Specification guide
Curtain heading types for contract curtains
Nine headings compared for fullness, track or pole, hooks and gliders, stack-back and which sectors each suits, followed by the make-up specification every curtain is made to.
Curtain heading types
Every heading below is made to measure in any fabric on the site. Four headings can be configured and priced online; the rest are quoted. Fullness is the ratio of flat fabric width to finished curtain width and is fixed per heading so that pricing, stack-back and the finished look are consistent across a project.
| Heading | Fullness | Hangs from | Hook / glider | Stack-back | Best suited to | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pencil pleat | 1.75× | Track or pole | Standard hooks on 75 mm tape | Medium | Guest rooms, offices, education, care | Online |
| Pinch pleat | 2.5× | Track or pole | Pin hooks in buckram | Medium | Hotel bedrooms, suites, restaurants, boardrooms | Online |
| Tailored pleat | 2.5× | Track or pole | Pin hooks in buckram | Medium | Suites, lounges, contemporary schemes | Quote |
| Goblet pleat | 2.5× | Track or pole | Pin hooks in buckram | Large | Function rooms, heritage and statement interiors | Quote |
| Eyelet | 1.75× | Pole only | Metal eyelets on 28 mm pole | Small | Student accommodation, holiday lodges, offices | Online |
| Wave | 2× | Wave track only | Wave gliders at 60 mm or 80 mm | Small | Full-height glazing, hotels, offices, healthcare | Online |
| Inverted pleat | 1.75× | Track or pole | Pin hooks in buckram | Medium | Contemporary hotels, offices, reception areas | Quote |
| Rod pocket | 1.5× | Pole or rod through pocket | None | Fixed | Sheers, café curtains, secondary glazing | Quote |
| Tab top | 1.5× | Pole only | Fabric tabs | Small | Lodges, cabins, informal hospitality | Quote |
Fullness ratios are the standard we make to. Where a specification calls for a different fullness, state it in the quote request and we price accordingly.
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Configure onlinePencil pleat
A gathered heading with tightly packed vertical folds. The most cost-effective heading for a fully lined contract curtain and the easiest to rehang after laundering.
75 mm three-cord tape, hooks set for track or pole; fullness 1.75×
Browse pencil pleat fabrics -
Configure onlinePinch pleat
Double or triple pleats hand-sewn into a stiffened buckram heading, giving deep, even folds that hold their shape. The standard hospitality heading where a tailored finish is required.
Triple pinch as standard, double on request; buttoned pleats optional; fullness 2.5×
Browse pinch pleat fabrics -
Tailored pleat
A single, crisp pleat sewn flat at the top of the heading so the fabric falls in straight, evenly spaced columns. Cleaner than a pinch pleat, more structured than wave.
Also called a cartridge or euro pleat; fullness 2.5×
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Goblet pleat
Cup-shaped pleats padded to hold their form, sitting above deep folds. A formal heading that suits heavier weights and full-height drops.
Pleats padded with FR wadding; fullness 2.5×
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Configure onlineEyelet
Metal rings punched through a stiffened heading so the curtain hangs in uniform soft folds from a pole. Quick to hang and the smallest stack-back of the gathered headings.
40 mm internal eyelets as standard, finishes to match pole; fullness 1.75×
Browse eyelet fabrics -
Configure onlineWave
A continuous S-fold held by a cord-linked glider system, giving an even ripple with no pleats and a very compact stack. Requires a wave-compatible track.
60 mm or 80 mm wave tape to match the track; fullness 2×
Browse wave fabrics -
Inverted pleat
Pleats folded to the back of the heading so the face reads as flat panels with a recessed fold between each. Also known as a box pleat.
Flat-fronted heading; fullness 1.75×
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Rod pocket
A sewn channel that a pole or rod passes through. No hooks or gliders, so it is used for sheers and fixed dressings rather than curtains that are drawn daily.
Fixed panels; fullness 1.5×
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Tab top
Fabric loops sewn into the heading that thread onto a pole. The lowest-cost heading, suited to lighter fabrics and areas where curtains are dressed rather than drawn.
Self-fabric tabs; fullness 1.5×
Standard make-up specification
What every curtain is made to unless the specification says otherwise. Quote these details in a schedule or use the clauses further down the page.
