Skip to Main Content
Motorized solar shades on windows in a living room.

What Makes Solar Shades Environmentally Friendly?

Graber Solar Shades might just be the world’s most eco-friendly window shades.

Made with plastic bottles recycled from the ocean, these solar shades take a bite out of pollution. And these recycled PET plastic shades are themselves recyclable.


Ocean Plastic and Its Effects

The story of the Eco-Friendly Graber Solar Shade begins with the plastic that makes its way into our oceans. On average per shade, eco-friendly solar shades are created from five plastic bottles from the ocean.

Discarded plastic waste is a major problem for our oceans. Although most plastic items are disposed of properly, the millions of tons of plastics that do make their way into the oceans cause major problems. One floating collection of plastic called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” has nearly two trillion pieces of plastic. Because of the durable nature of plastic, those pieces of plastic could be there for many years to come.

Cordless solar shades on a window in a living room.

The Durability of Polymers

Plastic’s durability comes from its polymer structure, which makes plastic molecules extremely long and resistant to degradation and decay. In fact, most plastics are designed to never decay. That persistence is a big problem for ocean creatures, especially in lakes, streams, and oceans—where pieces of plastic can be mistaken as food by animals.

Motorized solar shades on a window in a bedroom.

Using Ocean-Recycled Plastics to Make Fabrics

To help tackle the problem of plastic pollution, Graber offers a selection of solar shade fabrics made from ocean-recycled plastic bottles and PET material (plastics marked “1”).

Developing products like these solar fabrics helps to raise awareness for the ocean-plastic problem while creating a more sustainable product that many consumers are looking for.


The Recycled Shades That Are Recyclable

Our shades made from ocean-recycled plastics are durable and strong. And at the end of an Eco-Friendly fabric solar shade’s useful life, it too can be recycled. That saves energy, conserves resources, and helps reduce the waste going into landfills and our oceans.

Motorized solar shades on windows in a living room.

Energy Efficiency

Solar shades are designed to do battle with the sun.

Installed in a home’s brightest windows, solar shades can cut down on harmful UV rays and prevent excess heat from entering the home. That combination of protections means that valuable carpets, furniture, and other furnishings are kept safe while the home’s cooling expenses are reduced—saving valuable resources.

Motorized solar shades on a window in a living room.

Long-term Durability

Solar shades are right at home in the brightest sun. The amount of sun-abuse a solar shade can tolerate is quite amazing. The shades are designed to stand up to the brightest direct sunlight, yet last for many years—that’s another reason why solar shades are such a responsible investment. When consumers buy products that are built to last, they’re reducing the amount of plastic, metal, and other materials that will end up in landfills.

And choosing quality window treatments just makes sense—Graber builds solar shades and other window treatments that give you years of reliable, worry-free performance.

Motorized solar shades on a kitchen window above a sink.

Solar Shades Have a Bright Future

It’s clear that solar shades are a great choice for homeowners who care about the environment. But there are other compelling reasons why solar shades are such an ideal choice.

The first is their simplicity: the reliable roller design is easy to use. The second reason is their modern appearance that looks great in almost any home. And lastly, they can be configured to be cordless or motorized—two options that add an incredible amount of convenience to your daily routine.

Eco-Friendly Graber Solar Shades Stand Out

Sustainability and the well-being of our planet are important considerations for many consumers. And for the environmentally minded, the sleek, simple solar shade might just be the ideal choice.

Discover why Graber Solar Shades are the right solution for anyone who wants a good-looking window treatment that’s easy to use—and goes easy on the planet.


Find a Graber dealer near you to discuss the full range of Graber Solar Shade options.