What You Need For The Beach: Sun Protective Clothing

What is sun protective clothing?

These are garments manufactured with certain types of fabrics, dyes, weave structures, and thread counts with the intention of shielding a person’s skin from the damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation are known as “sun protective clothing.”

Over the past decade, sun protective clothing has become an important addition to our defense against UV radiation. These special garments are available for infants through adults in a variety of products. Examples include hats, scarves, rash guards, cover ups, jackets, as well as bathing suits, as well as resort wear such as dresses, pants, and shirts.

Why is it important to wear UV protective clothing?

Sunscreens remain the first line recommended daily defense from the sun, however people who live in or vacation in sunny locations or are involved in many outdoor activities and sports during the summer may benefit from more complete coverage. It is recommended to re-apply sunscreens at least every two hours because they wear off and sweat off during our activities, leaving our skin with inadequate protection if sunscreens are not re-applied. This is where sun protective clothing can help bridge the gap of protection. While it is not generally recommended to use sun protective clothing as a substitute for sunscreen, it can provide additional coverage for outdoor activities because the protection remains effective throughout the day or during sports such as golfing or swimming, etc. An added bonus is that are also safe for coral reefs.

What is the best UV protective clothing?

The best sun protective garments are the ones that a person will wear regularly and suit their specific needs. A quality garment will be labeled with the amount of Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) that rates how well it can shield from the UV rays.:

UPF of 15-24 is considered “good” with 93-96% UV radiation blocked.

UPF of 25-39 is considered “very good” with 96-97% of UV radiation blocked.

UPF of 40-50+ is considered “excellent” with 97-98% of UV radiation blocked.

Where can you buy sun protective clothing?

Sun protective clothing can usually be purchased seasonally at most local department stores and year-round with online retailers such as: Amazon.com, Coolibar.com, and Mott50.com.

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