Choosing Fire-retardant Drapes for your Home

While all commercial spaces need to meet strict fire codes, homeowners don’t have such restrictions. Common sites requiring fire-retardant window treatments include any public domains such as schools, colleges, senior housing, theaters and stages, meeting halls, churches etc. One of the most flammable fire accelerators in any home are fabrics like upholstery, bed sheets, curtains and drapes that’s why it is worth investing in fire retardant drapes to protect your homes and family.

All of the Fire-Retardant drapery fabrics by FactoryDirectDrapes.com are inherently fire-retardant (IFR). Unlike fire-retardant fabrics (FR) which is treated with fire retarding chemicals and loses it’s fire-retardancy after washing, inherently fire retardant fabrics have fire retardant threads that’s woven in it. This means that it will remain sufficiently flame retardant for its lifetime even after repeated washings.

Visit FactoryDirectDrapes.com and choose from our wide selection of beautiful fire-retardant fabrics in a variety of colors, patterns, textures, lined, unlined and sheers.

Also, ANY drape fabric we carry can have an inherently fire-retardant lining attached to it. Consider flame-retardancy before choosing your fabric especially if it's for a nursery or bedroom.

For more information on drapery fabric flame retardancy regulations, please visit the National Fire Protection Association website at http://www.nfpa.org.

Fire-retardant Drapes for your Home

While all commercial spaces need to meet strict fire codes, homeowners don’t have such restrictions. Common sites requiring fire-retardant window treatments include any public domains such as schools, colleges, senior housing, theaters and stages, meeting halls, churches etc. However, with the holidays around the corner, your fireplaces, candles and Christmas lights will start getting some use and many people feel safer having their draperies in fire-retardant fabrics.

In the U.S., the most widely followed standard to determine fire resistance in drape and curtain fabric is the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 701 standard. Under NFPA 701, drapery fabric is tested by burning a small sample and measuring the flame, char length and flaming residue. If a fabric is not sufficiently flame resistant to meet a standard, the fabric is labeled Non Flame Retardant (NFR). Fabrics that meet a self-extinguishing standard are categorized as Flame Retardant (FR), Inherently Flame Retardant (IFR), or Durably Flame Retardant (DFR).

Flame Retardant (FR) type of fabric is woven with threads such that, initially, the fabric did not meet fire code. In order to meet fire code, the fabric was treated with a flame retarding chemical so that the end product does meet code.

Inherently Flame Retardant (IFR) type of fabric is woven with threads (fiber or filament) that yield a product that meets fire code without any further treatment or finishing such as monoacrylic fiber. Additionally, the safe expectation is that the fabric will remain sufficiently flame retardant for its lifetime even after repeated washings.

Durably Flame Retardant (DFR) type of fabric is woven with threads that are flame resistant but not enough. Instead of adding a FR chemical to stick to the surface of the thread, however, the manufacturer adds an FR compound that chemically binds with the fiber composition. The FR chemical not only is bound to the fabric chemically but is not water soluble and, therefore, cannot be removed from the fabric by washing (except in a special chemical bath).

Beware of buying fire-retardant drapes and curtains that are chemically treated. The fire retardancy on those will disappear when they are cleaned.

All of the Fire-Retardant drapery fabrics by FactoryDirectDrapes.com are inherently fire-retardant (IFR). Choose from our wide selection of beautiful fire-retardant fabrics in a variety of colors, patterns, textures, lined, unlined and sheers. Also, ANY drape fabric we carry can have an inherently fire-retardant lining attached to it. Consider flame-retardancy before choosing your fabric especially if it's for a nursery or bedroom.

For more information on drapery fabric flame retardancy regulations, please visit the National Fire Protection Association website at http://www.nfpa.org/.

Fabric Choices for Draperies

An important question to ask when choosing draperies is: Which fabric really is right for my window? The fabric you choose for your draperies will set the style and mood of the room. Different fabrics will produce and provide different results. We will go through some different fabrics and the qualities they possess.

Nylon is versatile, elastic and light weight. This fabric has been around since the 1940’s and has since come along way. Sheers are usually made from this fabric. Sheers hung alone or with draperies create a free flowing romantic atmosphere.

Rayon is an example of a versatile fabric. This fabric possesses many of the great qualities of cotton, it definitely wrinkles less than linen and can provide the same sleek texture of silk for much less the cost. Rayon blends well with other fibers lie: cotton, linen, and acetate to create damasks, satins, brocades as well as velvets.

Polyester should not be discounted just because of the double knit phase of the 1950s. This fabric hangs well, resists creasing, shrinking and stretching along with being wrinkle and rot resistant. Polyester is a very care free fabric. Also it blends well with other fabrics and is affordable.

Acrylic is a fine, soft and luxurious fabric that will surprise you. Light weight and durable, this fabric is non-allergenic and will not fade or rot. Acrylic does not tolerate heat. Mod-acrylic fabrics are flame resistant. Fire retardant draperies are required by the California State Fire Marshall to be placed in certain public facilities such as government buildings.