Choosing between brass and steel eyelets comes down to three things: where the curtains will hang, how the finish needs to look, and what the job can carry in component cost. Steel eyelets are the workroom workhorse. They cost less per pack, set cleanly through most curtain headers and cover the bulk of domestic and contract work. Brass eyelets earn their higher price wherever moisture is involved, because brass will not rust, and wherever a specification calls for larger statement sizes or a wider choice of finishes.
We stock both ranges in matching finishes, in packs of 25 or 100, with next day nationwide delivery and bulk pricing for trade. This guide compares the two materials on durability, finish, sizing and pack price so you can decide what belongs on your shelf. Browse the full range of metal eyelets or read on for the detail.
Material Properties: Strength, Weight and Corrosion
Brass is a copper and zinc alloy, and that chemistry is the reason workrooms have trusted it for generations. It does not rust. Left untreated it develops a slow, even patina rather than the flaking corrosion you see on damaged steel, which makes it the safer choice for any window where condensation gathers. Brass is slightly softer than steel, so it rolls and sets smoothly under a press without cracking, and it carries a little more weight per eyelet, which can actually help the header of a heavy curtain sit and drape evenly along the pole.
Steel is harder and more rigid, so a correctly set steel eyelet grips the fabric sandwich firmly and shrugs off the repeated pull of daily opening and closing. Its corrosion resistance comes from the plated finish rather than the base metal, which is rarely an issue in a dry living room or bedroom but worth thinking about in kitchens and bathrooms. Where steel wins outright is cost: it is the more economical way to eyelet high volumes of curtains without compromising on a professional result.
Finish Options: Matching the Hardware to the Scheme
Both materials are available in the finishes workrooms ask for most: antique brass, antique copper, antique nickel, gunmetal, nickel and satin nickel. That overlap matters in practice. You can run cost-effective steel eyelets through the main bedrooms of a project, switch to brass for the bathroom blind in the same antique nickel finish, and the client will never spot the difference at the window.
If the scheme calls for something less common, the brass eyelets range goes further, adding black nickel, black matte and silver milk to the standard line-up. For darker contemporary interiors, the matte and gunmetal options have become steady sellers, and because every finish is applied to a quality base metal, the colour stays consistent from one batch to the next.
Which Eyelet for Which Job?
For heavy, interlined curtains on thick poles, either material will hold, but the larger 50mm and 66mm sizes in the brass range give you the bigger hole a chunky pole demands, and the extra weight of brass helps the pleats fall evenly. For lightweight voiles and sheers, 40mm steel eyelets keep the component cost sensible on work where margins are tight.
For bathrooms, kitchens, coastal properties, garden rooms and any outdoor textile work, brass is the only answer we recommend. Steam, salt air and damp will eventually find a weak point in a plated steel eyelet, and replacing a corroded eyelet means remaking the header. For blinds, tab tops and general textile work in dry rooms, steel does the job at the better price.
Whichever material you pick, the header behind it does as much work as the eyelet itself. A properly fused strip of eyelet buckram gives the punch a firm, stable sandwich to cut through and stops the fabric puckering around the ring. We cover the full buckram range in more depth elsewhere on the site.
Pack Price Comparison
All prices include VAT and are correct at the time of writing.
| Steel Eyelets | Brass Eyelets | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes available | 40mm as standard | 25mm, 40mm, 50mm and 66mm |
| Pack sizes | 25 or 100 | 25 or 100 |
| Entry price | From £5.94 per pack | From £7.92 per pack |
| Antique finishes | From £5.94 per pack | From £10.56 per pack |
| Best for | Volume work in dry interiors | Wet rooms, outdoor use, large sizes |
The headline figures only tell part of the story. Larger brass sizes and speciality finishes sit higher in the range, while 100 packs always work out cheaper per eyelet than 25 packs. On a job needing several hundred eyelets, the gap between materials narrows once you factor in our bulk pricing, and orders over £100 ship free. If you are costing a large contract, contact the team for a bulk quote before you price the work.
Sizing: Order by Hole Diameter
Every eyelet in our range is sized by the diameter of the hole, not the outer ring, so double-check before ordering. The 40mm eyelet is the industry standard for curtains and runs comfortably on poles up to about 30mm; as a rule of thumb, allow at least 10mm of clearance between pole and hole so the curtain glides rather than grinds. The 50mm and 66mm options in the brass range cover thicker poles and oversized statement headers, while 25mm suits lighter applications and smaller hardware.
Both ranges come in packs of 25 or 100. If a job calls for a quantity that does not fit those packs, get in touch and we will do our best to put something together for you.
When It Pays to Stock Both
Most established workrooms end up holding both materials, and for good reason. Steel covers the everyday run of domestic curtains and contract work where price per unit decides the quote. Brass sits in reserve for specification jobs, wet rooms and any client who wants a finish the steel range does not carry. Keeping a 100 pack of each in your two or three most-used finishes means you are never waiting on a delivery to finish a header.
If your eyelet volumes are climbing, the tooling matters as much as the consumables. A dedicated press sets eyelets faster and more consistently than hand tools, and our eyelet machine range covers everything from workshop presses to the industrial Hyproflex. We have written before about why eyelet machines are a necessity for any textile business, and it remains the single best upgrade for a workroom doing regular eyelet curtains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can brass or steel eyelets be fitted by hand?
No. None of our eyelets are clip-on, and they cannot be installed by hand. You will need a hand tool or a press to set them. For regular volumes, a dedicated machine from our eyelet machine range is the faster and more consistent option.
Which material lasts longer in a bathroom or coastal property?
Brass. It will not rust, so steam, condensation and salt air do not threaten the eyelet or stain the fabric around it. Steel relies on its plated finish for protection, which makes it better suited to dry interiors.
Are the same finishes available in both ranges?
The core finishes, including antique brass, antique copper, antique nickel, gunmetal, nickel and satin nickel, are available in both. Black nickel, black matte and silver milk are exclusive to the brass range.
What size eyelet do I need for a 35mm curtain pole?
Go up to a 50mm eyelet. A 40mm hole would technically fit a 35mm pole, but with only 5mm of clearance the curtain will drag. Allowing at least 10mm of clearance keeps the header running smoothly.
Can I order a sample before committing to a pack?
Yes. We offer a sample service to UK addresses so you can check the finish against your fabric before ordering. Use the sample request form on the site or contact us and we will get one out to you.
Stock the Right Eyelet for Every Job
Steel for volume, brass for moisture and statement sizes: get that split right and you will rarely be caught short. Shop the full eyelets range online with free shipping on orders over £100, request a sample to check a finish, or get in touch for bulk trade pricing. Order before 12pm and your eyelets arrive the next working day.