A shade net's color is not just about looks — it changes how much heat the net absorbs, how light reaches the plants, and even how long the net lasts. Here is how to pick between black, green and white for your crop or structure.
Most people choose a shade net color the way they choose a shirt — whichever they like the look of. But color does real work on a shade net: it sets how much heat the net itself absorbs and re-radiates onto the crop, and how the remaining light reaches the plants. Get it right and the net cools your greenhouse; get it wrong and you add heat you paid to block.
The color of the yarn decides what the net does with the sunlight it does not pass through. A dark net absorbs that energy and warms up, re-radiating heat downward. A light net reflects more of it, staying cooler and bouncing some of that light and heat away. The shade percentage is the same either way — 50% shade is 50% shade — but the temperature under the net can differ by several degrees depending on color.
Black is the workhorse. It blocks the most light for a given shade percentage and absorbs the most heat, which makes it run the warmest underneath — a plus in cooler climates where a little extra warmth helps, and a minus in hot ones. Black is the common choice for general shade, greenhouses in mild regions, carports and construction screening, and it hides dirt better than lighter colors.
Green is the agricultural standard — a balanced middle ground that sits cooler than black but warmer than white, and blends into nurseries and orchards without drawing the eye. It gives an even, natural light that suits leafy crops and ornamentals, and it is the color we knit most often for growers. If you have no strong reason to choose otherwise, green is the safe default.
White is the coolest option: it reflects more light and heat than it absorbs, so the air underneath stays measurably cooler. That makes it the right call for flowering and heat-sensitive crops, and for hot climates where every degree counts. The trade-off is that white shows dirt and can look industrial in a garden setting — but for a crop that suffers in heat, cooling is worth the look. For an even stronger cooling effect, a reflective aluminum shade net takes the same idea further by mirroring heat away.
| Color | Heat behaviour | Light | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Absorbs, warmest | Blocks most | General shade, mild climates, carports |
| Green | Balanced | Even, natural | Agriculture, nurseries, orchards |
| White | Reflects, coolest | Diffuses | Flowering crops, hot climates |
Remember the shade percentage is independent of color — a 50% green net and a 50% black net block the same amount of light. The color only changes what happens to the light that is not passed through. Match the percentage to your crop, then use color to fine-tune the temperature.
Choose green as the all-round agricultural default — even light, natural look, balanced heat. Choose black where you want maximum shading and a little extra warmth, or where the net is more about screening than growing. Choose white (or aluminum) where heat is the enemy and the crop is flowering or heat-sensitive. Still weighing it up? Tell us your crop and climate and we will recommend the color, shade percentage and GSM to match.
Green is the agricultural all-rounder — balanced heat and even light. Black is best for maximum shading and warmth, white (or aluminum) for the coolest result in hot climates.
Yes. Black absorbs the most light and re-radiates it as heat, so it runs the warmest underneath. In a hot climate that works against you; in a cool one it is often a benefit.
Green for most leafy crops and ornamentals, white for flowering or heat-sensitive plants, and black for general shading where a little extra warmth helps.
Not at the same percentage — a 50% white net and a 50% black net block the same light. White simply reflects more of the light it does not pass, so it stays cooler underneath.
Green for the all-round agricultural standard, black for maximum shade and warmth, white or aluminum for the coolest result. Tell us your crop and climate and we will pick the color, percentage and GSM.