How to Choose Blackout Curtains

Are there any organic blackout curtains?

None that I have found so far! The Pure Earth ones listed above may be organic, but it’s unclear— it turns out making fabric 100% blackout is tricky to do with completely natural fibers, so for now, looking for OEKO TEX certification is best option for blackout curtains.

What does GOTS certified organic mean?

GOTS is short for the Global Organic Textile Standard. It is the gold standard 3rd party certification for organic fabrics made from natural fibers like wool, cotton, linen, and others. Fabric with the GOTS-certified organic label means that at least 95% of the starting fibers are certified organic, and ensures that the fabric remains healthy throughout the entire manufacturing process. This means the dyes and other chemicals used are safer for human and ecological health than standard fabric processing methods. No harmful finishes may be added to the final product.

What is OEKO TEX?

OEKO TEX certification applies to the finished product only, and is for both natural and synthetic textiles. Organic fibers, as well as man-made fabrics like polyester can both qualify, depending on what chemicals, and how much of them, are left in the final product. It does allow for some harmful chemicals, but in much lower quantities than are used in standard textile processing. It bans flame retardants in almost all cases, with exceptions for requirements like being added to clothing for fire fighting). You can see their limits and rules, which are updated annually, here.

What is GreenGuard GOLD certified?

This means a fabric releases VOCs at less than 220 ug/m3. It is the strictest certification available. While fabrics don’t usually have big issues with off-gassing VOCs, blackout curtains are a little different for 2 main reasons. First, heat increases the rate of off-gassing, and fabric can get very hot when hung in a window, especially if you’re using them to keep out hot, bright sun. Second, most blackout curtains are made with PVC or other coatings that release harmful VOCs — it’s hard to make fabric block light! — so this is an important distinction from the vast majority of the product group.

Are there flame retardants in curtains? 

In many, yes. In many states and cities, it’s a requirement that curtains used in public spaces meet standards for low flammability set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Ironically, natural fibers have flame retardants added to them more often than polyester and other synthetic fibers, because natural fibers burn more readily. The easiest way to know if your curtains have flame retardants is by looking for GOTS certification, which prohibits them, or for OEKO TEX certification, which prohibits most, and confirming with the company they don’t use them.

What else is in my curtain fabric?

Making fabric is a surprisingly chemically-intensive process. For natural curtains, if the fibers are grown conventionally, pesticides and fertilizers are used. Synthetic sheets (polyester, microfiber, etc) come from petroleum. Acids, scouring chemicals, and other processing agents used to wash fibers. Fiber-strengthening chemicals are aded to turn the fibers into sheets of fabric. Detergents, solvents, bleaches, acids, and enzymes are used to remove chemicals from previous steps, make the fabrics lighter, or prepare them to accept dyes in the next step. Pigments, binders, plasticizers, PVC, and other polymers (plastics) are used in this step, to make the dyes stick to the surface of the fabric. Finally, chemical treatments are added to make the fabric perform a certain way. Formaldehyde resins offer wrinkle-resistance, other resins work for anti-pilling, PFAS for stain-resistance, polyglycols for anti-pilling, acrylates or PVC with plasticizers for protective coatings, and flame retardants for fire resistance. Read more about this process and fabric in general in my Textile Rating Guide.

How can I make blackout curtains look better?

Use a portable suction cup blackout curtain to cover just the windows, and hang a regular set of curtain panels in front. When you’re ready to impress, simply remove the suction cups and your home is aesthetically pleasing again!