New fluorescent lamps come in clean white colors, ranging from warm to cool, so they can be used in a variety of applications, from retail sites to warehouses, with excellent results. The warmer colors might be appropriate in some retail environments, while the cooler colors are good for tasks such as writing, filing, mail sorting, reading labels, etc.

To expand further, color has two components: color "temperature", and color rendition. Temperature refers to how we perceive the light itself coming from a lamp. A lower temperature, around 2,700 degrees Kelvin (equivalent to incandescent lighting) is considered "warm", whereas a temperature around 4,000 degrees Kelvin (equivalent to cool white fluorescent lamps), is now considered "medium", and 6,500 (the color temperature of midday daylight) is considered "cool". The most appropriate indoor light temperatures are determined by task and occupant preferences. Typically, cool temperatures are best for better visibility and lighting efficiency. New fluorescent lights provide this range of temperatures and offer brighter more pleasing lighting solutions for your business.

The second component, color rendition, is how accurately the light reproduces colors. For instance, those orange-colored sodium vapor streetlights have a very low color rendition index (CRI) of about 30, while an incandescent lamp has a CRI in the low 90's. The new fluorescent lights have a CRI similar to incandescents, ranging in the mid-80's.