Mermet Fabrics
Mermet USA has woven vinyl-coated fiberglass solar screens in Cowpens, South Carolina for more than 20 years. Exotic Shades & Draperies sources the mill directly, keeps it in stock, and specifies its E Screen, M Screen, T Screen, Satiné and GreenScreen weaves on Lutron, Somfy and manual shades across Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach and Palm Beach.
The reference solar screen, woven in the American South
Mermet's South Carolina plant opened in 1986 and has woven fiberglass sunscreen there since 2000. The lines we specify - E Screen, M Screen, T Screen, S Screen, Natté, Satiné and the GreenScreen Evolve and Revive weaves, KOOLBLACK versions included - are on Mermet's own Made-in-USA list and are compliant with the Build America, Buy America Act and the Buy American Act. That is a written answer for a condo board, a hotel brand or a public project that asks where the fabric comes from.
We reach for E Screen first on a wall of South Florida glass because it does the two things a screen must do on the water: stay flat at 120 inches wide in year-round humidity, and publish its numbers. Every colourway carries its openness, UV blockage, solar transmittance and visible light, so the same fabric can be specified tighter on a west exposure and more open on the ocean side, and the whole floor still reads as one shade.
Our clients want charcoal. Mermet's KOOLBLACK technology is why we can say yes: a dark weave engineered to reflect infrared heat, so the view stays clear and the fabric stays cool to the touch.
Mermet by the numbers
Woven in Cowpens, South Carolina
Plant established 1986, fiberglass weaving since 2000. E Screen, M Screen, T Screen, S Screen, Natté, Satiné, GreenScreen Evolve and GreenScreen Revive (Deco and KOOLBLACK versions included) are listed by Mermet USA as Made in USA.
KOOLBLACK technology
Dark solar screens that reflect infrared heat instead of absorbing it, so a charcoal weave performs closer to a light colour while keeping the clearest view. Lutron lists E Screen with KOOLBLACK in 15 charcoal colourways at 1%, 3% and 5%.
Certifications
GREENGUARD Gold for low chemical emissions; NFPA 701 and California Title 19 on E Screen; Build America, Buy America (BABA) and Buy American Act compliant on the Cowpens lines, which matters for public, institutional and many commercial specifications.
Openness and width
E Screen 0.5% to 10% and M Screen 1%, 3%, 5%, both to 120 inches; T Screen 1% and 3% to 120 inches; Satiné under 2%, light-filtering with a blackout option, to 108 inches; GreenScreen Evolve 3% to 116 inches. Figures as published for the Lutron-carried versions.
Every Mermet colourway we carry, with its spec sheet
Each page shows every colourway with its swatch, openness and published light figures. Natté, S Screen and the rest of the Mermet range are available by request.
Sources: Mermet USA, Made in the USA; Mermet USA, Our Story; Mermet USA FAQ; Lutron fabric specifications. Retrieved September 2026.
Frequently asked
Is Mermet fabric made in the USA?
The Mermet lines we specify are. Mermet USA weaves E Screen, M Screen, T Screen, S Screen, Natté, Satiné and the GreenScreen Evolve and Revive lines in Cowpens, South Carolina and lists them as Made in USA, compliant with the Build America, Buy America Act and the Buy American Act. The wider Mermet group also weaves in France; if a project needs a specific line, we confirm its origin in writing before ordering.
What is KOOLBLACK?
Mermet's heat-reflective technology for dark solar screens. A standard charcoal fabric absorbs solar heat; a KOOLBLACK weave reflects a large share of the infrared, so it stays cooler and performs closer to a light colour while giving the clearest view. It is our default on ocean-facing glass in South Florida.
Which Mermet fabric should I choose?
E Screen for most glass, in 3% for living areas and 1% on hard west or south exposures; T Screen when a softer, textile look is wanted; M Screen for a quieter neutral palette; Satiné when the room needs light-filtering privacy or a matching blackout; GreenScreen Evolve when a sustainable specification is required. We bring the books and decide window by window.
Can I get Mermet on a Somfy or manual shade?
Yes. We source Mermet directly and keep it in stock, so the same fabric is available on Lutron, Somfy, our Essential tier or a manual chain, cut and finished in our Fort Lauderdale workroom without waiting on a mill run.
Is Mermet certified for high-rise and commercial use?
E Screen carries NFPA 701 and California Title 19 flame-retardant listings and GREENGUARD Gold; the Cowpens-woven lines are Build America, Buy America compliant. We supply the spec sheets with the quote when an association or a project requires them.
Discerning homeowners, designers, and developers across South Florida trust Exotic with their most important spaces.
"I'm really happy with my new curtains! The team came to my place, helped me choose the right fabric, and guided me through the whole process. Great service and beautiful results. Highly recommend, A+."
"We were referred to Exotic Shades by our contractor. They understood exactly what we had in mind and delivered it. The whole process was simple, and the pricing was very good."
"I needed help adjusting the existing Lutron shades in my new home. Most companies would not touch a system installed by someone else, but Exotic sent a technician the same week."
Control systems these shades answer to
Every motorized system we install runs from a remote, an app or the home's control system. Which one depends on the motor family, so we settle it before the shade is made.
Lutron
Sivoia QS, Triathlon, Serena and Palladiom shades: Pico remotes and the Lutron app, with native integration to Crestron, Control4, Savant, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Home through Caseta, RadioRA 3 or HomeWorks. Lutron motorized shades.
Somfy
Sonesse, Glydea and WireFree motors on Somfy RTS or Zigbee: Telis and Situo remotes, the TaHoma app for scenes and schedules, Amazon Alexa and Google Home through TaHoma, and Control4, Crestron and Savant through the TaHoma integration. Somfy motorization.
Crestron
Crestron shade motors and drapery tracks commissioned into the home's Crestron processor and keypads with your integrator, with the fabric, hems and hembars still made in our workroom. Crestron shades.
Specify Mermet on your glass
One free hour with our team routinely saves owners thousands in avoidable mistakes - wrong fabrics, bad mounts, missed motorization. We bring the Mermet and Phifer books, the samples and honest answers. Start with the free guide: the 5 costly mistakes.