Curtain Heading Styles Explained

Of all the decisions that go into a curtain purchase, heading style is one of the most consequential — and one of the least understood by customers. It affects the silhouette of the finished curtain, the fullness of the fabric, the type of pole or track required, and ultimately the overall character of the window treatment.

For retailers, being fluent in heading styles is essential. Customers rarely come in knowing what they want — they know how they want their room to feel. The job of the sales team is to translate that into a heading recommendation that achieves it.

Why heading style matters

The heading is the top of the curtain — the part that attaches to the pole or track. Different heading styles gather, fold, or pleat the fabric in different ways, which has a cascading effect on everything below:

• Fullness. Gathered and pleated headings require significantly more fabric than the window width — typically 2 to 2.5 times — to achieve their characteristic look. Eyelet and wave headings use less.
• Drape. How fabric falls from the heading determines the overall silhouette. Tight pencil pleats create a formal, structured look. Wave headings create soft, continuous curves.
• Hardware compatibility. Some headings only work with poles; others only with tracks; some work with both. Getting this wrong means the curtains can't be hung.
• Price. Headings that require more fabric or more complex making — such as hand-stitched pinch pleats — cost more than simpler styles.

Pencil pleat

The most common heading style in the UK and much of Europe. Pencil pleat uses a woven tape sewn to the back of the curtain; cords in the tape are drawn up to create tight, even vertical pleats roughly the size of a pencil — hence the name.

Look: Traditional, formal, structured. Works equally well in classic and contemporary interiors depending on the fabric choice.
Fullness: 2 to 2.5 times the track or pole width.
Hardware: Compatible with both poles (using rings and hooks) and tracks.
Best for: Customers who want a classic, full look and good value for money. The tape makes it one of the easier headings to make up.

Eyelet (ring top)

Eyelet curtains have large metal rings punched directly through the fabric at the top, through which the pole threads. The fabric forms soft, even folds between each eyelet.

Look: Contemporary, relaxed, casual. The pole is visible between the folds, making hardware selection more important.
Fullness: 1.5 to 2 times the pole width — less fabric than pencil pleat.
Hardware: Poles only — eyelets cannot be used with tracks.
Best for: Customers who prefer a modern, unfussy look. Also popular because they're easy to hang and draw back smoothly.

Note: the pole diameter must be compatible with the eyelet ring size — typically 35mm or 50mm poles. Always confirm this before ordering.

Pinch pleat

Pinch pleat headings have fabric gathered into formal pleats — typically groups of two or three folds — pinched together and stitched at the base. They can be hand-stitched (more expensive, higher quality) or made with pleat tape.

Look: Elegant, tailored, formal. Often used in period properties and traditional interiors, but also suits contemporary spaces when made in clean, simple fabrics.
Fullness: 2 to 2.5 times — similar to pencil pleat, but the pleats are spaced further apart.
Hardware: Poles (with hooks through rings) or specialist pinch pleat tracks.
Best for: Customers wanting a premium, bespoke look. Hand-stitched pinch pleat is the heading of choice for high-end interiors.

Wave / S-fold

Wave headings use a specialist tape that spaces hooks at precise intervals to create a continuous S-shaped wave across the full width of the curtain. The result is an even, sculptural ripple rather than distinct pleats or folds.

Look: Modern, architectural, contemporary. Particularly effective in larger windows and open-plan spaces.
Fullness: 1.8 to 2.2 times — the wave size can be adjusted to create tighter or looser ripples.
Hardware: Specialist wave tracks only — the precise hook spacing requires a track designed for it. This is an important upsell opportunity.
Best for: Customers renovating or building new, who are investing in a complete window treatment rather than replacing existing curtains. The track requirement means it's typically sold alongside new hardware.

Tab top

Tab top curtains have fabric loops sewn to the top of the panel, through which the pole threads. One of the simplest heading styles both to make and to hang.

Look: Casual, informal, relaxed. More suited to kitchens, bedrooms, and informal living spaces than formal reception rooms.
Fullness: 1.5 times — tab tops have limited gather.
Hardware: Poles only.
Best for: Customers on a budget or looking for a simple, no-fuss treatment. Worth noting that tab tops don't draw back as smoothly as other headings — relevant if the customer needs to open and close them frequently.

Goblet pleat

Goblet pleat is a variation of pinch pleat where the top of each pleat is opened out and padded to form a rounded, goblet-shaped form. It's exclusively a hand-made heading — there's no tape equivalent.

Look: Luxurious, formal, statement. The most decorative heading style and the most expensive to make.
Fullness: 2 to 2.5 times.
Hardware: Poles with rings and hooks.
Best for: High-end bespoke projects where the curtain is a focal point of the room. Rarely appropriate for functional, everyday curtains.

Helping customers choose

Most customers don't arrive knowing which heading style they want — they describe a feeling or a look. A few questions that help guide the conversation:

• "Do you prefer a more traditional or contemporary look?" — Traditional points toward pencil or pinch pleat; contemporary toward eyelet or wave.
• "Do you have an existing pole or track?" — This immediately rules out incompatible options.
• "How often do you open and close the curtains?" — Headings vary significantly in how easily they draw back; wave and eyelet are the smoothest.
• "Is this a feature window or a practical one?" — Feature windows justify premium headings like goblet or hand-stitched pinch pleat; utility spaces suit simpler options.

Once you have a style direction, showing the customer a visualization of their chosen heading in their actual room is the fastest way to confirm the decision. Different headings look dramatically different in context — something that's very hard to convey with a sample book alone. Tools like CurtainSpace let you show the finished result in the customer's room within seconds, removing the uncertainty that often delays or prevents a purchase.