What is Colour Rendering Index?
Back to: Basic Lighting Terminology
Colour Rending Index (CRI)
The Colour Rendering Index (CRI) measures how accurately a light source reveals the true colours of objects compared to a natural reference, such as sunlight or a blackbody radiator. It is scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 representing perfect colour accuracy. A low CRI light can make colours appear dull, distorted, or unnatural, while a high CRI light produces vivid and realistic tones. CRI is especially important in applications where accurate colour perception matters — such as retail displays, art galleries, hospitals, and cosmetic lighting — and is often combined with CCT to achieve both the desired atmosphere and colour quality.
Think: How true colour look under artificial light
