Leading window covering fabric suppliers strive to find the best products for its projects. Whether that means stronger, more durable, higher performing, or more stable fabrics, users want their products to perform as expected. Window shades are expected to control light and provide visual and thermal comfort for occupants. At one end of that spectrum are fabrics that significantly reduce light transmission. Common industry terms for these fabrics are dimout, room darkening, and blackout. All three terms refer to fabrics that are used for light elimination, but the use and definition of the terms may change depending on supplier. This paper will primarily use the term blackout and attempt to answer the question of what it means for a fabric to be blackout. As improvements are made to these fabrics, the solar shading industry must match the advances in product technology with advances in evaluation. Some evaluation techniques have become so accepted into the textile industry that they are overlooked for change despite being outdated and inconsistent. Currently, fabric blackout measurement is not defined in the US and the techniques that exist do not meet the expectations of the end-user. Blackout fabrics are used in many applications from residential homes, to the hospitality sector, to office conference rooms. These fabrics are desirable in the solar shading industry for thermal and light control and privacy which is why it is so important that testing come up to speed with the market.
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