What does CRI mean?
CRI means Colour Rendering Index. The Colour Rendering Index is divided into scales from 0 to 100 per cent. It indicates how truthfully the colour of an object is displayed when you compare it to daylight. CRI values can be divided into four categories. The higher the CRI, the better a light source conveys the colour. How high the CRI value should be, also depends on the environment and activities. In numbers, the CRI value is represented from 60 (very poor) to 100 (excellent).
CRI between 90 and 100: excellent
Supermarkets and retail are a good example. Customers buy a dress because of its bright and beautiful colour. But they also buy green apples that are on offer when they do look beautifully green in real life. For this a CRI with a high value is important, because it accurately shows the colour of the product. A CRI value between 90 and 100 is also often used in the following places: spray booths, print shops, drawing rooms, museums and arts galleries.
CRI between 80 and 90: good
This CRI value is used in offices, schools, libraries and in warehouses. Within these spaces, it is important that productivity and concentration levels remain high. Colours must be displayed well, especially for teaching a class or for employees to stay focussed in meetings or during presentations. LED panels and LED tubes are the most popular LED fixtures when it comes to a CRI between 80 and 90.
CRI between 70 and 80: poor
This CRI value is often used in LED outdoor lighting or emergency lighting. You often find these lights in places where there's not always someone present. That's why a good CRI value is not important. It's also important to know that colour rendering is not related to the colour temperature of a light source. The colour temperature creates a certain atmosphere in a room, but does not affect the degree to which colours are rendered.
CRI between 60 and 70: very poor
The best example of light sources with a 'very poor' CRI value are lamp posts. Being able to see colours well in the dark is not important; nor is it always possible. The main premise with a CRI of 70 or less is that the colour rendering in practice differs greatly from the actual colour. Another fun fact: in the first generation of LED lights, almost every single one still had a low CRI (60-69). Nowadays, of course, this is no longer an issue.
Also important to know...
CRI is not related to colour temperature. The number of Kelvin (colour temperature) has mainly to do with creating a certain atmosphere. If you would like to know more about colour temperatures, click here.
Today most LED lights have a CRI value between 80 and 100. Therefore, you can find the perfect LED light for every situation. The very first LED lights had a low CRI (60-69). Because LED technology has improved enormeously in recent years, we can offer LED lights with a very high CRI (90-100). If you're switching to LED, then you're in the right place in terms of colour rendering!
