Blackout Fabric – Light-Blocking Material for Curtains & Projects | Joann
Our blackout fabric delivers complete light blocking for bedrooms, nurseries, and media rooms where darkness matters. The triple-weave polyester construction stops sunlight, streetlights, and early morning glare without the stiffness or chemical smell of cheaper alternatives. We carry this material in 54-inch and 60-inch widths, so you can sew custom curtains, Roman shades, or window treatments without seaming multiple panels together.
Every yard ships ready to cut and sew on a standard home machine. The tightly woven backing prevents fraying at raw edges, and the matte finish on both sides means your curtains look polished from the street and from inside the room. Joann’s blackout fabric works for renters who need temporary window coverage and homeowners planning permanent drapes—machine washable, wrinkle-resistant, and available in neutral tones that layer under decorative sheers or stand alone.
What makes our blackout fabric effective
Fabric Construction & Light-Blocking Performance
Joann’s blackout fabric uses a three-layer weave where the center foam layer sits between two polyester face fabrics. This sandwich construction physically traps light particles instead of relying on dyes or coatings that wear off after a few washes. The result is permanent opacity—curtains sewn from this material will block just as much light five years from now as they do on installation day.
The matte surface texture scatters any residual light that reaches the fabric, preventing the glow-through effect you see with single-layer drapes. Seams and hems remain the only potential light leaks, so we recommend French seams or serged edges with a double fold for bedroom projects where total darkness matters. Nursery blackout curtains benefit from an overlap in the center or a wrap-around rod pocket that shields the gap above the rod.
Sizing & Yardage Planning for Window Treatments
Measure your window width and add 12 to 18 inches for side returns and center overlap if you’re hanging two panels. For floor-length curtains, measure from the rod to the floor and add 8 inches for hems and header allowance. Our 54-inch width covers most standard residential windows with a single panel per side; 60-inch width suits wider openings or gatherer heading styles that need extra fullness.
Plan for 1.5 times your window width in total fabric if you want flat panels, or 2 to 2.5 times the width for pleated or gathered styles. A typical 72-inch-wide window with two flat panels requires about 4.5 yards of 54-inch fabric after accounting for hems and headers. Joann cuts custom yardage in-store or ships pre-measured lengths so you avoid buying an entire bolt for a single-room project.
Sewing & Care Instructions
Use a size 90/14 universal or denim needle to handle the triple-weave thickness without skipped stitches. A walking foot helps feed all three layers evenly through your machine, especially on long seams. Backstitch at the beginning and end of every seam; the foam core layer won’t unravel, but the face fabrics can separate under tension if seams aren’t secured.
Washing & Maintenance
Machine wash in cold water on a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Skip fabric softener—it leaves a residue that reduces the fabric’s natural wrinkle resistance. Tumble dry on low heat or line dry to avoid shrinkage. The polyester faces release wrinkles as they cool, so you rarely need to iron. If pressing is necessary, use a medium setting with no steam and press from the wrong side to protect the matte finish. Store rolled rather than folded to prevent permanent creases in long-term storage.
More Light-Control & Privacy Fabrics
Rated 4.8 by verified buyers
Common Questions About Blackout Fabric
No special settings are needed, but use a size 90/14 universal or denim needle to handle the thickness. A walking foot attachment helps feed the triple-weave layers evenly and prevents puckering on long seams. Set your stitch length to 3.0mm for strong seams that don’t perforate the foam core excessively. Most home machines handle this fabric without tension adjustments.
The triple-weave construction blocks 99% of incoming light when sewn with proper seam allowances and hems. The remaining 1% typically leaks through gaps at the rod pocket or around the window frame edges rather than through the fabric itself. For total darkness, add side returns that wrap around the window frame and use a ceiling-mounted or wraparound rod that eliminates the gap above the curtain.
Yes. Customers sew blackout fabric into photography backdrops, RV window covers, tent linings for camping, projection screen backing, and even pet crate covers. The material is sturdy enough for upholstery projects like headboard panels or room dividers. Because it’s machine washable and wrinkle-resistant, it also works well for portable applications like trade show booth backdrops or temporary partitions.
Minimal shrinkage occurs if you follow care instructions. Pre-wash your yardage in cold water and tumble dry on low before cutting and sewing to account for any initial shrinkage. After pre-washing, the fabric is dimensionally stable and won’t shrink further with normal laundering. Plan for approximately 2% shrinkage in length during the first wash, which translates to about 2 inches per yard.
We stock blackout fabric in solid neutrals only. For printed or patterned blackout curtains, purchase decorative face fabric separately and attach the blackout yardage as a lining. Sew the two layers together along the side hems with slip stitches, or hang them on the same rod using back-to-back drapery rings. This layering method gives you design flexibility while maintaining full light-blocking performance.
Multiply your window width by 1.5 for flat panels or 2 to 2.5 for gathered styles. Add an extra 12 inches to the total width measurement to account for side returns that wrap around the window frame and block light leaks at the edges. For example, a 60-inch window needs two panels that are each 33 inches wide for flat coverage, or 45 inches wide each for a gathered look with side returns.
Polyester resists most fabric dyes, so traditional dye methods won’t work. Fabric paint adheres to the matte surface but may crack at fold lines or reduce the fabric’s flexibility. If you need custom colors beyond our stock neutrals, we recommend using blackout fabric as a lining behind decorative cotton or linen curtains that you can dye or paint. This preserves the light-blocking performance while giving you unlimited color options on the visible face fabric.