Ian Short, Managing Director of Uni-Blinds ® integral blinds manufacturer Morley Glass, looks back on a year of product innovation coupled with enhanced installer support, and forward to the integral blind market trends set to emerge over the next 12 months.

One of the defining trends throughout 2025 has been the‘ flight to quality’ amongst many homeowners who are increasingly looking to maximise quality and performance when assessing their window and door options. And we have seen this in the orders we have fulfilled this year.

There is a sizeable proportion of the market that is prepared to invest more in products they believe provides value – not just the lowest cost. And many Morley Glass customers have been successful in securing sales of Uni-Blinds ® integral blinds to this group, tuning in to the needs of homeowners who believe that‘ you get what you pay for’.

Looking ahead, evidence suggests this market subsector could expand further as several industry commentators have highlighted recently. They point to a different mindset amongst many younger homeowners who are actively seeking out quality, so they don’ t have to budget for replacement work again any time soon. In addition to higher thermal performance, this is also increasing demand for integral blinds, particularly due to the long, maintenance and cleaning-free lifespan they offer.

Growing slimline appeal

Our most significant product developments in 2025 have extended the potential and appeal of the slimline ScreenLine ® SL16 integral blind system, which we offer exclusively in the UK. This is fast becoming a significantly important system for mainstream use for a variety of reasons.

Given to the longevity that PVCu frames offer, and have offered, for many years, significant improvements in a home’ s energy efficiency and comfort can be achieved simply by replacing the IGU featuring the latest generation of glass. The SL16 is ideal in many of these applications for one main reason – its slimmer than standard Venetian blind slats. This means it can be used in 24mm IGUs which are often required to fit the profiles of existing window and door installations.

A host of new SL16 colours were introduced in 2025. This has enabled installers to satisfy a strong consumer appetite for contemporary décor, with colour options now including Agate Grey( S120), Black( B160) and Light Grey( S155). This puts the system on a par with the other integral blind systems within the Uni-Blinds ® range.

And we have also been working with ScreenLine ® systems manufacturer Pellini S. p. A. to bring a motorised version of the SL16 to the UK market – look out for more details about the SL16 MB System soon.

There will be additional growth potential for the SL16 in 2026 thanks to its suitability for 28mm Part Q compliant IGUs featuring a 6.8mm laminated outer pane. If you wanted to use a standard ScreenLine ® integral blind system in an IGU with a 6.8mm outer pane, you would normally have to go up to a 32mm IGU. This would add cost to

the project – not ideal in a housebuilding sector where we know cost pressure is huge – but there’ s no need to do this if you choose the SL16.

Catching the wave

Another exciting product development in 2025 was our introduction to the UK market of the latest innovation by Pellini – the ScreenLine ® Wave. This has gained strong early interest thanks to its contemporary appeal, offering an industrial aesthetic that can work superbly with window and door frames finished in colours such as Anthracite, Agate Grey and Black.

Building stronger trade partnerships

Beyond our products, we also developed our service in 2025 with our

Registered Installer Scheme. This has strengthened our support for customers, ensuring we can be an active partner in their business success.

The scheme has brought together all the different dimensions of our installer support into a single programme, giving our customers clarity on what they can expect by partnering with Morley Glass for their integral blind requirements. Trade Partners receive a host of benefits including extensive marketing support, such as high quality brochures, point of sale materials, colour swatches and sample units, plus market-leading technical support and aftersales care.

www. morleyglass. co. uk