Why Roc-lon^® Drapery Lining Fabrics?

The look of it all. Allowing more fullness and body to pleats and folds due to the extra layering of fabric, drapery linings add an aesthetically pleasing touch to any room.

The protector of the house. Roc-lon^® lined draperies fight off condensation and moisture that often seeps in through windows with their water-repellant finish. These linings act as a protective layer for expensive face fabrics.

The ultimate sun block. People aren’t the only ones who need protection from the sun. Fabric is often left neglected to battle against light. Drapery linings help protect against sun deterioration, decreasing the amount of exposure to face fabric upholstery and carpets and fading.

Who said extra weight was a bad thing? The extra weight that drapery linings add allows the draperies to hang beautifully. Linings de-wrinkle, allowing creases to smooth out.

To a long, healthy life. The extra protection provided by linings greatly extends the life of draperies. Linings also promote good health because they provide the dark, quiet environment that is important for quality sleep.

Silence is golden. Multiple layers of Roc-lon^® coated and blackout linings on top of a polyester/cotton base reduce sound, allowing you to rest.

Energy savings = cost savings. The air pockets in the extra layering that drapery linings provide insulate windows, blocking solar heat gain during the summer or in warm climates and reducing drafts during the winter. Roc-lon^® drapery linings help save on heating and air conditioning costs.

Privacy, please. In this time of heightened security awareness, Roc-lon^® drapery linings prevent wandering eyes from peering into your home. Silhouettes that can be seen through most draperies at night are eliminated.

Design and décor. Roc-lon ^® offers decorative flexibility through a multitude of design choices.

Extensive range in types of linings. Roc-lon^® understands that its customers have diverse demands and lets you choose from a variety. Roc-lon^® window fabrics are also available in All-In-One™ printed blackout drapery fabric and ready-made TLC^® blackout liner. Click on Products for further details.

FAQ’s Roc-lon^® Blackout Drapery Linings (BDLs)

What is a "Blackout" Drapery Lining?
A Blackout Drapery Lining (BDL) is a base fabric with a coating that prevents exterior light from entering through a window.

Why is that important?
BDLs are important for the home and the well being of the customer. Linings prevent the damaging effects of Ultra-Violet rays on furniture as well as the draperies themselves. As a result of this added on defense system, heating and air conditioning costs are reduced.

But how are they important to people? Sleep deprivation is increasing annually as people juggle work, school, family, and friends into their lives. Sleeping in turn is put on the backburner and this can have disastrous effects such as irritability, drowsiness, lack of concentration, and even deterioration of the immune system. Linings may not change a person’s mind to sleep longer, but at the bare minimum the quality of sleep will improve dramatically. BDL's completely block out any light and impair sound disturbance, so absolute undivided attention is placed to getting rest, and getting it quickly.

Are there different types of BDLs?
BDLs can be divided into two main categories— "3-pass" and "2-pass". The difference between the two types lies in the manufacturing process. Your specific needs of the finished drapery treatment will in turn determine from which to choose.

Can you describe the difference?
In order to differentiate between the two, we will break down the processes. First, all BDLs start as a base cloth of some polyester/cotton blend. The 3-pass goes through a first coat or "pass" of white acrylic foam that seals the weave and will finish as the cloth side of the lining. The second pass consists of a black "opaque" coat, creating the lining feature to block light. The third pass is a "finish" coat available in either white or ecru coloring.

The 2-pass goes through the same manufacturing process, the exception being the very first pass of white acrylic foam. Therefore, the black opaque coat is applied directly to the base cloth and the cloth side in turn gives off a gray color.

Both styles are 100% blackout and are manufactured by Rockland Industries.

How do I decide whether to use a 2-pass or 3-pass BDL?
A 2-pass is recommended when the lining is to be sewn into the drapery. A 3-pass is recommended when the lining is to be used as it’s own drapery. If the face fabric for sewn-in installation is light or transparent, a 3-pass is advised to prevent possible bleed-through of gray from 2-pass use.

Both styles hold same degree of blackout ability.

Textile or Foam? Which Side Faces the Window?
Roc-lon^® BDLs were not manufactured for a specific placement order once in the home so the choice is completely up to the customer. Either way will still allow for 100% blackout so the decision boils down to personal preference. Many times, people place the foam side to the window, but cloth side to the window is arguably used so side and bottom hems do not incur as much damage in erosion from furniture and carpeting abrasions.

What are the different BDLs that Rockland produces?
In three-pass blackout, Roc-lon^® makes Blackout the "Un-Vinyl", Budget Blackout™, and Textralon-S™ in both flame resistant (FR) and non-flame resistant (NFR) finishes. Our flame resistant two-pass blackouts are Lights Out™ and Sleep Safe™. Our non-flame resistant two-pass blackout product is Sleeper™.

