To the eye there is not big difference between fabrics suitable for residential or commercial draperies. In fact, they may be interchangeable. The main factor and requirement is to select fabrics for commercial design that is inherently fire retardant. This means the fiber itself will not sustain or continue to flame. It is best to avoid treating fabrics with fire retarding chemicals as these treatments do not last long especially after cleaning.
When designing for commercial applications there are plenty of choices in fabrics that are inherently fire retardant. One area of confusion is understanding the codes that regulate these fire retardant issues. Unfortunately, it is not easy to navigate the maze of standards, regulations and requirements regarding this issue. Surprisingly, there are no “official” federal regulations regarding flame retardancy of drapery fabrics used in public spaces. However, there is a national standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), titled NFPA 701: Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films. Under NFPA 701, drapery fabric is tested by burning a small sample and measuring the flame, char length and flaming residue. If a fabric meets the NFPA 701 standards in these three areas, the fabric is considered flame retardant.