- Widths and joins
- Standard-width fabrics (137–150 cm) are joined selvedge to selvedge with a full width at the leading edge and any part width on the outer edge. Wide-width fabrics (280–330 cm) are railroaded so a curtain of any width is made without a vertical seam.
- Fullness
- Fixed per heading: pencil pleat 1.75×, eyelet 1.75×, inverted pleat 1.75×, wave 2×, pinch 2.5×, tailored 2.5×, goblet 2.5×, rod pocket 1.5×, tab top 1.5×.
- Heading tape and stiffening
- 75 mm three-cord tape for pencil pleat; 100 mm buckram for pinch, tailored, goblet and inverted pleats; wave tape matched to a 60 mm or 80 mm glider pitch; 40 mm eyelets in a stiffened band.
- Hems
- Double 100 mm bottom hem, double 40 mm side hems, blind-stitched. Linings finished 25 mm shorter than the face fabric and locked in at intervals across the width.
- Weights
- Lead penny weights sewn into each corner and at every seam. Continuous lead-weight tape on voiles and sheers.
- Pattern matching
- Horizontal repeats are matched across every seam and across pairs. Fabric quantities are calculated to whole repeats, so patterned fabrics use more cloth than plains of the same drop.
- Leading edges and trims
- Contrast leading edges, border bands, fringe and braid are available; all trims are inherently FR or FR-certified to the same standard as the face fabric.
- Overlaps and returns
- Pairs are made with a 100 mm centre overlap on overlap-arm tracks. Returns to the wall are added to the leading and outer edges to suit the bracket projection given at survey.
- Stack-back
- Allow roughly 20% of the track width for a pair to stack clear of the glazing, split equally each side. Interlined curtains and goblet headings need more; wave and eyelet need less.
- Finished drop
- Made to the finished drop given, measured from the top of the heading (or the top of the eyelet band) to the finished hem. Curtains that touch the floor are made 10 mm clear; puddled drops on request.
- Labelling
- Every curtain carries a sewn-in label stating the fabric, composition, fire certification and care instructions, plus the location reference from the schedule so installation and future maintenance can trace each item.
Tiebacks, holdbacks and hardware
Everything needed to hang and dress the curtains. Heavy-duty H-section and corded K-section tracks, wave tracks with 60 mm or 80 mm gliders and 28 mm contract pole kits are matched to the heading at the point of quoting; fabric tiebacks and metal holdbacks finish the dressing.
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Made in your fabricTiebacks and holdbacks
Fabric tiebacks are made in the curtain fabric, piped or plain, with rings for hook fixing. Metal holdbacks are stocked in finishes that match our 28 mm poles.
Fabric tiebacks supplied in pairs; holdbacks in six finishes
Frequently asked questions
What fullness should contract curtains be made to?
We make pencil pleat and eyelet at 1.75×, wave at 2× and pinch, tailored and goblet pleats at 2.5×. These ratios give the finished look each heading is chosen for and are fixed so pricing and stack-back are predictable across a project. A different fullness can be specified on request.
Can wave curtains be hung on an existing track?
Only if the track has wave gliders linked by cord at a fixed 60 mm or 80 mm pitch. A standard glider track will not hold the S-fold. We supply wave tracks in both pitches and make the heading tape to match, so tell us which track is in place or let us supply it.
Which curtain heading is best for a hotel bedroom?
Pinch pleat where a tailored, hospitality finish is wanted; pencil pleat where budget and ease of laundering matter more; wave where the room has full-height glazing and a compact stack is needed. All three can be configured online in any fabric on the site.
Which heading suits care homes and hospitals?
Pencil pleat on a track is the usual choice: it is the easiest heading to take down, launder and rehang, and it works with the overlap-arm tracks used for privacy and cubicle runs. Specify Type C fabric and lining for these settings.
Do I need to know the track or pole before choosing a heading?
Yes for wave and eyelet. Wave needs a wave-glider track at 60 mm or 80 mm pitch and eyelet needs a pole. Pencil, pinch, tailored, goblet and inverted pleats work on either. State the hardware in the schedule or let us supply it with the curtains.
Need this priced for a project?
Choose a heading, add the fabric to a project quote from any product page, and we price the curtains with the track or pole to suit.