In regions such as Australia or the Middle East, where UV radiation is particularly strong, outdoor exposure often causes cable insulation to age, crack, or break over time. For outdoor lighting systems, cable sleeves are one of the most easily overlooked yet essential components.
Many may think that a sleeve is simply a cover to wrap around wires, but in reality—especially for outdoor applications—the choice of sleeve is critical.
If the sleeve isn't UV-resistant, the cables can quickly turn yellow, become brittle, or even crack. When cables are exposed outdoors, if the sleeve isn't durable enough, water, dust, and sand can easily damage the wires inside.
Cable sleeves are not just for protection—they’re vital for ensuring safety, aesthetics, and installation efficiency in lighting systems.
Designers often prefer white cable sleeves for their clean and elegant look, but these must also provide long-term UV resistance to ensure safety and durability.
PET braided sleeves made with UV-resistant materials offer excellent outdoor weathering performance, preventing yellowing, cracking, or brittleness, and significantly extending the lighting system’s lifespan.
Their reflective white surface enhances light diffusion, creating a softer and more layered lighting effect. PET sleeves are lightweight, flexible, and highly abrasion-resistant, making them ideal for complex or curved cable routing, while effectively protecting internal cables from mechanical wear.
However, white sleeves are harder to manufacture than black ones.
Standard PET is naturally translucent or grayish, and most industrial-grade PET sleeves are produced with carbon black additives for optimal UV, heat, and flame resistance.
To achieve a pure white color, manufacturers must add pigments such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂) or similar fillers. These additives slightly affect some performance parameters, such as:
Abrasion resistance: Slightly lower fiber strength compared to black versions
Flame retardancy: Some pigments may reduce heat resistance or burn rating
UV resistance: Additional stabilizers are needed to prevent yellowing or degradation under sunlight
White PET cable sleeves usually cost more due to extra pigment and process optimization.
In short, if you’re pursuing aesthetic appeal, you’ll need to invest a bit more—and pay close attention to ensuring the sleeve’s outdoor performance matches your project’s durability needs.
