This blinds install in Coco del Mar, a beautiful coastal neighborhood in Panama City highlights one particular effect of screen material, and as such the roller shade product:

Without Rollers @ 10:30 AM: notice the shadows and sunlight reflected on the floor

After installing the roller shades, look to see if you notice the reduction in direct sunlight into the room. Note the same floor area that was shown before, see if you notice what is missing.

With Roller Shades @ 12 PM: Note the lack of any shadows, bright sun reflection on the floor, yet how much visibility there is to the outside

The fabric used in this install was the Standard Collection Dark Bronze, which is a mid-high efficiency sun control fabric with excellent visibility. In fact, many people who look at the second photo might not even realize they have shades.

But most important of all is something that many people who look at sun control screen fabric falsely assume- that screening fabric is not adequate enough in reducing light and heat. It does, and it does it amazingly well, while maintaing a large part of the visibility to the exterior.

I liked this picture!

Uno. SUN CONTROL SCREEN

Sun Control Screens are considered the most industrial product of the screen family. of all of the selections, as they are made with energy efficiency and durability in mind. While manufacturers have found ways to make these blinds in a variety of designer colors, they are a function first item in that they are the most efficient in cutting glare, reflecting the sun and keeping UV rays and heat out while still letting some degree of light to filter through.

Main Features of Sun Control Screen:
a. Durable: most durable of all screens. easy to clean.
b. Energy efficiency: made with temperature control in mind.
c. Filtration: Weave designs are focused on allowing controlled light filtration for optimal working and living spaces.
d. Due to the inherent fire retardancy of the vinyl coating, a solar screen will never help a fire spread.
e. Most solar screen offers privacy during the day.
f. Solar screens also act as insect mesh.

There are three common compositions of Sun Control Screens:

A1. Polyester Coated with PVC:
An inner polyester cord provides color to the weave, while a vinyl coat acts as a reflective property and protects the inner coloring, allowing you to clean any stains easily with a mild soapy solution without the worry of having the color fade or the weave crumple. The marriage between PVC and Polyester is the reason the sun control screen is the most durable of all screening material. Note that some manufacturers may add materials to increase efficiency and function, check with your local blinds provider.

A2. Fiberglass coated with PVC:
Take what I said about Polyester coated with PVC and apply it to Fiberglass. Some folk tend to shy away from Fiberglass due to its toxic nature, but note that since the weave is coated with PVC, the material would only become toxic if burnt.

A3. Any of the above, with an aluminum backing:
An efficiency step forward that is seen from several solar screen manufacturers is aluminum backing. While this relatively new technology is quite expensive, it squeezes out a bit more efficiency out of your blind as the aluminum backing repels more of the sun’s rays.

Dos. PRIVACY SCREENS

Privacy Screens provide can provide near equal solar protection to solar screens, except for one big difference: durability. Privacy Screens can be made of a variety of natural and synthetic materials: Fiberglass, Polyester, Cotton, Linen and many other materials. They are more apt for home use for some simple concern, they are not easy to maintain and their composition can affect their useful life. As such manufacturers to offer Privacy Screens in decorative and designer colors, which often gives them a softer look than sun control screens. Privacy Screens, depending on the material, can be very tough to clean once given a nasty stain.