What makes Roc-lon^® BDLs different from others on the market?
We are the world’s market leader in blackout linings and therefore offer the quality, value, and special features in our products that competitors do not come close to matching. Superior performance in providing 100% blackout is not simply a benefit that comes with being the largest national manufacturer of drapery and blackout linings, but a prerequisite for company operation.

To be more specific, blackout linings are devised with nothing less than superior acrylic foam formulation that confirms our competitive advantage within the textile industry. This formulation, brought about by tremendous efforts and advances within Rockland’s Research and Development, will not crack, peel, or bubble and protects against "cold cracking". Tough protection, a soft inviting appearance, and the practicality of the linings being completely dry cleanable make our BDL's a household name. Literally every yard of Roc-lon^® blackout drapery lining is marked with an invisible trademark identification that can only be seen under ultra-violet light, guaranteeing authenticity of the industry’s finest.

We also provide exclusive "Edge-to-Edge"™ blackout; a selvage trimmed material with full-width blackout coverage to reduce workroom expenses and waste. Our linings also offer measurable insulation and sound sedating properties at a competitive price. When you purchase a product from us, you get the signature Rockland special treatment that landed us the coveted "E-Star" Award for Excellence from the US Department of Commerce.

Are there different qualities of BDLs?
Yes, two different versions are available for Roc-lon^® linings, market quality and premium quality. Market quality primarily targets commercial usage and premium quality is for that special customer who demands nothing but the absolute best. The difference between the two does not lie in their blackout ability (both are 100% blackout), but in relation to the thread count on the base cloth. The higher the thread count, the more intricate and pleasing the product is to the eye and hand.

What about Flame Resistance?
Roc-lon^® BDLs are available in flame resistant (FR) and non-flame resistant (NFR) finishes. The flame resistant finish passes all federal, state, and local fire codes for utmost security. The FR BDL's are also certified to pass the NFPA 701 Standard Method of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation for Textiles and Films.

What widths are available?
Roc-lon^® linings are available in a 70%/30% polyester/cotton base cloth in 54" (137cm) widths. Furthermore, Budget Blackout™ is available under 48" (122 cm) and both FR and NFR are available in an exclusive size of 110" (280 cm) width. Exclusive size is also available for the Sleep Safe™.

Further customized widths are available for large quantity orders.

Are BDLs available in colors?
Rockland offers the widest range of colors for blackout users in the industry. To find out specific hues for each individual blackout drapery lining, click on Window Covering Products

* When specifying colors, the cloth side is always referred to first, i.e., "Ivory/Ecru" is Ivory on the cloth side with Ecru foam backing.

What other blackout products does Rockland Mills Produce?
Rockland is proud to offer the DecoRest™ II collection, a dramatically engineered drapery and bedspread fabric collection featuring Rockland Mills' exclusive Textralon-S™ Blackout -- a high-count, specifically prepared for printing, 3-pass blackout with a 70/30:polyester/cotton construction. With several pattern and color combinations, the DecoRest™ II collection offers the advantages of an all-in-one product -- decoration, blackout, insulation, sound deadening, and flame resistance (when needed) -- to reduce fabrication and material costs by eliminating the need for a separate blackout lining.

What are the Put Ups, and What Quantities Can I Order?
All 48" (122 cm) and 54" (137 cm) width blackout linings are put up as an average in 60 yard (55 m) rolls. These are packed as an average 360 yards (330 m) to a case. Roc-lon^® Blackout, DenimTones™, DecoRest™ II prints, and Lights Out™ blackouts are available by roll or case. Budget Blackout™ (FR and NFR), Sleeper™, and Sleep Safe™ FR are available only by the case. Our wide-width 110" (280 cm) blackouts are put up in 50 yard (46 m) rolls and are shipped full width as individual rolls by truck.

Special put-up roll sizes available for large quantity orders.

You mentioned dry cleanability. How do I care for BDLs properly?
Click here for cleaning instructions.

What is Edge-To-Edge™?
Edge-To-Edge™ is one of the latest advancements for Rockland concerning BDL technology. It is composed of aerocellular acrylic foam that runs through its entire width, therefore eliminating the use of additional trimming. Other perks include the reduction of manufacturing time and costs, and it’s availability in all 3 widths (48", 54", and 110") as well as in Roc-lon® 2 and 3-pass flame resistant and non-flame resistant blackout drapery linings, including:

Roc-lon^® Blackout "The Un-Vinyl"
Roc-lon^® Budget Blackout™
Roc-lon^® DecoRest™ II
Roc-lon^® DenimTone™
Roc-lon^® Lights Out™ FR
Roc-lon^® Sleeper™
Roc-lon^® Sleep Safe™ FR
Roc-lon^® Textralon-S™

For questions or more information, please call Rockland Industries at 1-800-876-2566 or fax 1-410-522-2545 or email mail@roc-lon.com.