The shade structure industry is in its infancy in the United States, unlike overseas where it has been a mature industry for a number of years. Shade cloth was introduced to the Australian market via South Africa in the 1970’s.  Shade cloth is a high-density polyethylene woven cloth, ultra-violet stabilized to prevent deterioration from the sun, and fire retardant to meet building code requirements for fire propagation and smoke inhalation. The introduction of shade cloth stimulated the development of new shade covers and structures.

Since the birth of shade structures, the market has substantially grown. In Australia, where the shade industry has matured, the market has evolved from schools and park & recreation, to a huge residential market demand. In addition, having recognized industrial solar radiation hazards, Australia has already begun to develop shade solutions for industrial applications.  In South America, an overwhelmingly large percentage of shopping center parking lots are covered with fabric shade structures.

Before 1990, awnings were the only cloth structures used in the United States. The covers were made from a variety of costly vinyl and required extensive steel to support the weight of the cloth and usually required considerable customization to fit each building’s exterior. Automobile dealers and recreational companies were the first to recognize the utility and visual appeal of the new shade structures. In the Midwest, devastating hail storms damaged or destroyed property and equipment. The new shade structures provided excellent hail protection and visual appeal, at a cost well below conventional building materials. Water parks and commercial playgrounds recognized that they could increase attendance by providing cooling shade.

The United States is on course to follow the path of what is occurring in the Australian and South American markets.  As public awareness of sun safety continues to grow, so will the demand for engineered shade in the United States and abroad.  The best protection will be staying in the shade, especially with the negative news on sun block effectiveness and the increase in skin cancer. Greenhouse effects are proving true, creating the need for shade shelters to provide protection and comfort for people, animals, property and equipment. “Green” trends will continue to develop, creating new markets and applications for shade cloth.