The Right Light at the Right Intensity
Every crop has a light saturation point — the sunlight intensity above which additional light no longer increases photosynthesis and begins causing heat stress, cellular damage, and yield reduction. Many crops in high-radiation environments are routinely exposed to light intensities well above this threshold.
A shade net installed above the crop canopy reduces incoming solar radiation to the level the crop can productively use — without blocking airflow, without enclosing the crop in humidity, and without the heat-trapping problems of solid film covers. The shade percentage — 30% through 90% — determines how much incoming light is excluded. Matching the percentage to the specific crop’s light saturation point and the regional radiation intensity is the critical specification decision. Too little shade provides insufficient protection. Too much suppresses photosynthesis and reduces yield.
➤ Knitted HDPE Shade Net
Knitted high-density polyethylene shade net is the commercial standard for crop shading worldwide. The knitted construction creates a dimensionally stable, lightweight net that resists tearing from a cut edge — unlike woven fabric, a cut in a knitted net does not propagate. This makes it the correct specification for installations that are cut to size or shaped around structures, and for situations where edge damage from wind or handling is a practical concern.
Construction: Knitted HDPE — monofilament or tape yarn Shade Percentage: 30% · 40% · 50% · 60% · 70% · 80% · 90% Colours: Black · Green · White UV Rating: 5-year · 8-year · 10-year Width: Up to 12 m — custom Length: Custom rolls or cut panels Custom Sizes: Yes Best For: Vegetables, flowers, nursery shade houses, fruit crops, livestock shade, car parks, sports facilities, outdoor hospitality
➤ Woven Shade Net
Woven shade nets in PP or HDPE tape offer a more rigid, dimensionally stable structure under sustained tension — suited to permanent shade structures and windbreak panels where shape retention under long-term mechanical load is the priority.
Construction: Woven PP or HDPE tape Shade Percentage: 30% – 90% Custom Sizes: Yes Best For: Permanent shade structure cladding, windbreak panels, animal husbandry shade, rigid structural installations