S-fold vs pinch pleat vs wave: choosing a curtain heading

Curtain headings have a naming problem. Shoppers compare S-fold, wave, and pinch pleat as if they were three different decisions, when two of them are the same curtain wearing different labels. We sew every one of these headings in our own Australian factory, so here is the straight version.

First, clear up the names

S-fold and wave are the same heading. The curtain runs in continuous, even S-shaped folds along a track, front to back, with no sewn-in pleats at the top. In Australia it is usually sold as S-fold. In the UK the same look is sold as wave, and in the US you will see it called ripplefold. Three names, one construction.

Pinch pleat is genuinely different. The fullness is sewn into the curtain as permanent, tailored pleats, gathered in groups of two (double pinch) or three (triple pinch), and the curtain hangs from hooks.

One more distinction worth keeping straight: a heading is not a light-control category. Sheer and blackout describe the fabric. S-fold and pinch pleat describe how the curtain is constructed at the top. Any of these headings can be made in a sheer or a blackout fabric.

S-fold: the contemporary default

An S-fold curtain hangs from gliders on a track, and the track spacing is what creates those even, rolling folds. Because the geometry comes from the hardware, the folds stay uniform from the first day to the tenth year.

The trade-off is that S-fold needs a track. It cannot hang from a decorative rod, because the fold pattern depends on the glider spacing. Tracks can be wand-operated or motorised, and ours are made in our own factory alongside the curtains.

S-fold is also hungry for fabric, which is where a lot of quiet corner-cutting happens in this industry. For single curtains, our cutting schedule never allows a curtain below 2 times the track width, the smallest multiple anywhere in the schedule is 2.08x, and most common window sizes land between 2.3x and 2.9x. We published the full schedule, size by size, in our S-fold fullness guide. If you are comparing quotes, ask every supplier for their fullness number before you compare prices.

Nine in ten single curtains we made in the past year were S-fold. It suits sheers especially well, because the soft, continuous wave lets a light fabric drape instead of bunching.

Pinch pleat: the tailored classic

Pinch pleat curtains carry their structure in the sewing. The pleats are folded, pinched, and sewn into the header as permanent groups, then the curtain hangs from hooks. The result reads more formal and upholstered than S-fold, with defined columns of fabric rather than a continuous wave.

Double pinch groups the fabric in pairs and gives a cleaner, more relaxed pleat. Triple pinch gathers more fabric into each group, so the header looks fuller and the curtain sits more traditionally.

The practical advantage of pinch pleat is hardware freedom. It hangs happily from a track or from a decorative rod, which makes it the natural choice if you already own rods or want them as part of the look. Hooks also let you fine-tune the hang height in a way glider tape does not.

Pencil pleat: the budget classic

For completeness: pencil pleat gathers the header into a tight, even ruche using a drawstring tape. It is the most traditional of the headings and the most forgiving to hang, and it also works on rods or tracks. We make fewer of them, but the option is there if the room calls for it.

What each choice costs

Less than you would expect, is the honest answer. Across thousands of curtains we made in the past year, the median spend per curtain was within about 5% whichever heading the customer chose. Size and fabric drive the price of a custom curtain. The heading mostly changes the look.

So choose the heading on look and hardware, not on price. If the budget question is on your mind, our guide to what custom curtains cost in Australia publishes the maker's real price table.

How to choose in 30 seconds

• You want a relaxed, contemporary look, or you are buying sheers: S-fold. It is what most of our customers choose, and it is what we would put in most living rooms.
• You want a tailored, classic look, or you are hanging from rods: pinch pleat. Triple pinch for a fuller, more formal header, double pinch for something quieter.
• You are working to a traditional brief or a tight one: pencil pleat earns its place.
• You want motorisation: any heading works, because the motor lives in the track. Ask for motorised tracks with whichever heading you choose.

Whichever way you lean, the fabric decides more of the finished look than the heading does. Order a sample pack before you order curtains: swatches come with free express post, up to 10 for $5, and a $10 voucher to use on your order.

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