The team at LED One Corporation knows how important choosing the right CRI Index for your lighting needs, and is here to help you make the right decision when choosing your lighting. Lighting can have a significant effect on your life. It can change the feeling of your surroundings; make it easier or harder to work. Having the right lighting can make a difference in your enjoyment level and can even make sure that you’re not wearing a black and a navy colored sock to work at the same time.
What is the CRI Index?
CRI Index stands for Color Rendering Index and is a way of measuring a lightings color compared to sunlight, using a 0 to 100 scale. When you are in natural sunlight you are able to see things clearly, naturally, and the true color which would receive a value of 100 on the CRI index. Lighting with an index rating of 80 is usually considered to be good for most applications. A CRI index rating of 90 or more is considered to be a “High CRI” light.
The CRI Index is different than the color temperature of light. Color temperatures are measured in Kelvin units, appearing such as 2700K or 5000K, and are referred to as ‘cool’ or ‘warm.’ The color temperature of light is normally referred to as ‘CCT.’
Why is the CRI Index Important?
In a retail or grocery store seeing a product with its actual color is very important to customers. When making choices a customer wants to be comfortable what they are looking at is accurate. CRI is important in photography so colors appear accurate. In medical offices and areas where people are working and need to see clearly are other areas where the color of light is important. CRI is not important for areas such as a parking lot or storage warehouse facility.
In your home lighting with a high CRI Index can be used to give your home a comfortable, natural feel or to highlight design areas or your home. You want lighting that makes your home appear bright and makes colors ‘pop.’ Lighting that is clear as the color in a natural, outdoor setting, is very desirable. Good CRI can give depth and luster to finishes, and show off the texture of your materials showing your home at its best. You want the colors of your paint, furniture and décor appear the best they can.
How Do I Know What the CRI Index is?
The CRI Index is frequently shown in the ‘Lighting Facts’ information of a bulbs packaging. You’ll find bulb information such as the number of lumens, energy efficiency, wattage, and the CRI Index. Most LED lights have a CRI Index around 80 to 90. Choosing the bulb with the highest CRI Index will show the closest true color of your home or business.
If you Have Questions, Give us a Call
The LED One Corporation team understands the Color Rendering Index and can answer any questions you might have and help you make the best choice for your uses. We stock many bulbs for uses in a variety of different commercial and residential applications. LED’s provide an energy efficient solution and can be used in new or retrofit applications. So give us a call, we are here to help.