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The correct PVC strip curtain grade depends entirely on your specific application, environment and performance requirements. This guide explains each major grade in plain terms.
Clear Standard PVC
Best for: General purpose pedestrian and light commercial applications; indoor doorways requiring visibility through the curtain.
Clear standard PVC is the most widely used grade. Made from virgin PVC compound, it provides good light transmission and flexibility for most indoor applications between 0°C and 40°C. Not suitable below 0°C; will yellow over time with UV exposure.
Ribbed PVC
Best for: Wider openings where additional stiffness is needed; vehicle access points; openings exposed to air pressure differentials.
Ribbed PVC has a corrugated surface profile that adds vertical stiffness, helping strips maintain a straight hanging position on wider applications where plain flat PVC would bow or fold.
Polar / Freezer Grade PVC
Best for: Cold rooms, blast freezers, refrigerated loading bays, any application below 0°C.
Uses specialist plasticisers that remain stable at temperatures as low as -30°C. Standard PVC becomes brittle at sub-zero temperatures and cracks; polar grade remains flexible throughout the operating range of most cold storage applications.
Anti-Static (ESD) PVC
Best for: Electronics manufacturing, server rooms, pharmaceutical production, cleanrooms, spray booths.
Incorporates a conductive additive giving the material surface resistivity in the range of 106–109 Ω (dissipative range, per IEC 61340-5-1). Prevents charge accumulation on the strip surface that could damage ESD-sensitive components or ignite flammable vapours.
Anti-Insect / Fly Screen PVC
Best for: Food facilities, commercial kitchens, premises with Environmental Health requirements for pest exclusion.
Anti-insect PVC incorporates features designed to deter insects. For food businesses, combining anti-insect PVC strips with brush strip seals provides a comprehensive pest exclusion system that satisfies EHO inspections.
Welding Grade PVC
Best for: Welding booths, plasma cutting areas, anywhere UV and IR radiation from welding must be screened from bystanders.
Manufactured in amber, blue and green formulations that absorb UV and IR radiation to levels specified in ISO 25980:2017. Provides specific, quantified light attenuation while remaining translucent enough for safe working visibility.
Flame Retardant PVC
Best for: Areas where fire risk assessment identifies a need; premises storing flammable goods; buildings with specific fire safety requirements.
Incorporates additives that significantly increase the ignition temperature and slow the spread of flame. Meets European fire classification requirements (typically DIN 4102 B1 or BS 476 Part 7 Class 1).
Coloured PVC
Best for: Zone demarcation, traffic management, colour coding systems, high visibility safety applications.
Available in yellow, red, blue, green and orange. Widely used in warehouses and factories to create visible zone boundaries, direct pedestrian traffic or mark out safety areas.
Frosted / Privacy PVC
Best for: Office and commercial partitioning, areas where visual privacy is required while maintaining light transmission.
Diffuses light rather than transmitting it clearly. Useful for changing rooms, consultation areas, back-of-house retail partitions and any application where visual privacy matters but light flow should continue.
Need help choosing the right grade? Browse our full range of PVC strip curtains or contact our technical team. Free UK delivery on all orders.