The Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is a quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to faithfully display the colours of a variety of objects compared to natural light or a standard light source.
It is the ability of a light to show the actual colour of an object compared to an ideal light source (natural light).
The correct name for the "CRI" value usually marked on commercially available lighting products is the CIE Ra value. "CRI" is a generic term, while CIE Ra is the international standard colour rendering index.
The Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is a measurement of the natural colour rendered by an artificial white light source compared to sunlight.
The index is measured on a scale of 0-100, with a score of 100 indicating that the colour of an object under the light source is the same as it would be in natural sunlight. a CRI of Less Than 80 is usually considered 'poor',
While More Than 90 is considered 'good'. High colour rendering index LED lighting delivers beautiful, vibrant shades across the full colour spectrum.
Which CRI Ranges to Use
When purchasing and installing white LED lights, we recommend a CRI of Over 90 but also say in some projects, A Minimum of 85 can be acceptable. Below is a brief explanation of the CRI ranges:
CRI 95 - 100 → Phenomenal color rendering. Colors appear as they should, subtle tones pop out and are accented, skin tones look beautiful, art comes alive, backsplashes and paint show their true colors.
Used widely in Hollywood production sets, high-end retail stores, printing and paint shops, design hotels, art galleries, and in residential applications where natural colors need to shine brightly.
CRI 90 - 95 → Great color rendering! Almost all colors 'pop' and are easily distinguishable. Noticeably great lighting starts at a CRI of 90.
Your newly installed teal-colored backsplash in your kitchen will look beautiful, vibrant, and fully saturated. Visitors begin to compliment the counters, paint, and details of your kitchen,
But little do they the lighting is mostly responsible for it looking so amazing.
CRI 80 - 90 → Good color rendering, where most colors are rendered well. Acceptable for most commercial uses. You may not see items as fully saturated as you would like.
CRI Below 80 → Lighting with a CRI below 80 would be considered to have poor color rendering.
Under this light, items and colors may look desaturated, drab, and at times unidentifiable (like being unable to see the difference between black and navy-colored socks). It would be difficult to distinguish between similar colors.
High CRI LED lighting renders beautiful, vibrant tones across the full-color spectrum.
As a consumer, it can be difficult to know which energy efficient lighting solutions are appropriate for your business.
There are a lot of ways to measure high quality lighting. Still confused? Or want an expert to answer some questions for you?
Contact us today to see how Vertex Lighting can help!
