Article reviewed by Jesús Andrade, an electronics engineer with an MBA from ESIC. He combines 20 years’ experience developing emergency lighting and risk-prevention devices with a strong background in business management. Andrade is currently CTO at SVE Worldwide, a company specialising in industrial risk-prevention solutions.
There is a wide range of materials available for making cordless lamps. In recent years, options that were once rarely used in battery-powered lamps have become increasingly popular. Advances in material development and applications, combined with manufacturers’ and designers’ willingness to experiment, have significantly broadened the choice available on the market.
There is no single material that is best in every situation. To identify the best materials for cordless lamps, you need to consider how the lamp will be used, as well as its weight, durability, design and recyclability. Many lamps also combine different materials, using one for the housing or structure and another for the diffuser.
Contents
How to choose the best material for a cordless lamp before buying one
Frequently asked questions about materials and cordless lamps?
How to choose the best material for a cordless lamp before buying one
The right material for a cordless lamp largely depends on how you plan to use it.
If you are looking for a lamp for the home, a lightweight material can be useful if you intend to move it from one room to another regularly. However, you should also consider its stability, resistance to everyday knocks and the type of lighting you need.
If you want to use the lamp outdoors, whether in a garden, on a terrace or elsewhere, the material is only one of the factors to consider. The lamp must be specifically designed for outdoor use and provide an appropriate level of protection against water and dust.
To check this, look at its IP rating: the first digit indicates protection against solid objects and dust, while the second indicates protection against water. This information should always be checked in the product specifications.
Durability is another important consideration. If you want a lamp that will last for years, you will need materials and components capable of withstanding everyday use and the occasional household mishap.
Sustainability is another factor, and one that matters particularly to us at LILAK. If you value materials that can be recovered and reused at the end of a lamp’s useful life, it is also worth considering how the lamp is assembled and whether its different components can be separated easily.
Just because the main material is recyclable does not necessarily mean that the entire lamp can be recycled easily. A rechargeable lamp contains a rechargeable battery, electronic components and various other parts that need to be separated and treated correctly.
Most commonly used materials
Let’s take a look at some of the materials commonly used to manufacture lamps. They are certainly not the only ones, as the list would be endless, but they are among the most representative.
| Material | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 🧱 ABS | Lightweight and impact-resistant | More complex to recycle |
| 🔍 Polycarbonate | Highly impact-resistant and transparent | Can degrade with UV exposure |
| ✨ PMMA | Lightweight and highly transparent | Scratches more easily |
| ⚙️ Aluminium | Lightweight, durable and recyclable | Usually more expensive than plastic |
| 🛡️ Stainless steel | Strong and durable | Heavier |
ABS (plastic)
ABS is a thermoplastic widely used across many different industries. Depending on its formulation, it can offer a good balance of rigidity, impact resistance, ease of manufacture and surface finish.
For these reasons, it is commonly used for housings and enclosures in electronic products. It can also be found in cordless lamps, particularly in parts that need to be lightweight and able to withstand everyday use.
It is a durable material, but not an indestructible one. ABS can be recycled, although how easily it can be recovered depends on its composition, the additives used, how easily it can be separated from other components and the recycling systems available.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate is another type of thermoplastic. It generally offers high impact resistance, making it suitable for covers, diffusers and other parts that may need to withstand occasional knocks.
Its transparency and ease of moulding also give designers plenty of freedom when creating a cordless lamp.
One potential drawback is that some formulations can yellow or degrade after prolonged exposure to sunlight. For outdoor use, it is therefore advisable to choose UV-stabilised polycarbonate and check the manufacturer’s specifications.
Polycarbonate can be recycled, although, as with other engineering plastics, this depends on the composition of the component and the collection and recycling infrastructure available.
PMMA (acrylic)
PMMA is another thermoplastic used across many industries, including lighting. It is also known as acrylic glass because of its transparency and its use as an alternative to glass in certain applications.
If you want a cordless lamp with a glass-like appearance, acrylic can be a good option. It is lighter than glass and can offer greater resistance to breakage, although its performance depends on the grade, thickness and design of the component.
PMMA also stands out for its good transparency and resistance to UV radiation and weathering. However, it generally offers less impact resistance than polycarbonate and its surface can scratch more easily.
It can be recycled and reused in other applications, although how effectively it can be recovered will depend on the product design and the recycling system available.
Aluminium
Yes, the very same chemical element you studied on the periodic table.
Aluminium is a low-density metal and is therefore relatively lightweight. It is commonly alloyed with other elements to adapt its strength and other properties to the requirements of each product.
These characteristics can make it a good choice for a portable lamp that needs to combine low weight, durability and a refined finish. It can also be suitable for outdoor use when the right alloy, treatment and design are selected.
As with the other materials, the lamp itself must also provide suitable protection against water and dust. Again, it is worth checking the product’s IP rating.
Another advantage is that aluminium can be recycled repeatedly without losing its fundamental properties, provided it is properly recovered and separated from the other components.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is often associated with strength and durability. It is an alloy made primarily from iron, with chromium and other elements that improve its resistance to corrosion.
It has a higher density than aluminium, so a lamp made mainly from stainless steel will generally be heavier. In return, it can provide high mechanical strength and a solid, durable finish.
It is also widely recyclable, provided it can be properly separated from the other components in the lamp.
LILAK: the materials we use
At LILAK, we like to be demanding when it comes to creating and manufacturing our products, from the initial design right through to the end of their useful life, because every product reaches that point eventually.
That is why we have chosen aluminium as the main material for our lamps. It offers a good balance of lightness, durability and finishing possibilities, all particularly useful qualities in a cordless lamp designed to be moved around different areas of the home.
Its ability to be recycled repeatedly is another characteristic we value when using it in our cordless, rechargeable luminaires with emergency lighting functionality.
Frequently asked questions about materials and cordless lamps?
What is the best material for a lamp?
It depends on the features you prioritise and which part of the lamp is being made.
If you want transparency and a glass-like finish, acrylic or polycarbonate can be good options for the diffuser. If your priorities are low weight, durability and recyclability for the housing, aluminium can offer a good balance.
The right choice ultimately depends on your priorities.
What is the most commonly used material for making lamps?
There is no single material used universally across all lamps. Most lamps combine several different materials, although one may make up most of the outer housing.
For example, a rechargeable lamp may use aluminium or ABS for its structure, polycarbonate or acrylic for the diffuser, and other materials for the controls, seals and internal components.
Which cordless lamps can be used outdoors?
Only lamps specifically designed for outdoor use should be used outside.
The fact that a lamp is cordless or battery-powered does not mean it is protected against water, dust, moisture or UV radiation. Before placing one in a garden or on a terrace, check its IP rating and the conditions of use specified by the manufacturer.
Conclusions
There is a wide range of materials that can be used to make a lamp, from lightweight, durable plastics to long-lasting and widely recyclable metals.
There is no single option that is best in every situation. The right choice will depend on how and where the lamp will be used, as well as its weight, durability, design and the buyer’s individual priorities.