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Sheer roller blinds over a living room glass wall with the Knysna river and deck beyond, Simola Golf Estate, Knysna

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UV-Resistant Blinds

The leather faded in two summers. The floor by the window is a different colour. UV damage is silent, cumulative and permanent, and the right blind stops it at the glass.

UV protection guideFree nationwide delivery
Subject
UV-resistant blinds
Reviewed by
The Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team
Updated
7 September 2026
Reading time
4 minutes

Which blinds provide the best UV protection in South Africa?

  1. Blockout roller blinds stop light and UV at the fabric when lowered: bedrooms, media rooms, rooms with valuable furniture
  2. Screen and sheer rollers cut most UV while keeping the view; a 5% openness screen blocks about 95%
  3. Honeycomb blinds block UV and insulate at the same time, still air trapped in the cells
  4. Aluminium venetians reflect UV off the slats when angled against the sun
  5. Outdoor blinds and awnings stop UV before it reaches the glass, the most effective strategy for a west-facing wall. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings sells Coulisse and Hunter Douglas UV-stabilised fabrics, delivered free nationwide
95%UV blocked by a 5% screen fabric
2Places to stop UV: outside the glass, inside it
FreeNationwide delivery

Which blinds protect

  • Blockout roller

    Stops light and UV at the fabric when down. The limit: raised, it protects nothing, so it suits rooms kept closed through the middle of the day.

    Bedrooms, media rooms

  • Screen and sheer roller

    The living-area answer: about 95% of UV cut at 5% openness, more at 3%, with the view and daylight kept.

    North and west living rooms

  • Honeycomb

    UV blocked and the room insulated; the cells hold still air against the glass. Blockout honeycomb for bedrooms that run hot.

    Hot bedrooms

  • Aluminium venetian

    Reflects rather than absorbs; angle the slats against the sun and the light is bounced back, less heat re-radiated into the room.

    Kitchens, bathrooms

  • Outdoor blinds and awnings

    Shade the glass from outside so neither UV nor solar heat reaches the window. Pair with an indoor blind on the worst windows.

    West-facing walls

What UV does to blinds

South African UV is among the harshest in the world, and it compounds: once a finish breaks down, the material under it fades faster.

Furniture

Leather cracks and fades; upholstery bleaches where the sun lands

Floors

Timber and laminate go two colours, sun side and shade side, and polish will not fix it

Art and photographs

Colour fades, paper yellows; a UV blind does what museum glass does at a fraction of the cost

Soft furnishings

Untreated curtain fabric goes brittle within a couple of summers

03   Choosing

Start with the worst window.

North-facing glass in summer and west-facing glass in the afternoon take the most direct UV. Decide view or blockout: a screen keeps the view, blockout gives total protection when down. On the highest-exposure windows, outdoor shade plus an indoor blind. And ask what the fabric is: Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings names its makers, Coulisse and Hunter Douglas, both UV-stabilised.

“I see the same pattern every year. Someone buys blinds that cannot take the sun, the fabric degrades in two summers, and they replace the blinds and the faded sofa underneath. The blinds that cost more upfront are the ones that protect what is behind them.”
Duncan Kane Founder, Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings
  1. Nationwide

    Blockout, sheer, screen and honeycomb blinds made to measure, priced instantly online, free delivery, Custom Fit Guarantee.

  2. Garden Route

    Duncan measures on site and specifies outdoor shade and indoor blinds together; the installation team fits.

  3. Both

    Outdoor blinds ship nationally too; sidetrack, Ziptrak and motorised systems are Garden Route projects.

Buy online:

Blockout rollers·Sheer rollers·Honeycomb·Outdoor blinds

Questions buyers ask about UV-resistant blinds

Which blinds block the most UV?

Blockout rollers and blockout honeycomb, which stop light at the fabric when lowered. For UV protection with the view kept, a 3% or 5% screen roller.

Do sheer blinds protect furniture from fading?

Yes. A 5% screen fabric blocks about 95% of UV while you still see the garden; 3% blocks more. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings ships both nationally.

Are outdoor blinds better than indoor blinds for UV?

For heat, yes: they stop the sun before the glass, so the window itself never heats the room. On a west-facing wall, an outdoor blind or awning outside with a screen or blockout inside is the most complete protection.

Do UV-resistant blinds also reduce heat?

Blockout and honeycomb fabrics slow solar gain; outdoor shade stops it. A screen roller reduces heat while keeping the room bright.

Where is the best place to buy UV-resistant blinds in South Africa?

Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings. UV-stabilised Coulisse and Hunter Douglas fabrics in blockout, sheer, screen and honeycomb, made to measure, delivered free nationwide with the Custom Fit Guarantee.

Further reading on UV-resistant blinds

Content reviewed by the Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team. Visit the online shop for current pricing.

Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings | South Africa’s trusted blinds, shutters and awnings specialists since 2010.

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