Curtain heading types change more than the look
The heading is the construction at the top of the curtain. It decides how the panel attaches, how freely it moves, which hardware it needs and sometimes where you measure the finished drop from.
Quick comparison
| Heading | Common hardware | Movement | Important buying check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyelet / grommet | Rod/pole threaded through rings in the fabric | Usually easy to slide on a smooth pole | Check the eyelet’s internal diameter against the rod and note that the fabric starts below the top of the pole. |
| Rod pocket | Rod/pole passes through a sewn sleeve | Best when frequent opening is not the priority | Check pocket size, rod diameter and how much gathering the seller expects. |
| Tab top | Rod/pole through visible fabric loops | Casual; loops can create more friction than rings | The tabs add height above the main curtain body, so listed length needs to be interpreted carefully. |
| Back tab | Rod/pole through hidden loops behind the heading | Neater front; movement depends on loop and pole fit | Check whether the product can also take rings or hooks; constructions vary. |
| Pencil pleat / heading tape | Hooks to rings or track gliders, depending on the tape/system | Flexible when matched to the correct hooks/gliders | Finished width can be adjustable; confirm the seller’s gathering instructions and hook positions. |
| Pinch / tailored pleat | Hooks/rings or compatible track carriers | Structured folds; good movement with correct hardware | Often made to a more fixed finished width than loose gathering styles; order by the maker’s measuring method. |
| Wave / ripplefold | Compatible track/pole system with specified glider spacing | Designed for regular, repeatable folds | Do not assume ordinary hooks create a true wave system; verify tape, gliders and spacing as one system. |
Start with compatibility, not appearance
An eyelet panel cannot be hung directly from an ordinary track glider, while a true wave heading relies on compatible track components and spacing. Heading tape is more flexible because it may accept hooks that connect to rings or track gliders, but the exact tape and hook positions are product-specific.
Fixed width vs adjustable gather
Ready-made curtains are not all sold using the same width logic. A flat eyelet panel usually has a listed flat fabric width. A heading-tape curtain may be gathered to a range. A custom pinch-pleat or wave curtain may be ordered to a finished width defined by the workroom. That is why Nenxo’s panel calculator is most direct when the listing gives the flat width of one ready-made panel; for made-to-measure headings, follow the maker’s finished-width system.
The heading changes drop measurements too
“Curtain length” is only useful if you know the reference point. Eyelets place the fabric around the pole, hooks may position the curtain below or in front of a track, and tabs extend above the curtain body. Measure from the exact place your chosen heading will hang, then compare that with how the seller defines its listed length.
Movement matters in everyday rooms
Opened twice a day
Prioritize smooth hardware and a heading designed to travel repeatedly. A decorative construction that drags on the pole becomes annoying quickly.
Mostly decorative
Rod pockets or tabs may be perfectly practical when curtains stay open or closed most of the time.
Very wide opening
Think about how much fabric must stack at the side and whether the chosen heading stays easy to move across the full span.
Layered curtains
A sheer and a heavier curtain need separate movement paths. Double rods or multi-channel tracks can solve that, but compatibility still starts with the headings.
Before you order
- Confirm the heading name and inspect the back/top construction, not just the front photo.
- Confirm the compatible rod diameter, ring/hook type or track glider.
- Check whether listed width is flat fabric width, gathered range or finished width.
- Check where listed length is measured from.
- Check whether the curtain is sold as one panel or a pair.
- For wave/ripplefold, use the track and heading components specified for that system.
Next decision: what should hold the curtain?
Compare visible rods and low-profile tracks before measuring the final span.
Rod vs track guide Panel calculator