To be truly successful, a company should take care to ensure their office space maintains a welcoming, positive, and above all, productive environment. This includes everything from having the right types of commercial cabinetry, inviting floor coverings, as well as the most optimal commercial window coverings. Designing this productive and aesthetically pleasing workplace involves paying attention to a small but important detail – the fabric of your window coverings. By understanding what to expect from the different types of fabrics out there, you’ll be able to better determine which one is right for your business needs. From eliminating glare to optimizing natural daylight, to simply providing a connection to the outside world throughout the workday, the right window covering fabric can really play an important role when it comes to the overall employee productiveness and wellbeing. Keep on reading to learn more about some of the most common fabrics that are used in commercial window coverings to help keep offices working like a well-oiled machine.
Vinyl
First, let’s take a look at solar shades, which are often made with vinyl. These types of shades can sometimes also be combined with other materials such as fiberglass. One of the greatest benefits of these shades is that they provide useful protection against harmful UV rays and ward off unwanted glare – which is perfect for employees that spend a good part of the day in front of a computer screen. As such, solar shades are a wonderful option for the main workspace in the office. Since the fabric and composition help to reflect the sun’s energy, this helps keep the office cool and comfortable without overusing your office’s HVAC system. This means that on top of regulating the temperature, these shades can also reduce your energy costs. So when it comes to your office aesthetics, you’ll be breaking new ground without breaking the bank!
Your solar shades’ openness level will determine how much sunlight and privacy you can get. A low openness level with a tight fabric weave means the shades can block the sun more. A higher openness level indicates a looser weave, so the shades block less light. It’s up to you on how much natural light you’d like flowing through the main workspace. The lunchroom is another great area to install solar shades. Employees can enjoy the view and some sunshine while they’re on break. It should be noted that other than blackout solar shades, solar shades do not offer full privacy when completely closed. However, they do create a more comfortable and energy-efficient space that is ideal for any commercial space, particularly in this day and age when sustainability has become a crucial part of the office environment. Going green can save you green!
Polyester
With polyester as part of the composition of your shades, you can expect more privacy than with solar shades. Commercial roller shades are typically made with polyester, as well as other types of materials. They usually come in three different light controlling fabrics: light filtering, room darkening, and blackout roller shades. Plus, they often feature advanced motorized systems for easy control. With light filtering shades, you’ll only be able to see silhouettes from the outside when the rooms inside are brightened at night time, making these shades ideal for business purposes and providing an optimal level of privacy.
Since these shades are great at providing privacy and darkness, they’d be ideal for boardrooms and meeting rooms where presentations and important meetings take place. As previously mentioned, commercial roller shades can also be motorized, which provides extra convenience and security. Automating the opening and closing of your shades adds another level of safety for your workplace. Safety, shade, and style – what more could you ask for?
Eco-Friendly Materials
Eco-friendly window treatments are a great sustainable option, especially as many companies continue to make strides towards maintaining greener practices in the office. Since they’re available in a range of colors and openness levels, these types of shades will suit any space within the workplace. These window coverings are typically made from natural and biodegradable materials, some of which include fiberglass, hemp, recycled cotton, and wool. Eco-friendly window treatments are usually made with minimal materials. If your office has made a commitment to sustainability, it might just be time to give eco-friendly window treatments the green light.
For an even greener option, some eco-friendly blinds and shades are made with 100% recycled post-industrial fiber and plastic waste. If you’re interested in recyclable window treatments, look for ones that are cradle to cradle (C2C) certified. Cradle to cradle refers to a biomimetic approach to the design of products and systems that models human industry on nature’s processes, where materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms. The term itself is a play on the popular corporate phrase “cradle to grave,” implying that the C2C model is sustainable and considerate of future generations—from the birth, or “cradle”, of one generation to the next generation, as opposed to from birth to death, or “grave,” within the same generation. As such, once cradle to cradle certified products reach the end of their lifecycle, they can still be repurposed into something else – like eco-friendly commercial window coverings!
The Fabric Makes The Window
Now that you’re armed with a good overview of some of the window covering fabrics you can choose from, it’s time to explore your window of opportunity! You can now pick the best commercial window coverings that make sense for keeping your business and your office space working smoothly. As we’ve seen, the type of fabric you choose for your window coverings will ultimately have a significant influence on your workplace’s aesthetics, comfort, as well as overall functionality. Now it’s up to you to find the material that best complements the type of office environment your company wants to foster.
There’s no shortage of fabrics, colors, and styles when it comes to commercial blinds and shades. So go ahead and start exploring your options today at Elite Pro Shading.
