Projection Screen Fabric Guide
The fabric on a projection screen affects brightness, contrast, viewing angle and sound transmission as much as the screen's mechanism does. This guide explains the main fabric categories in plain terms; for the actual fabric SKUs we stock, see the fabric catalog.
Front Projection vs Rear Projection
Front projection fabric is designed to be viewed from the same side the projector shines from — this covers the large majority of installations, including home theatres, classrooms and boardrooms. Rear projection fabric is designed to be viewed from the opposite side of the projector, which sits behind the screen — useful where floor or ceiling space in front of the screen isn't available, such as some retail and museum displays.
Understanding Fabric Gain
Gain is a relative measurement of how a fabric reflects light compared to a standard reference white. A gain of 1.0 reflects light evenly across a wide viewing angle. Fabrics with gain noticeably above 1.0 (our range includes options such as "3D Silver" at roughly 2.5 gain ) reflect more light back toward a narrower zone in front of the screen — brighter image, but more sensitive to off-centre seating and hot-spotting. Fabrics with gain below 1.0 trade some brightness for deeper blacks and a wider usable viewing angle. There's no universally "best" gain — it depends on the projector's brightness, room lighting and seating layout.
Acoustically Transparent Fabric
Acoustically transparent fabrics use fine perforations or a woven weave structure that lets sound pass through with minimal loss, so a centre-channel speaker can sit directly behind the screen for dialogue that appears to come from on-screen. Our range includes both woven options (Micro Perforated Black & White Fabric, 4K Acoustic Grey, 4K Acoustic White) — see the fabric catalog for the full specification table.
ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) Fabric
ALR fabric uses an angular reflective structure to favour light coming from the projector's direction while rejecting light from other angles, which helps preserve image contrast in rooms that aren't fully darkened. It's commonly paired with our UST ALR and ALR screen categories, which are built specifically around this fabric behaviour.
3D Fabric
3D-capable fabric (typically a silver-toned, higher-gain surface) is engineered to preserve polarization or reduce cross-talk between left/right eye images for passive 3D projection systems, and is available in both solid and acoustically-perforated versions in our range.
Choosing a Fabric for Your Screen
Because we manufacture in-house, fabric choice can typically be matched to the screen category, room and projector you're working with. Use the screen calculator to confirm your size first, then get in touch with your room's lighting conditions and projector brightness — we'll recommend a fabric from the catalog or discuss a custom option.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "fabric gain" mean?
Gain compares how much light a screen reflects back toward the viewer versus a standard reference white surface. A gain around 1.0 reflects light evenly in all directions; higher-gain fabrics reflect more light back toward the seating area but can narrow the usable viewing angle.
Should I choose a white or grey fabric?
White fabric with a gain near 1.0 is the standard, colour-neutral choice for most rooms with controlled lighting. Grey fabrics have lower gain and are typically chosen to improve perceived black levels and contrast in rooms with some ambient light.
What is an acoustically transparent screen?
An acoustically transparent (perforated or woven) fabric has micro-perforations that let sound pass through the screen, so a centre speaker can be placed directly behind it for on-screen dialogue — common in home theatre and cinema setups.
What is an ALR (ambient light rejecting) fabric?
ALR fabric is engineered to reflect light coming from the projector's angle back to the viewer while rejecting light arriving from other angles (room lighting, windows), which preserves contrast in rooms that aren't fully dark.