Ok, so I am trying to cover acoustic panels in black fabric, but GOM is expensive. Would using black speaker cloth from, say, part express work just as well? Or is there something about GOM that works better?

The GOM which is populare here is treated to be fire retardent. Another popular fabric which is less expensive that GOM is Dazian. Check the fabrics which are rated as FR or IFR

http://dazian.com/

Their Janus line is rated IFR and doesn't have discernable patterns

https://www.dazian.com/cgi-bin/page.pl?action=show_order_color&style_id=246&group_id=153&style_color_id=893&cat_id=0&color_family_id=10

The GOM which is populare here is treated to be fire retardent.
Technically, it is naturally fire retardant because of the particular polyester fibers used. This means it never needs to be re-treated if it is ever washed.

- Terry

Technically, it is naturally fire retardant because of the particular polyester fibers used. This means it never needs to be re-treated if it is ever washed.

- Terry

"inherently" fire retardant.....polyester is not natural! :p

"inherently" fire retardant.....polyester is not natural! :p
Okay. Then use a natural fiber -- like asbestos! :D

polyester is not natural! :p

However, GOM is green in as much as it is made from recycled plastic. Guilford of Maine is a major consumer of used plastic products.

http://media.npr.org/news/images/2007/jun/08/bottle_graphic.jpg

Source article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10874230

"inherently" fire retardant.....polyester is not natural! :p

But "inherently" has nothing to do with natural vs manmade. It means "built-in: existing as an essential constituent or characteristic."