June 13, 2018
What is UPF Clothing?
It’s no surprise that pretty much everyone’s favorite part about summer is the sunshine. Think about it – all the classic summertime activities are better in the sun. Swimming, going for a bike ride, drinking beer. These things only get better when the rays are plentiful. But as with most things in life, too much sun can be detrimental to your skin. When you expose your skin to the sun, you are exposing yourself to ultraviolet radiation (UV), which is the driving agent of sunburn, skin aging, and skin cancer. While sunscreen is a great line of defense against the sun, it’s not the only option. Enter UPF clothing.
Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) clothing enhances your protection against UV rays. You can think of UPF as the equivalent of the SPF in the sunscreen you use. Factors such as garment construction, color, treatments, and fiber type all play into a specific piece of clothing’s UPF rating. Luckily for you, rather than inspecting a piece of clothing for these attributes, you can simply look at the tag on the piece of clothing to see if the style has a UPF rating. UPF ratings between 15-20 are good, 20-40 is very good, and 40+ is excellent. If possible, always opt for a higher UPF rating. Your skin will thank you later!