Where to Buy Theatrical Curtains: A Stage Drapery Procurement Guide
Stage drapery is a significant combustible load suspended above, around, and behind the performance area of an assembly occupancy. Purchasing it is therefore a life safety decision as much as it is an an aesthetic one. This article establishes a procurement procedure for theatrical curtains, identifies the code provisions that govern them, and lists highly recommended vendors for fabrication, fabric supply, temporary drape, and flame-retardant maintenance.
So why am I writing it an article on where to buy curtains, when I don’t sell curtains and I have no vested interest in any of the vendors listed, and also this isn’t even an exhaustive list? I am writing it beacause a couple things need to happen, Curtains need to look good, and they need to be safe. So if you learn from this article you’ll walk out of here accomplishing both.
When it comes to curtains I’m also interested in companies that have a high qality threshold and commitment to craftsmanship. I also like companies who produce enough volume that you, the end user, can realize their savings. There’s many companies out there that claim they will sell you everything from one size of the alphabet to the other but do they sell enough of anything to realize bulk discounts? Not likely. These companies are great. I’ve worked with most. They routinely pass inspections and when I specify curtains I recommend them.
Side note: If you want me to write up specs that you can send to multiple companies and they send you a quote back on the exact same thing, I’m happy to. Use the same link for inspections above.
Moving on, Throughout this article, code mandate identifies what an adopted code literally requires, and recommended venue policy identifies conservative practice that exceeds the code. Your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) determines which code editions and local amendments apply to your building.
Code Requirements That Govern Stage Drapery
Three documents carry most of the regulatory weight for stage curtains in jurisdictions that adopt the International Codes: the International Fire Code (IFC), the International Building Code (IBC), and NFPA 701, which both I-Codes reference for flame propagation testing. Jurisdictions that enforce NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, reach NFPA 701 through Section 10.3.1.
| Requirement | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Curtains, draperies, fabric hangings, and similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings must be tested by an approved agency and meet NFPA 701 Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate, or show a maximum heat release rate of 100 kW under NFPA 289 using the 20 kW ignition source. | IFC 2021, Section 807.3 | Code mandate |
| Test reports must be prepared in accordance with the test method used and furnished to the fire code official on request. | IFC 2021, Section 807.3 | Code mandate |
| In Groups A, B, E, I, M, and R-1, and in Group R-2 dormitories, such materials may not exceed 10 percent of the specific wall or ceiling area to which they are attached. In Group A auditoriums, the limit rises to 75 percent of the aggregate wall area where the building is fully sprinklered under Section 903.3.1.1 and the material is installed per IBC Section 803.15. | IFC 2021, Section 807.2 and Exception 1 | Code mandate; application to a stage house is an AHJ determination |
| Combustible materials used in sets and scenery must meet NFPA 701 Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate. | IBC 2021, Section 410.2.6 | Code mandate |
| Test Method 1 applies to fabrics with an areal density of 700 g/m² (21 oz/yd²) or less, including single-layer curtain fabrics and sewn multilayer curtain assemblies. Test Method 2 applies to heavier fabrics, vinyl-coated blackout linings, lined draperies, and films. | NFPA 701-2023 | Test standard |
Fire safety curtains that protect a proscenium opening are a separate category. They are life safety systems governed by ANSI E1.22-2022 and are not purchased as decorative drapery. Direct any fire safety curtain question to a qualified fire safety curtain contractor and your AHJ.
Apply the Safety Hierarchy of Controls Before You Buy
Curtain fire risk is controlled most effectively at the specification stage, before any fabric is cut. Organize purchasing decisions in this order.
Elimination
Do not purchase soft goods that serve no masking, acoustic, or production function. Every unnecessary piece adds fuel load and counts against decorative material limits outside the stage house. Sorry Big-Box-Retail, Nothing you sell can be used on stage.
Substitution
Specify inherently flame-retardant (IFR) fabric wherever the design permits. IFR performance is a property of the fiber. Topically treated fabric depends on an applied chemical that cleaning, pressing, and age can degrade. New York City illustrates how seriously some jurisdictions treat this distinction: inherently flame-resistant products require a one-time certification, while treated material must be retreated and recertified after cleaning or pressing or every three years, whichever is sooner (Weill Cornell Medicine Environmental Health and Safety, n.d.). Outside New York City, adopting that interval for treated goods is a recommended venue policy, not a code mandate.
Sometimes IFR wont look good enough, maybe it’s too shiny or it holds its wrinkles too much, such as for a grand drape, in those instances (FR) Flame resistant is acceptable.
Engineering Controls
Match hardware to the load. Manual counterweight systems are governed by ANSI E1.4-1-2022, and powered curtain machines by ANSI E1.71-2023. Every new piece changes the load on its batten or track, so finished piece weight must be known before installation. Maintain separation between drapery and luminaires as required by the luminaire manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Administrative Controls
Documentation, labeling, inspection, and maintenance procedures keep a compliant purchase compliant. These controls are defined in the procedure and records sections below.
Personal Protective Equipment
PPE does not meaningfully reduce the fire hazard posed by stage drapery. Protection depends on the controls above.
Stage Curtain Procurement Procedure
- Assess the existing system. Inventory every piece by position, dimensions, fabric, flame-retardant type, and age. Locate existing test reports. Have battens, track, and supporting hardware inspected before adding new loads; ANSI E1.47-2020 provides guidance for entertainment rigging system inspections.
- Confirm AHJ requirements in writing. Record the adopted fire and building code editions, local amendments, and the documentation the fire code official expects to see.
- Write the specification. For each piece, state finished width and height, fullness (flat or sewn fullness as a percentage), fabric type and weight in oz/yd², IFR or treated, top finish, bottom finish, color, and a requirement for a permanently attached label.
