With their translucent sheerness and crinkled patterning, voile curtains can create a fairly powerful decorative impact. Great for windows and doors, a voile curtain can be mounted virtually anywhere. Buying the most efficient and beautiful pair of voile curtains is dependent largely on the type of material from which they are made. It should be noted that they are meant primarily to enhance a space, as opposed to providing deep insulating cover. Polyester and 100% cotton are the most frequent types of voile curtains.
Polyester Sheer Voile Curtains
Style: Exceptionally sheer and colorful, polyester voile has a more noticeable elasticity than its purely cotton counterparts. When bunched, polyester voile creates rippling patterns which can be used as a valence.
Insulation: Reflectivity plays a major role in how effectively voile curtains insulate a space. Although they do not provide notable UV protection, exceptionally reflective polyester voile curtains will diffuse heat over a larger area by reflecting it back outside, creating a kind of ambient effect. They are not as effective dispersing direct sunlight.
Durability: As long as they are treated with basic respect, polyester voile curtains are surprisingly tough. However, if they are tugged on, or stepped on, the integral strength of the fabric will weaken, and the curtain will tear.
Price: Polyester voile is usually priced competitively with pure cotton versions, although it tends to be slightly more expensive.
100% Cotton Voile Curtains
Style: Cotton voile curtains have a purer, less ‘shimmery’ texture, imparting a more diffuse glow. Cotton sheer curtains are ideal for creating a softer, less glossy texture within a home.
Insulation: Cotton absorbs heat more effectively than polyester, and creates a more porous flow of air than polyester. UV blockage is slight. However, the reflectivity of cotton may not be as high as polyester, depending on the specific craftsmanship involved in making the voile. Bottom line: cotton retains heat better, but does not reduce the brightness of a room as effectively as polyester voile during peak sunlight hours.
Durability: Cotton voile sheers have great resiliency and strength, and will last for years if maintained properly. Cotton is resistant to tearing, but the sheer nature of the voile does make it prone to rips and other tears.
Price: Cotton voile curtains are not very expensive, and can often be slightly cheaper than polyester voile curtains.
