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url: https://www.eurocovers.eu/glossary/shade-mesh
term: Shade mesh
definition: A permeable woven fabric (HDPE or polypropylene) suspended above water on an anchor frame. Blocks 50–95% of sunlight, suppressing algae, but is vapour-permeable.
updated: 2026-05-25
---

# Shade mesh

A permeable woven fabric (HDPE or polypropylene) suspended above water on an anchor frame. Blocks 50–95% of sunlight, suppressing algae, but is vapour-permeable.

**Shade mesh** is a permeable woven fabric — typically HDPE or polypropylene — suspended above a
water body on an anchor frame. It blocks 50–95% of incident sunlight depending on mesh density,
which suppresses algae photosynthesis. Because shade mesh is vapour-permeable, it does not
materially reduce evaporation. Shade mesh is appropriate for algae-only suppression on small
water bodies where the 3–7 year lifecycle and the anchor-frame engineering are acceptable.