- Require submittals before fabrication. Obtain a fabric sample, the NFPA 701 test report identifying the test method, testing agency, fabric, and test date, and the calculated finished weight of each piece.
- Verify the load. A qualified person confirms that the batten or track capacity accommodates the finished weight and plans the rebalancing of counterweight sets before the goods arrive.
- Install with qualified personnel. Installation on counterweight or motorized systems is performed by personnel qualified on that system.
- Accept the work. Confirm that every piece is labeled, that the delivered fabric matches the submitted report, and that the report is filed before the goods are used in a performance.
- Maintain flame-retardant status. Clean drapery only through vendors who document flame-retardant status after cleaning. Retreat and recertify treated goods according to the manufacturer’s instructions and any local requirement. Field flame testing is an AHJ function addressed in NFPA 705-2023; as recommended venue policy, staff do not perform improvised flame tests on installed goods.
Where to Buy Theatrical Curtains: Highly Recommended Vendors
Each firm below is designated Highly Recommended based on the author’s professional experience. That designation does not transfer responsibility: the owner still verifies the test report, label, and piece weight for every order.
Full-Service Drapery Fabrication and Installation
I. Weiss (Fairview, New Jersey, with offices in Missouri and Illinois). Highly Recommended. Drapery design and fabrication, in-house rigging manufacturing, rigging inspections, and curtain care.
Syracuse Scenery & Stage Lighting Co. (Liverpool, New York). Highly Recommended. Curtain manufacturer, theatrical dealer, and specialty contractor for rigging, track, and installation.
Texas Scenic Company (San Antonio, Texas). Highly Recommended. Stage curtain manufacturing, theatre system installation, counterweight and motorized rigging, and inspections.
Tiffin Scenic Studios (Tiffin, Ohio). Highly Recommended. Drapery, custom rigging, design, specification, installation, and safety inspections.
Gerriets International (Ewing, New Jersey). Highly Recommended. Stage curtains and custom sewing from a North American workshop, plus theatrical fabrics including velour and sharkstooth scrim.
MainStage Theatrical Supply (Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pensacola, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; Houston, Texas). Highly Recommended. Curtain design, manufacturing, and installation, plus track supplies and service.
Norcostco (Minneapolis, Minnesota, with additional locations). Highly Recommended. Supply and installation of stage drapery, manufactured drapery and fabric, and muslin and scrim drops.
Fabric and Production Supply (These are great if you’re using a local theatrical contractor, they can obtain from these folks and you can use local installers.)
Rose Brand. Highly Recommended. Stage drapes and fabrics, custom stage and event curtains, and production supplies. They can also do full-service if you’re within a reasonable distance of their office.
BMI Supply (Queensbury, New York). Highly Recommended. Fabric, curtain track, and technical theater equipment supply and installation.
Liba Fabrics. Highly Recommended. Production fabrics such as duvetyne and china silk. Confirm the flame-retardant documentation for each fabric before use in an occupied venue.
Event and Temporary Drape
Drape Kings (New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago). Highly Recommended. Drape and hardware sales, custom fabrication, rentals, staging, and wet cleaning. Rented and temporary drape installed in an occupied building carries the same NFPA 701 documentation obligation as purchased goods.
Cleaning and Flame-Retardant Maintenance
On-Site Drapery Cleaners (Ontario, Canada). Highly Recommended. On-site curtain cleaning, flame-retardant application, and flame-retardant testing and recertification. Confirm service area before scheduling.
Evaluating a Vendor Not Listed Here
Apply these acceptance criteria to any drapery source:
- Furnishes an NFPA 701 test report for each fabric, identifying the test method, testing agency, and test date.
- States whether each fabric is IFR or topically treated, and provides retreatment guidance for treated goods.
- Provides finished weight for each piece before fabrication.
- Labels every piece with fabric identification and flame-retardant information.
- Uses installers qualified on the rigging system involved.
- Provides written cleaning and care instructions that preserve flame-retardant status.
Records to Keep on File
- Drapery inventory with position, dimensions, fabric, IFR or treated status, and installation date.
- NFPA 701 test report for every fabric in service.
- Cleaning, retreatment, and recertification records for treated goods.
- Finished piece weights and the rigging documentation for the sets that carry them.
- Correspondence with the AHJ confirming applicable requirements.
References
Entertainment Services and Technology Association. (2020). ANSI E1.47-2020, Entertainment technology: Recommended guidelines for entertainment rigging system inspections. https://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php
Entertainment Services and Technology Association. (2022a). ANSI E1.4-1-2022, Entertainment technology: Manual counterweight rigging systems. https://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php
Entertainment Services and Technology Association. (2022b). ANSI E1.22-2022, Entertainment technology: Fire safety curtain systems. https://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php
Entertainment Services and Technology Association. (2023). ANSI E1.71-2023, Entertainment technology: Powered curtain machines. https://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php
International Code Council. (2020a). 2021 International building code. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IBC2021P2
International Code Council. (2020b). 2021 International fire code. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IFC2021P2
National Fire Protection Association. (2023a). NFPA 701: Standard methods of fire tests for flame propagation of textiles and films (2023 ed.). https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/nfpa/nfpa7012023
National Fire Protection Association. (2023b). NFPA 705: Recommended practice for a field flame test for textiles and films (2023 ed.). https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/nfpa-fire/nfpa7052023
National Fire Protection Association. (2024). NFPA 101: Life safety code (2024 ed.). https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-101-standard-development/101
Weill Cornell Medicine Environmental Health and Safety. (n.d.). [Flame-resistant curtains and draperies guidance]. https://ehs.weill.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/flamecurtains_0.pdf