Don't Buy Blind: How to Evaluate Curtain Quality Using Fabric Swatches

Buying curtains online is convenient, but it also comes with risks. Without physically seeing and feeling the fabric, you may end up disappointed with your purchase. When the curtains arrive, they may feel stiff, look flat, or fail to block light as you expected. That’s why fabric swatches exist, not just as a nice-to-have, but as an essential decision tool to judge the real performance of a curtain fabric. A fabric swatch is worth a thousand pictures, and with it, you don't just look at the color; you feel the construction.

However, most homeowners don’t know what to do with swatches once they arrive. In this guide, you’ll learn how to properly judge curtain quality using fabric swatches, the same way professionals think about fabric. You’ll understand curtain fabric types, what to look for and how to tell whether a curtain will actually look and feel good once it’s hanging in your home.

Don’t have swatches yet? Order free swatches from Three Girls’ to follow along and perform every test in this fabric swatch guide with confidence.

The Hand Feel (Softness vs. Stiffness)

This is the first and most important test to perform on the fabric swatch upon arrival for identifying high quality fabric. It tells you instantly how soft or stiff the fabric feels, how heavy it is, its density, and whether it drapes naturally. It simply involves touching and handling the fabric: squeezing it, folding it, rubbing it gently between your fingers. A high-quality fabric will feel soft and flexible in your hands, while a low-quality fabric will feel rigid, scratchy, or almost like paper or plastic. A good fabric will feel like a luxury garment, and a bad one will just feel like a shower curtain. If the fabric feels stiff, it has been packed with cheap chemicals; if it's soft, it has undergone quality processing. 

Three Girls’ swatches are Pre-washed, meaning the quality you feel when you touch a fabric swatch is the quality you will actually receive. What you feel from the swatch is the honest, lived-in texture of the curtain. The fabric comes soft and relaxed, smells good and is not affected by subsequent washing. 

The Flashlight Check (Weave Density)

This is another test that helps you check the fabric swatch's weave density. This involves holding the fabric swatch to the light (a window during the day or your phone’s flashlight) and assessing the weave tightness and density (often measured as GSM). It visually exposes loose weaving, thin spots, and uneven yarn distribution. Loose weaves fall apart and look cheap. Tight weaves (like the ones produced at Three Girls) insulate and drape better. 

You also need to examine how light passes through the fabric. Does the fabric let in more or less light? This is important because a fabric may be labeled as blackout or light-filtering, and you need to confirm its authenticity. High-quality fabric allows light to pass through evenly or is well blocked, depending on the fabric type. The weave also looks consistent and rich. With low-quality fabrics, you’ll notice pinholes, streaks, or inconsistent light patches, which often point to low GSM or poor weaving.

For clarity on curtains GSM test, it typically ranges from: 

• 100–150 GSM for lightweight sheers 

• 200–300 GSM for standard drapes 

• Blackout curtains typically require higher fabric density (often 350 GSM or more), combined with specialized lining or weaving techniques to effectively block light.

Fabrics with high GSM offer greater opacity and durability, as well as improved insulation. Three Girls’ fabrics typically fall into a higher GSM range (around 350–400 GSM), which is why even our lighter fabrics feel substantial and the blackout curtains block light effectively without looking bulky.

The White Paper Method (Color Undertones)

With this test, you can identify the fabric's true color. It involves checking fabric undertones by placing the swatch on white printer paper. Fabric colors are rarely just white, beige, or grey, and almost every fabric color has an undertone, such as pink, yellow, green, or blue. These undertones become much more visible when placed next to true white. Online photos often hide undertones due to lighting, filters, or editing, and these mistakes can cause your curtains to clash with wall paint or furniture after installation. Therefore, with this method, you’ll find out if that "Beige" is actually Pink-Beige or Yellow-Beige, and if the white looks cream. 

This test is very crucial, especially if you want your curtain to match the wall paint or the flooring.

The Rub Test (Durability)

This test helps you to determine the durability of a fabric swatch. It involves gently rubbing the surface of the swatch with your fingernail or between your fingers. After doing that, check if it pills or snags. Fabrics with low durability pill, shed, and snag easily while high quality fabrics resist the friction and maintain their appearance for a longer period. Curtains experience more friction because of the daily opening and closing, brushing against furniture and exposure to kids, pets, and body movements. Therefore, this test helps you to know if such fabric when permanently installed will last as long as you intended. This test is especially important for living rooms, bedrooms, and family spaces.

The "Smell Test" (Safety)

With the smell test, you can determine the scent of the fabric swatch. It involves simply smelling the fabric. Many low quality fabrics are treated with chemicals that leave strong odors on the fabric. These chemicals may cause irritation or discomfort for sensitive individuals and linger on the fabric even after installation. Therefore, if that fabric swatch smells like a factory, the main fabric will definitely off-gas in your home. You need to be on the lookout for fabrics that smell neutral or clean and completely avoid those that smell like plastic, chemical, or factory-like.

At Three Girls, we are deeply committed to chemical-free, pre-washed fabrics which means their swatches smell clean and safe. This safety is especially important for bedrooms, children’s rooms, and homes with sensitive occupants.

How to Visualize the Final Look: Determining The Curtain Look After Installation

Instead of laying the swatch flat on a table, tape it to your wall near the window. Then step back 5 to 6 feet and observe it at different times of the day. This helps you understand the scale, the color dominance and how different light reflections change the fabric. You will also be able to determine whether it feels calm, soft, heavy, relaxed and airy, or overwhelming.
This step turns a tiny swatch into a real-world preview and helps you avoid costly mistakes or regrets.

Making Three Girls’ Fabric Swatches Work For You

Buying curtains without testing it with a fabric swatch is like buying clothes without trying them on;  it might fit, or it might not. But with fabric swatches and the right evaluation method, you get clarity before you commit. You’re buying confidently and not emotionally. 

Now that you know how to spot the best, put us to the test. Order your free swatches and see the Three Girls' difference for yourself.