Knitted vs. Woven Shade Cloth – What’s the Difference?

Woven is constructed from woven polypropylene. It is about 30% heavier than knitted and typically costs about 30% more. The lifespan is about 10-12 years. Woven is more plastic looking than knitted and has a distinct grid of horizontal and vertical lines.

Woven cloth does have two major drawbacks. It is only available in black and will unravel if a hole occurs. Primary application is for greenhouses.

Knitted is made from knitted polyethylene and has an expected life of 7-10 years. More cloth-like to the look and feel and has threads running in various directions. Due to the construction, it will not unravel if cut or if a hole occurs.

We sell about 95% knitted due to the variety of colors and strength of the fabric. Hundreds of uses including back yard shade, windbreak, deer fencing, aviary and carports.

Please do not install shade cloth with excessive tension.  Shade cloth is meant to rest on an existing structure.  If you are searching for a product with tension, please check out our Shade Sails.

Please note that while we try to provide you with precise panels, the acceptable tolerance in shade cloth is +/- 4″.