Nothing completely stops fading. 3M Window Films are designed to help reduce the major causes of fading (ultraviolet light, visible light, and solar heat), thus prolonging the life of your furnishings, perhaps by as much as two to five times.
Keep in mind the article(s) to be protected; if they have a typical life of five (5) years, then they may last ten (10) years to much longer depending on the performance of the window film selected. However, if the typical lifespan of the article is only 2-3 weeks, then the expectation with window film applied should be expressed in terms of months.
As a general rule of thumb, ultraviolet (UV) light is approximately 40% of the cause of fading, visible light is about 25%, and solar heat is about 25%. The remaining 10% can be attributed to humidity, pollutants, interior lights, dye stability, and more. So, window films help to address about 90% of the factors contributing to fading, helping extend the lifespan of your furniture and floors.