High CRI & High Efficacy COB LED Strips: Market Demand and Supply Chain Trends

Over the past decade, COB LED strips have evolved from decorative lighting products into core light sources for professional applications. With growing demand from retail, commercial, medical, and architectural sectors, High CRI, High Efficacy, and Low SDCM have become fundamental performance benchmarks for COB LED strips. At the same time, a more mature supply chain, higher levels of manufacturing automation, and the adoption of new processes such as CSP, SCOB, and SOB have reshaped the market landscape. This article reviews the industry demand and supply chain evolution of COB LED strips from a historical perspective, analyzes the current market, explores regional distribution, and provides insights into future trends.

2015–2017: Early Development of COB LED Strips

Between 2015 and 2017, COB LED strips were in their early stage of development, with market applications focused primarily on decorative lighting, residential projects, and signage. Typical product specifications during this period included a CRI of around 80, efficacy of 90–100 lm/W, and SDCM ≤5. While sufficient for basic lighting and decorative purposes, these products fell short of professional lighting requirements in terms of color quality and consistency.

The main advantage of COB packaging was its ability to achieve high chip density on a single substrate, providing uniform illumination with reduced hotspots and graininess. Compared with conventional SMD LED strips, COB technology offered smoother light distribution and fewer visible light points (see comparison chart below).

For more details, read our guide on the difference between SMD and COB LED strips

Table (Excerpt: Performance in 2016–2017)

Side-Emitting COB LED Strip Light

Model: FYX08S480C
LED QTY per Meter: 480chips (Sanan)
PCB Width: 8mm
Color Option: 2700K/3000K/4000K/6500K
CRI: >90
Input Voltage: DC24V
Power per Meter: 10W
Efficiency: 90–110 lumen/watt
IP Grade: IP20
Warranty: 3 years

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2018–2020: Technology Upgrade and Quality Improvement

From 2018 to 2020, the COB LED strip industry entered a critical quality upgrade phase. As demand from retail, commercial, and architectural sectors increased, market standards shifted to High CRI (≥90), higher efficacy (110–120 lm/W), and lower SDCM (≤3). COB strips moved beyond decorative use and penetrated into supermarket shelves, hotel lighting, and office environments, where color consistency and reliability were essential.

During this stage, new packaging processes began to emerge:

CSP (Chip Scale Package): Reduced reliance on traditional lead frames, boosting efficiency and thermal performance.

SCOB (Small/Substrate COB): Enabled higher packing density and better uniformity, ideal for compact and flexible lighting.

SOB (Silicon on Board): Leveraged silicon substrates for superior thermal management and long-term reliability, piloted in select premium applications.

These innovations reshaped the supply chain: midstream packaging firms had to upgrade automation and precision testing, while downstream manufacturers gained access to more consistent and stable light sources. This period marked the transition from decorative lighting toward high-end commercial and professional applications, laying the foundation for the next wave of technological breakthroughs.

Table (Performance and Process Evolution 2018–2020)

Mono CSP LED Strip Light

Main Model: FYX08C320C
LED QTY per Meter Option: 320/480
PCB Width Option: 8mm
Color Option: 2700K/3000K/4000K/6500K/Red/Green/Blue/Customized
CRI: >90
Input Voltage: DC24V
Power per Meter: 10W/14W
Efficiency: 100–130 lumen/watt
IP Grade Option: IP20/IP54/IP65/IP67/IP68
Warranty: 3 years

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2021–2023: High-End Application Breakthroughs

Between 2021 and 2023, COB LED strips achieved a breakthrough in high-end applications. As the global lighting market shifted from “price-driven” to “quality-driven,” COB strips—featuring High CRI (≥95), higher efficacy (120–130 lm/W), and ultra-low SDCM (≤2)—became the preferred choice for retail, healthcare, museum, and premium architectural lighting.

Key demand drivers during this period included:

Retail and Commercial Spaces: Supermarkets, fashion stores, and jewelry retailers increasingly relied on high-CRI light sources to ensure true-to-life color rendering.

Medical and Laboratory Facilities: Required exceptional consistency and stability, making COB strips with Low SDCM and high reliability a natural fit.

Architectural and Landscape Lighting: Flexible COB LED strips gained traction due to their continuous illumination and no visible hotspots.

On the supply chain side, the combination of flexible substrates and automated packaging became central. Upstream manufacturers focused on chip efficiency and phosphor optimization, midstream packagers enhanced color uniformity testing, and downstream brands positioned COB strips not just as components but as part of system-level lighting solutions.

