skopos, Edmund Bell, iLiv, Bancroft, Mallion & Knowles, Vescom, Villa Nova, Edinburgh Weavers, Sunbury, Camira, Clarke & Clarke, Prestigious Textiles and Abbotsford Textiles, all from one supplier and one quotation.

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 project of any size, or where you would rather send us a window schedule or a set of drawings, request a quote and we will price it as a single quotation across every fabric house we carry, with the certificates for your fire risk assessment and O&M files. Samples are available on every fabric.

Fire retardant curtain FAQs

Are fire retardant curtains a legal requirement?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 does not name a curtain standard, but it makes the responsible person accountable for fire risk in non-domestic premises, and fire risk assessors, insurers and landlords treat BS 5867 Part 2 as the benchmark for curtains. In practice, contract curtains need it.

Do fire retardant curtains look different?

No. Inherently FR polyester, Trevira CS and wool are woven, printed and finished like any other contract fabric, which is why this range runs from sheer voiles to heavy velvets.

Can I see samples before ordering?

Yes. Request samples from any product page, or tell us the project and we will put a selection together.