When it comes to selecting fabric for a blind, there is a huge collection of fabric to choose from. Before you pour through all the fabrics available, it would help first to work out what type of fabric is needed for your blind. Knowing this will help in your search for the right fabric.
When it comes to types of blind fabric, the main ones you will see are blockout, light filter, and screen.
Blockout
A blockout stops all light completely. It is commonly used for bedrooms and media rooms. Examples of blockout fabrics are Dawn and Focus.
Light Filtering (or Translucent)
This blind fabric lets light pass through but the objects on the other side cannot be seen. Common examples of such fabrics are Mantra Light Filter or Metroshade Light filter.
You will commonly find that fabrics will almost always have a blockout and a light filter equivalent.
Screen
This fabric lets light pass through but the objects on the other side can be seen. The weave of the fabric provides openings through which objects on the otherside can be seen. A light filter, in contrast, has no openings, and so it is impossible to see the actual object. Screens are good during the day for privacy however at night there is no privacy. Homes might often couple a screen fabric with a blockout on a double blind as a way to provide privacy at night.
Common screen fabrics we see are Uniview , Vivid Shade, or Duo Screen.
Uniline have a great fabric selector table that is very useful.