2024–2025: Current Market Landscape and Regional Distribution

By 2024–2025, COB LED strips have fully entered the performance range of 130–140 lm/W efficacy, CRI ≥95, and ultra-low SDCM (≤2), making them a mainstream high-end light source worldwide. The market shows several key characteristics:

Product Level: Flexible COBs, continuous long-length designs, and micro-pitch solutions are widely adopted, serving smart lighting, commercial display, and customized architectural applications.

Supply Chain Level: Upstream chip manufacturers are becoming more concentrated, midstream packagers are investing in automation and precision testing, while downstream brands focus on delivering system-level lighting solutions instead of standalone LED strips.

Market Level: Demand is shifting toward retail, healthcare, museums, and premium architecture, with clear regional differences.

Regional Market Distribution (2024–2025):

Asia (40–45%): China, Korea, and Japan lead the market, driven by commercial complexes and smart homes. China dominates flexible COB production and exports.

Europe (25–28%): Strong demand for High CRI + Low SDCM in museums, art lighting, and healthcare. Regulatory pressure on energy efficiency accelerates adoption.

North America (22–25%): Focused on retail chains and smart buildings, heavily reliant on imports, but with high acceptance of High Efficacy COB LED strips.

Other Regions (7–10%): Middle East and Southeast Asia show rapid growth, particularly in luxury hotels and infrastructure projects.

Table (Performance & Market Distribution 2024–2025)

Overall, the 2024–2025 COB LED strip market shows clear signs of premiumization, regional specialization, and deeper system integration. Asia leads in capacity and exports, Europe focuses on light quality, North America prioritizes integration, and emerging markets are expanding rapidly. These regional characteristics are laying the foundation for further supply chain consolidation and global adoption.

Single Color COB LED Strip Light

Main Model: FYX08T480C
LED Chip QTY per Meter: 320/384/480/528chips (Sanan)
CRI: >90
PCB Width: 8mm/10mm
Color Temperature: 2700K/3000K/4000K/6500K
Input Voltage: DC12V/DC24V
Power per Meter: 8W/10W/11W/14W
Efficiency: 130-150lm/W
IP Grade: IP20/IP54/IP65/IP67/IP68
Warranty: 3 years

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2026–2028: Future Outlook for COB LED Strips

Over the next 1–3 years, COB LED strips will evolve along the path of High CRI, High Efficacy, Low SDCM, and Flexibility, while entering a stage of mature application and differentiated roles.

Product & Technology Trends

Efficacy Breakthrough: COB LED strips are expected to reach 140–150 lm/W with CRI ≥95 and SDCM ≤2, meeting the higher standards of retail, healthcare, and art lighting.

Packaging Diversification:

• CSP: Compact, high density, suited for ultra-fine pitch and miniature lighting;
• SCOB: Superior thermal and stability, fitting for high-power and industrial use;
• SOB: Exceptional uniformity and durability, ideal for premium architecture and outdoor;
• Traditional COB: Remains dominant in mainstream retail and healthcare markets.

Table (COB vs. CSP vs. SCOB vs. SOB)

Supply Chain Trends

Upstream: Further consolidation among chipmakers, with material and micro-structure innovations driving efficiency.

Midstream: Packaging automation and color consistency testing will advance, with some adopting flexible substrates and new processes.

Downstream: Brands will focus on system-level integration and smart lighting, positioning COB LED strips as core nodes in IoT-enabled ecosystems.

Market Demand Trends

Smart Lighting: Integration with IoT and AI, enabling dimmable, tunable, and human-centric solutions.

High-End Growth: Healthcare, museums, and art exhibitions will demand higher CRI and tighter SDCM.

Emerging Markets: Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America will see accelerated adoption driven by infrastructure and hospitality growth. From 2026–2028, overall, COB LED strips will continue to evolve alongside CSP, SCOB, and SOB, paving the way for broader adoption across high-end and smart lighting markets.

Conclusion

Over the past decade, COB LED strips have evolved from an emerging technology into a mainstream lighting solution, driven by their strengths in High CRI, High Efficacy, and Low SDCM. From the initial adoption phase around 2015, through the quality upgrades of 2020, to the diversified regional distribution and supply chain structure of 2024–2025, the industry has demonstrated a clear trajectory toward premiumization, regional differentiation, and system-level integration.

Looking ahead to 2026–2028, new packaging technologies such as CSP, SCOB, and SOB will complement traditional COB, enabling further breakthroughs in efficiency, reliability, and application diversity—from retail and healthcare to art exhibitions and smart buildings. At the same time, the global supply chain will become more consolidated, and competition will increasingly shift from individual LED strip products to comprehensive system solutions.

In conclusion, COB LED strips are set to remain at the core of the high-end lighting industry, advancing global adoption through technological innovation, supply chain integration, and convergence with smart lighting ecosystems.