Color-shifting surfaces that change with the light and the angle you view them from.
Color-shifting acrylic sheets that change appearance with light and viewing angle.
Iridescent acrylic sheets feature a specialized surface film that produces a rainbow-like reflection, shifting color as the angle of view and lighting changes. Unlike mirrored acrylic, these sheets remain transparent from the reverse side, making them ideal for layered designs, lighting effects, displays, and sculptural applications where depth and light interaction matter.
Canal Plastics Center offers three iridescent acrylic sheets: Aura Iridescent, Radiant Iridescent and Iridescent Fluted. The first two are flat sheets that differ in how uniform the color shift is. The third carries the same kind of film on a ribbed panel, so the shift breaks into vertical bands.
Aura Iridescent is our next-generation iridescent acrylic sheet, developed as an evolution of the Radiant Iridescent line.
Aura features a smoother, more uniform iridescent film, eliminating the visible streaks and color banding found in earlier iridescent finishes. The result is a cleaner, more consistent rainbow reflection with a refined blue to magenta to orange color shift that responds beautifully to light and viewing angle.
The iridescent film is applied to one side only, leaving the opposite side crystal clear. This makes Aura especially well suited for transparent structures, layered panels, illuminated displays, and applications where visual depth is key.
Uniform, streak-free iridescent surface
One-sided iridescent film, clear reverse side
Sophisticated color shift that changes with angle and light
Indoor use only
Available in full sheets, pre-cut sizes, and custom cut-to-size
Aura Iridescent represents the current standard for flat iridescent acrylic at Canal Plastics Center.
Radiant Iridescent Acrylic offers a rainbow-colored iridescent finish with a subtle mirror-like effect on one side, while remaining transparent from the other.
This material produces a more expressive, varied iridescent appearance, with visible color banding and streaking that many designers appreciate for bold, experimental, or graphic applications. Radiant is the successor to the original R-50 iridescent sheet, which is no longer in production.
Radiant Iridescent remains available while supplies last and continues to be a strong option for projects that benefit from a more dynamic, less uniform iridescent look.
Expressive iridescent film with visible variation
One-sided iridescent surface, clear reverse side
Subtle mirror-like reflection
Indoor use only
Available in full sheets, pre-cut sizes, and custom cut-to-size
Iridescent Fluted takes the same idea and puts it behind a ribbed face. The sheet carries a continuous rounded flute on one side and an iridescent film on the flat back, so the color shift is seen through the ribs and breaks into soft vertical bands of gold, rose and lilac as you move past it.
The flute is extruded into the sheet rather than applied to it, at a 3.82 mm pitch, roughly 6.65 ribs per inch. Overall thickness is 2.65 mm. Light transmission is 85%. Flutes run parallel to the longest dimension of whatever size you order, so state the orientation on your drawings for square sizes.
Ribbed wear face with the iridescent film on the flat reverse
Extruded, not cast, so relieve stress before solvent cementing
Obscures without going opaque: light and shape pass through, detail does not
Protective masking on both faces
Full sheets 48" x 96", plus pre-cut and custom sizes
Use it where you want the reeded-glass look with a color shift: partitions and room dividers, cabinet and joinery fronts, reception and bar faces, retail fixtures and light diffusers.
All three sheets can be cut, drilled, formed, and fabricated using standard acrylic techniques, with a few important considerations:
When laser cutting, cut with the iridescent side facing up
Leave the clear protective masking in place during cutting
Slightly more laser power may be required compared to standard acrylic
Handle carefully: scratches on the iridescent surface cannot be polished out
For engraving applications, plastic masking is typically removed
On Iridescent Fluted, take channel and clamping details off the 1.35 mm base rather than the 2.65 mm overall
Intended for indoor use only
Choose Aura Iridescent if you want a clean, uniform, modern iridescent effect with a consistent color shift.
Choose Radiant Iridescent if you prefer a more expressive, varied appearance with visible character in the surface.
Choose Iridescent Fluted if you want the color shift plus privacy: the ribs obscure what sits behind them while still passing light.
All three offer striking visual impact. The difference lies in surface consistency, texture, and overall aesthetic.
Pre-cut sizes are nominal and subject to a +/- 1/8" cutting tolerance.
Custom cut-to-size sheets are subject to a +/- 1/32" tolerance.
Color appearance and light transmission may vary slightly due to manufacturer and production differences.
Looking for a custom quote? Contact us via our custom order form.
