Fire Retardant Voiles & Sheers

Do voiles need to be fire retardant?

Yes. BS 5867 Part 2 applies to curtains, drapes and window blinds regardless of weight, and a lightweight sheer is if anything more exposed to ignition than a heavy curtain: it moves in draughts, sits close to radiators and window sills, and is the first layer a candle or a dropped cigarette meets. A fire risk assessor will expect the voile to be certified just as the curtain behind it is. Every voile and sheer here is woven from inherently fire retardant yarn and tested to BS 5867 Part 2, with the certificate supplied for your file.

Where voiles and sheers are used

• Hotels: layered behind blackout in bedrooms for daytime privacy, and in lobbies and restaurants to soften large glazing.
• Care homes and healthcare: privacy at ground-floor bedroom windows without shutting out the garden.
• Offices and restaurants: street-level screening that keeps daylight and lets passers-by see a busy room without seeing individual faces.
• Holiday lodges and student halls: cheap daytime privacy where units or windows sit close together.
• Room dividers and ceiling-hung drapes in marine and hospitality interiors.

Choosing a voile

• Plain or decorative. Plain voiles disappear behind the main curtain; textured, striped and embroidered sheers are a design element in their own right and are often hung alone.
• Fullness and heading. Voiles look best with generous fullness. Wave headings on a slim channel track, or a simple pencil pleat, suit them; eyelets are less common on sheers.
• Double tracks. Most commercial voiles are one half of a pair: voile inside, dimout or blackout outside. Specify the track at the same time so the two hang clear of each other.
• Wide widths. Many voiles are woven at 300cm and railroaded, giving seam-free sheers on the widest windows; see wide width fabrics.
• Recycled options. Several sheers here are woven from recycled polyester; see recycled and sustainable fabrics.

Specifying and ordering

Every voile is made to measure in the UK. Choose the fabric, enter your drop and width, select a heading, and the configurator prices it immediately. For a project, request a quote with your window schedule and we will price voiles and main curtains together as a single quotation, with certificates supplied for your fire risk assessment and O&M files. Samples are available on every fabric.

Voile and sheer FAQs

Can fire retardant voiles be washed?

Generally yes, at the temperature given on the product page. The FR performance is in the yarn, so it is not affected by laundering.

What is the difference between a voile and a sheer?

The terms overlap. Voile usually means a fine, plain, translucent cloth; sheer is the broader family that includes textured, striped and decorative translucent fabrics. Both are here.

Do you supply double tracks?

Yes; see our tracks, poles and hardware range, or include the track in your quote request.