Do curtains drop or stretch after they're hung?
Yes, most curtains drop or stretch a little after they are hung. The fabric relaxes under its own weight over the first weeks after installation, so the curtain hangs slightly longer than on the day it went up. How much depends on the fabric, and heavy fabrics and long drops settle more.
How much depends on the fibre, the weave, the construction and the weight of the finished curtain. There's no single percentage that covers every fabric.
It's the reason we build a 5mm settling allowance into the drop. It's also the reason a curtain measured on day one and measured again a month later can give you two different numbers, both correct.
What makes it worse
- Weight. Self lined blockout, velvet and other heavy fabrics settle further.
- Length. A longer drop has more fabric pulling on itself.
- Humidity and temperature, particularly with natural fibres like linen.
- Being left packed. Curtains stored folded for a long time take longer to recover and dress out.
Settling is a normal characteristic of textiles rather than a manufacturing fault, which is exactly why floor clearance is worth talking through with your retailer when you order rather than after installation.
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.
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