Which Zebra Blind Fabric Should You Choose? A Spec-Sheet Guide for Dealers

The Short Answer

Choose a zebra blind fabric in three steps: first the look of the solid bands (pleated, linen-look, melange, dense or patterned), then the technical values that decide how the blind behaves (weight, thickness, fabric width and pattern repeat), and finally a physical sample held against the real window. The solid bands decide how much light and privacy the blind gives when closed; the thickness and weight decide how large the fabric roll becomes and how the blind hangs.

Zebra blinds, also called day and night blinds, use one fabric with alternating sheer and solid bands that passes twice around the tube. Sliding the two layers over each other moves the window from filtered light to privacy without raising the blind. Because the whole effect comes from the fabric, the fabric choice matters more than on almost any other blind. This guide explains what each line on a zebra fabric spec sheet means, using our own Zebra Blind Fabrics 2026 catalogue as the worked example.

What Makes a Zebra Fabric Different?

Two layers, one fabric

A roller blind fabric is one continuous material. A zebra fabric is woven with horizontal bands: open, sheer stripes and closed, solid stripes. The fabric runs down the front of the blind, around the bottom rail and back up behind, so there are always two layers in front of the window. When the sheer bands line up, you see out. When the solid bands cover the sheer ones, the view closes. Our comparison of zebra and roller blinds covers the system side in more detail.

Why the solid band does most of the work

The sheer band looks similar across most zebra fabrics. The solid band is where collections differ: its weave, density, texture and colour decide how dark the closed blind looks, how much privacy it gives in the evening and how the blind reads in the room. When customers say they "like that fabric", they almost always mean the solid band.

Which Band Styles Are There?

Zebra collections are usually grouped by the character of the solid band. Our 2026 catalogue has 110 colours and designs in 32 series, grouped into four families. The table below shows what each family is good at.

Pleated and gradient bands

Pleats give the solid band a three-dimensional relief that catches side light. In our catalogue the pleated series run from very fine micro-pleats to wide pleated bands, and some add a glitter yarn or a colour gradient. They suit bright living rooms, show apartments and shop windows where the blind should look light even when closed.

Linen, melange and slub textures

Linen-look and melange bands imitate natural fibres while keeping the practical side of polyester. They are the safest choice for residential dealers, because warm neutrals sell in most markets. Heavier slub weaves such as a shantung look feel more luxurious but are thicker, which matters for the roll size.

Dense and patterned bands

Closely woven bands give a darker closed position and better evening privacy than an open texture. Patterned bands (marble, metallic or grid designs) make the blind a design element. Use them where the window is a focal point, not in a room that already has patterned curtains or wallpaper.

How Do You Read a Zebra Fabric Spec Sheet?

A good spec sheet lists six values. Here is what each one tells you and the range found across the 22 fully specified series in our 2026 catalogue.

Composition and fabric width

Most zebra fabrics are polyester, because it holds its shape on a tube and keeps the bands straight. Fabric width matters for large windows: the bands of a zebra blind run horizontally, so the blind width cannot exceed the fabric width. For an opening wider than that, or wider than the mechanism allows, plan two or more blinds side by side and agree where the joins between them will sit.

Weight and thickness

Weight and thickness are not the same thing. A dense, closely woven fabric can be heavy but thin; a slub texture can be relatively light but thick. In our catalogue the heaviest fabric is 202 g/m² at 0.53 mm, while the thickest is 1.50 mm at 195 g/m². Weight tells you more about how the closed blind looks; thickness tells you more about the hardware.

Pattern repeat and band size

The repeat in the weft direction follows the band pitch. In our pleated series, for example, the narrow pleat has a 12 cm repeat and the wide pleat 24.5 cm. A large repeat gives bold, wide stripes; a small repeat looks finer and calmer. On a short drop, a large repeat means fewer bands, so check how many full bands will show on the smallest window in the order.

How Does the Fabric Affect the Hardware?

