Wool Fire Retardant Curtains

Why wool is naturally fire retardant

Wool is one of the few fibres that resists fire without any chemical help. It has a high ignition temperature, a high natural moisture and nitrogen content, and when it does burn it chars and self-extinguishes rather than melting or dripping. That is why wool has been the traditional choice for theatre drapes and why it passes BS 5867 Part 2 on its own merits. The fire performance is a property of the fibre for the life of the curtain, with nothing to wear off or wash out. Every wool on this page is tested to BS 5867 Part 2, and the qualities that also carry Crib 5 can be used for upholstery in the same scheme.

Where wool curtains belong

• Care homes: the handle and warmth of wool read as domestic and comfortable, and heathered plains are calm and dementia-friendly.
• Hotels, particularly country house and boutique properties, where a natural fibre fits the brief.
• Heritage and listed buildings, clubs, libraries and boardrooms.
• Projects with a sustainability brief: wool is renewable, biodegradable and, in the case of the British-woven ranges here, low-mileage.

Choosing a wool fabric

• Provenance. The range is led by iLiv's Kelso collection, woven in Yorkshire from British wool, in natural, heathered and jewel colourways.
• Thermal and acoustic performance. Wool insulates well and absorbs sound; a full-height wool curtain does noticeable work on a draughty sash window or a hard-surfaced room.
• Light control. Wool is not a blackout. Pair it with an FR blackout lining for bedrooms, or use it where dimout-level control is enough.
• Care. Wool curtains are dry-clean; they are not suited to the high-temperature laundry cycles of clinical settings. For those, see the washable ranges in healthcare curtains.
• Weight. Wool cloths are substantial; specify a track rated for the load and use a pinch pleat or wave heading to show the drape.

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 any upholstery metreage, and we will price both as a single quotation with the certificates for your fire risk assessment and O&M files. Samples are available on every fabric.

Wool curtain FAQs

Is wool treated to make it fire retardant?

No. Wool passes the curtain test in its natural state; the rating comes from the fibre chemistry, not a finish, which is why it never wears off.

Is wool suitable where moths are a concern?

Contract wools are generally moth-proofed at the mill; the product page or the certificate pack will confirm it for a specific quality.

Can the same wool be used on chairs?

Where the fabric carries Crib 5 as well as BS 5867, yes; those qualities are marked on their product pages.