Sun Protective Clothing | UV Apparel | Sun Safe Hats, Water Shirts, Sun Gloves, Sleeves, Garments and UPF

Sun Protective Clothing

Sun-protective clothing offers another way to protect your skin from the harmful effects of sunburn. Sun-protective fabrics differ from typical summer fabrics in several ways: they typically have a tighter weave or knit and are usually darker in color.

Sun-protective clothes and sun safe apparel also have a label listing the garment's Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) value, that is, the level of sun protection the garment provides from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. The higher the UPF, the higher the protection from the sun's UV rays. These sun protection products can help reduce your risk of skin cancer, and also keep signs of aging skin - such as wrinkles and age spots - in check. That's why UV protection and sun clothing are so important, whether you're at the beach or just spending time outdoors away from shade.

UPF and sun protective clothing

The UPF rating indicates how much of the sun's UV radiation is absorbed by the fabric. For example, a fabric with a UPF rating of 20 only allows 1/20th of the sun's UV radiation to pass through it. This means that this fabric will reduce your skin's UV radiation exposure by 20 times where it's protected by the fabric.

Everything above UPF 50 may be labeled UPF 50+; however, these garments may not offer substantially more protection than those with a UPF of 50. Also, a garment shouldn't be labeled "sun-protective" or "UV-protective" if its UPF is less than 15. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) monitors advertising claims in this area.

Sun-protective clothing may lose its effectiveness if it's too tight or stretched out, damp or wet, and if it has been washed or worn repeatedly.

In general light colored and loosely-woven fabrics do not offer much protection from the sun. So if you think you are protecting you're child by putting on a white tee-shirt - think again. A tee-shirt may only have a UPF of 7 or less and when it gets wet, with sweat or from going in the water, its sun protectiveness drops even more.

If you want to test your clothing to see how much sun protection if provides, hold it up to the light. You'll be surprised at how you can see right through fabrics that seem to be solid. And remember - if you can see through the fabric, the sun can get through to your skin.

With special sun protective clothes, sun protective hats, and sun protective bathing suits, that's less of an issue. These specially designed UV protection products have the comfort and lightness you want in summer clothing, but with a weave that gives them sun protection as well. Sun protective clothing often uses fabrics that have been specially treated with chemical UV absorbers, known as colorless dyes. These help keep both UVB and UVA rays from getting through. This reduces your risk of sunburn. Several manufacturers produce clothing with the sunblock built in.

These types of sun protective clothing may cost more than regular clothes. But the cost can be made up by needing less sunscreen - and of course by having healthier skin. Some examples include:

• Sun protective shirts - Shirts with special sun protection chemicals should also have long sleeves. They may contain vents under the arms for cooling. Some products also contain insect repellent for even more outdoor protection. Sun protection clothing is available for both women and men. The cost can start at $50 per item.
• Sun protective hats - A sun protective hat should be made of the same tight fabric as other sun-protective clothing. It should cover the ears. It should have a brim that extends far enough out to provide shade and protection for your nose. It should also be long enough in the back to protect your neck from sun exposure. The cost of a sun protection hat starts at $25.
• Children's sun protective clothing - Sun protection needs to start young. That's because sun exposure adds up over the years. Sun protective clothing for kids often comes in fun colors that children will enjoy wearing. Sun protection clothing for kids and toddlers should also be comfortable and easy for a child to get into, in order to make it easier when you are dressing them.

Other types of sun protection clothing include:

• Sun protective swimwear - Sun protective swimsuits feature long sleeves and higher necks to protect your skin from the sun while you're in the water. You can buy an entire swimsuit. You can also buy a special sun protective water shirt which can be slipped on over a swimsuit.
• Sun protective gloves and sun sleeves - We sometimes forget our hands when it comes to covering up in the sun. Sun protective gloves come with and without fingers and are usually made of special lightweight fabric for more mobility. Sun sleeves can be a good solution for people who do a lot of driving and want to keep their driver side arm protected.
• Sun protective umbrellas/parasols - With a sun protective umbrella, you can carry your shade with you. Look for a tight fabric with a wide diameter.
• Sun shelters and sun tents - When you're outside and there's no natural shade around you, a portable sun shelter or sun tent can be the answer. Look for ones that are easy to carry and large enough for the people who will be using them.

Sun protection clothing can be a useful tool in your healthy skin care, and in your efforts to protect your skin from too much sun, along with sunscreens and sunblocks. Sun protective hats are also important if you've had any kind of facial cosmetic surgery, such as a face lift or any kind of cosmetic laser surgery. If you've used any self tanning or mist-on or spray-on tanning, remember they have no sun protection, so sun protective clothing can be a good idea. Remember too that the sun protection can fade over time as the clothing is washed, gets frayed or stretches. So make sure you keep your sun protective clothing in good condition.

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Updated June 2009

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