Roll size and cassette

A zebra blind always rolls two layers of fabric, so a thick fabric on a tall window makes a large roll. Before you confirm a fabric for a tall drop, check with your manufacturer that the roll fits the chosen cassette or headrail. If a customer wants a thick texture on a very tall window, the answer may be a larger cassette or open brackets rather than a different fabric.

Manual or motorised operation

Heavier and larger blinds need more effort to operate by chain and benefit from a motor. Zebra blinds also gain more from motorisation than most blinds, because the small movement between open and closed bands is easier to hit precisely with a motor control. We supply every zebra fabric as a manual or motorised blind, with motors from brands such as Somfy, Novo and Ronco; see our page on motorised blinds for control options.

Which Fabric Suits Which Room?

Homes and rental properties

Living rooms and kitchens are the classic zebra rooms. Linen-look and melange bands in warm neutrals are the easiest sellers. For bedrooms, remember that a zebra blind is light-filtering, not blackout: if the client wants a dark room, pair it with a blackout roller or curtain.

Offices and shop windows

Plain or dense bands in greys and neutrals suit offices, where privacy changes during the day. Shop windows and showrooms can carry a pleated or patterned band, because the blind is part of the display.

Hotels and serviced apartments

Zebra blinds work in living areas of suites and apartments, while the sleeping zone usually needs blackout. If the project requires fire documentation, ask for it for the exact fabric before you approve it; documents belong to a tested fabric, not to a whole collection. Our guide to fire-safety requirements for hotel curtains explains how to ask. For sunny coastal projects, our guide to blinds for Mediterranean and Gulf climates covers sun and humidity.

What Should Dealers Check Before Ordering?

A short checklist

• Series and colour code: note the exact code, for example "Bambu V-5", on the order and on the customer's approval.
• Physical sample: hold it against the customer's window in daylight and, for privacy, against a lit room at night.
• Widest and tallest window: check the fabric width against the widest blind and the roll size against the tallest drop.
• Band count on small windows: a large repeat on a short drop can look unbalanced.
• Operation: manual or motorised, chain side, and the control type if motorised.
• Documents: fire or other test reports only where the project requires them, for that fabric.

Keep the range manageable

Dealers rarely need a whole collection on display. A practical shop range covers one pleated, one or two linen or melange series in neutrals and one dense band for privacy. Special patterns can be ordered from the catalogue when a customer asks. Our wholesale blinds page explains how mixed orders work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are zebra blind fabrics made of?

Most are polyester. All fully specified series in our 2026 zebra catalogue are 100% polyester, which keeps the bands straight and the fabric stable on the tube.

Can a zebra blind fabric be blackout?

Not in the usual sense. Dense solid bands make the closed blind darker, but the sheer bands and the double layer mean zebra blinds are light-filtering. For a dark room, combine a zebra blind with a blackout roller blind or curtain.

Does fabric thickness matter?

Yes. A zebra blind rolls two layers, so thickness sets the roll size. Thick textures on tall windows may need a larger cassette.

How wide can a zebra blind be?

No wider than the fabric width, because the bands run horizontally and cannot be joined invisibly. Our zebra fabrics are 320 cm wide; the mechanism may set a lower limit, which we confirm per order.

How do you clean zebra blind fabric?

Dust with a soft brush or a vacuum on low power, and spot-clean according to the fabric's care instructions. For the fabrics in our catalogue that means wiping with a damp sponge, not washing.

Can I get samples before ordering?

Yes. We send physical samples for approval before production, because colours on screen and in print differ slightly from the real fabric.

Request the Catalogue, Samples or a Quote

LuxiVeil is the export brand of Gökcan Home, a manufacturer of blinds and curtain systems producing in Antalya, Türkiye, since 1994. We cut, assemble and fit every zebra blind to measure in our own workshop, manual or motorised, for dealers, interior designers and project buyers. Download the Zebra Blind Fabrics 2026 catalogue from our catalogues page, note the series and colour codes you like and send them with your window list or drawings, the operation type and the delivery address. Use the quote form on our contact page, or message us on WhatsApp for a quick first answer and samples.