It can be dumbfounding to come home from a day out with a burn despite spending all day under a shade sail. It’s easy to assume that once you’re in the protection of a sail, you’re protected from the sun and its UV rays but the truth is, not all sails are created equal. First of all it’s important to understand that the sun can affect you in two ways; directly and indirectly. Many of us forget that UV can reflect off surfaces like concrete, sand and even grass. So if a shade sail isn’t woven sufficiently enough, or made with poor materials, sun exposure is very likely.

If you’re thinking about installing a sail shade, it’s important to choose a shade sail with the right UVR protection. Each type of material has a percentage level that indicates the amount of protection from UV rays.

At Ezy Shades, we offer the Shadeflex Extrablock FR material, which has a 94% UVR rating — thanks to its close knitting pattern. This material is ideal for commercial tension structures, as well as standard carport structures, awnings and umbrellas. It also features self-extinguishing Fire Retardant additives available in most colours. Plus, the UV protection comes with a 10-year warranty.
The colour of the shade also determines the UVR protection, for example, looking at our Rainbow Shade materials, darker colours like black, which boasts 99% UVR protection, are generally better at protecting from UV rays. While colours like Ice White or Sunflower Yellow have a UVR protection of 78% and 81%.

Shade sails are an ideal way to create a safe and pleasant outdoor environment, so be sure to choose the right sail shade for protection all year round and for the years to come!