technical handbook

making sense of lighting specs — where do i begin?

our glossary of light makes understanding the technical side of lighting easy and the process of decorating with light at home fun and intuitive.

lumen — how bright is the light?

Lumen (lm) indicates the amount of light a light source emits. The higher the Lumen value, the stronger the light feels to us. In other words, the higher the Lumen, the more light you get from a light source.

Our lighting collection ranges from around 200 to 2000 lm in some of our largest pendants. For reference a candle light equals about 12 lm.

how long does an LED light source last?

When we talk about the lifespan of an LED light source, we use the term Lumen maintenance. Unlike traditional light sources such as incandescent bulbs, LED light sources rarely die out altogether, instead LED depreciates over time due to heat, slowly decreasing its total Lumen output over time (see below).

For example, Linear Table Lamp has a Lumen maintenance of 70% and 48,000 hours. That means that if the lamp is turned on non-stop, it will give light for the next 5.5 years before the lumen intensity has decreased to 70%.

We strive to develop all future lamps with replaceable LED light sources.

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CRI value — faithful color reproduction

CRI stands for Color Rendering Index, a measure of light’s color reproduction. In simpler terms, it indicates a light source’s ability to faithfully reproduce or show colors in our environments.

A high CRI means good color reproduction while a low CRI indicates the opposite.

CRI ranges from 1 to 100. We recommend using light sources with a CRI of 90 or more in order to reproduce colors faithfully. Anything lower may play tricks on us, making a person’s complexion sickly blue or deciding if an apple looks fresh, or not.

color temperature — atmosphere and purpose

Kelvin (K) defines the color temperature of the light. For reference, a low color temperature is similar to the light you get from a candle, while a high color temperature feels like bright daylight and blue skies.

A low color temperature gives a warm, yellowish light suitable for cozy, ambient lighting for relaxing and socializing. Meanwhile, a high color temperature gives a cold, bluish light better suited to work environments, as it promotes concentration.

Muuto's lamps typically range from 2500K–3000K, making them ideal for a broad range of activities and environments.

FAQ

: For select lamps in our collection, a light source may either be included within the box or come as an integrated feature, specifically with LED lamps. Why are bulbs not included with every lamp in our collection? The inclusion of a light source is determined by its integral role in the lamp's design or when a standard E27/E14 bulb cannot be utilized. Factors such as market-specific requirements and individual preferences regarding light intensity and color temperature also influence this decision. For specific information regarding the inclusion of a light source with your favorite lamp design, please refer to our Product Fact Sheets available HERE or reach out to one of our retail partners.

: For our lamps that do not include a light source, we provide recommended bulb types in our Product Fact Sheets available HERE. Before purchasing a bulb, ensure you check its specifications, such as whether it is dimmable, to match your lamp's capabilities. Using the wrong type of bulb with a dimmable lamp can cause flickering or damage to both the bulb and the lamp's dimmer. For detailed recommendations on the appropriate bulb for your chosen lamp design, please see our Product Fact Sheets HERE or contact our retail partners.

: Many lamp designs are dimmable. All lamps with an integrated LED source feature some form of dimming, including stepless, dim-to-warm, or 3-step options. For lamps with retrofitted light sources (bulb), dimming is possible with the right dimmable bulb. It's important to choose the correct bulb to avoid damaging the lamp or experiencing flickering. Our Muuto inline dimmer, designed to complement our lamps aesthetically, includes a memory function that retains your last dimming setting for the next use. The Post Series features stepless dimming without Dim to Warm. To discover if your favorite lamp design supports dimming, please refer to our Product Fact Sheets available HERE or contact our retail partners.

: Many of our lamps come with built-in LED light sources designed to last a long time, eliminating the need for frequent replacements. For example, a lamp with an LM80 rating maintains 80% of its original brightness even after 30,000 hours of use, ensuring longevity despite the light source being non-replaceable. However, we also offer lamps with replaceable light sources for added convenience. The Fine Suspension Lamp is one such design, crafted with the Right to Repair in mind, only allowing an electrician to replace the light source when needed. Additionally, our lamps with standard fittings like E27, E14, G9, or GX53 are compatible with light sources that you can easily replace yourself.

: The cables for our pendant lamps are available in lengths of 4 or 5 meters. If you need a longer cable, you can purchase an additional cord of the desired length. However, it's important to replace the entire cable rather than adding to the existing one, which requires the expertise of an electrician. For more details on the cable lengths of our pendant lamps, please consult our Product Fact Sheets available HERE or reach out to our retail partners.

: Each of our pendant lamp designs includes a ceiling cap, which is always white, regardless of the lamp's color. Currently, we do not offer the ceiling cap in any color other than white.