Recycled & Sustainable FR Fabrics

Sustainable and fire retardant: no longer a trade-off

For years a specifier had to choose between a recycled fabric and a certified one. The contract fabric houses have closed that gap: the fabrics on this page are woven with recycled content, most commonly recycled polyester made from post-consumer bottles, using inherently fire retardant yarns, so they pass BS 5867 Part 2 in full with the performance in the fibre. The certificate is supplied with your order. Where sleeping accommodation calls for it, filter to BS 5867 Type C.

What to look for on a sustainable fabric

• Recycled content and how it is verified. Look for the percentage of recycled fibre and a third-party mark such as the Global Recycled Standard; the product page or the fabric house's environmental data sheet will state it. We can supply the sheet with the certificate pack.
• Inherent, not treated, FR. Every fabric we list is inherently fire retardant, which also means no flame-retardant chemical finish and nothing to re-apply, a point that matters to environmental assessors as much as to fire risk assessors.
• Durability. The most sustainable curtain is the one that is not replaced. Contract-grade recycled polyesters are as hard-wearing and washable as virgin equivalents.
• Natural alternatives. For a renewable, biodegradable fibre with inherent fire performance, see wool fire retardant curtains, including British-woven ranges.
• Credits and frameworks. Recycled-content textiles can contribute to BREEAM, SKA and similar assessments and to public-sector procurement requirements; tell us the scheme and we will supply the supporting data.

What is in this collection

Recycled voiles and sheers, recycled dimouts and blackouts, and plains and textures from Skopos, Panaz, iLiv, Camira and the other fabric houses we carry. It is a growing category and we add to it as the mills release new lines.

Specifying and ordering

Every curtain 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 the environmental criteria you are working to, and we will price it as a single quotation with the fire certificates and environmental data for your files. Samples are available on every fabric.

Sustainable fabric FAQs

Is recycled polyester as fire retardant as virgin FR polyester?

Yes, where the yarn is an inherently FR polyester. The fire performance comes from the polymer chemistry, not from whether the feedstock was new or recycled, and every fabric here has passed BS 5867 Part 2.

Can the curtains be recycled at end of life?

Mono-material polyester curtains are recyclable in principle, and several fabric houses now run take-back schemes. Ask us about the options for a specific fabric.

Do you have environmental data sheets?

Yes, from the fabric houses; request them with your samples or your quote.