Natural Bamboo Blind

Yes, and that is where they work best — the weave gives shade while letting air move, so a balcony stays usable instead of turning into a hot box. Two conditions: roll them up before heavy rain rather than letting them soak, and fix the bottom so the wind cannot slap them against the railing. Given both, a bamboo blind on a covered balcony lasts years. In driving rain with no cover, expect the reeds to split eventually.

Yes, and this surprises people. Sunscreen mesh works by contrast: in daylight the bright side is outside, so you can see out and passers-by cannot see in. After dark the bright side is inside and that reverses — with the lights on, silhouettes are visible from the street. For a street-facing bedroom or a ground floor, pair sunscreen with a blackout blind on the same window, or choose a light-filtering fabric instead.

Anything that does not mind getting damp: PVC and aluminium slats, PVC vertical louvres, and polyester roller fabrics all wipe clean and do not swell. Natural wood is the one to keep away from a window that takes rain, because repeated wetting warps the slats — faux wood gives the same look without that risk. For a bathroom or an open balcony, PVC or aluminium is the safe answer.

Every fabric fades eventually under direct sun; the question is how fast and how evenly. Solution-dyed polyester and sunscreen mesh hold colour far better than printed cotton-look fabrics, and mid tones show fading less than deep navy or black. A west or south-west window is the harshest position in a Dhaka flat, so if that is where the blind goes, choose a lighter mid tone and expect the visible side to soften slightly over several years rather than patch unevenly.