What are roller shades?
Roller shades are made of continuous panels of flat fabric or vinyl without pleats that roll up and down to cover a window. Roller shades have existed in some iteration for centuries, yet they remain a practical, attractive, and budget-friendly window treatment option for homeowners today. Shades were popular in the early days of the United States and featured painted designs and even landscapes that could be viewed by those outside of the house as well as inside the house. Made out of fabric or paper, these shades were anchored in place by strings or loops which were wound around a cleat on the wall. It was in the 19th century when these window treatments became popular by Stewart Hartshorn, who patented and. subsequently manufactured the roller shade, paving way for their commercial use today.