UPF Clothing Explained: How Does Sun Protective Clothing Work and What to Look For

With a growing interest nationwide in anti-aging, skin cancer prevention, and sun protection, people are looking for ways to protect their skin as well as keep it vibrant and healthy. And while sunscreen remains the top vehicle of choice for protecting your skin, sun-protective clothing is generally rated as more protective on the ultraviolent protection factor (UPF) scale. Consequently, in order to get the best protection, many people are starting to combine protective clothing and sunscreen to protect skin from the risks of sun exposure.

If you spend time outdoors, knowing what to look for in UPF clothing can benefit your health, appearance, and skin cancer risk. This information below can arm you with the knowledge you need to protect your body.

What is UPF Clothing?

UPF clothing, also known as sun-protective clothing, is special apparel offering additional protection against UV radiation. The material is engineered to absorb or block a high percentage of sun rays. This is especially helpful as research finds that over-the-counter sunscreens do not block all radiation.

In a 2022 study, researchers found that commercial sunscreens fail to protect against radiation wavelengths. (These wavelengths cause mutations that produce cancer.) Sunscreens also do not block all the visible light, which can create skin hyperpigmentation effects, often of concern to those with dark skin.

This is where UPF clothing can make a difference. The garments can create a greater barrier to the sun than sunscreen alone. When wearing both sunscreen and UPF clothing, you now have two strong shields for protection.

Sun Protection Mechanism

The mechanism UPF clothing uses to create sun protection is the weave of the fabric’s fibers. UPF clothing incorporates specific fabric and material structure that contains rigid weaves with deep fibers to create a physical obstruction to UV rays. Some apparel pieces can also contain special UPF treatments, dyes, and compounds washed into them that create sun-protective properties.

UPF Rating

The garment industry measures the sun protection of clothing through an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating. Every piece of clothing is tested to determine the level of UV radiation it blocks on a scale from 15 to 50+.

Clothing with a higher rating offers a better level of sun protection. For example, a shirt with a UPF rating of 30 allows 1/30^th or under of the UV radiation to penetrate through its fabric weaves. (This is why tighter weaves offer an elevated level of protection.)

Different Types of UPF Clothing

You can find various types of UPF clothing ranging from shirts, pants, swimsuits, hats, gloves to shorts. According to a study from the journal Cancers, denim jeans, dark gray cotton shirts, and spandex/polyester with a photo-protective rash guard provide the highest level of sun protection.

These garments all block more than 99% of UV-A and more than 96% of UV-B rays. Plus, they meet the minimum wavelength (light on the high-energy end of the blue light spectrum) for broad-spectrum protection.

The study does note that a white cotton shirt does not meet broad-spectrum protection. Although this color might keep you cool, you should stick with dark gray. If you have to wear a light-colored shirt for work or another purpose, choose a light-colored polyester shirt for higher level of UV defense.

Benefits of UPF Clothing

There are a variety of benefits when it comes to sun protective clothing. Here's what the experts and research say.

Enhanced Sun Protection

UPF clothing provides a physical barrier against UV rays, reducing the risk of sunburn, skin aging, and skin cancer by decreasing the amount of radiation reaching the skin and mitigating short- and long-term sun damage.

“Physical protection from UV light is always better than sunscreen alone because the sunscreen can run off with sweat,” says Caroline A. Chang, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist and founder of Rhode Island Dermatology Institute.

Dr. Chang also recommends wearing pants if you can. If the weather does not permit you to wear something covering your legs, she says to try to go outside early in the morning or later in the day when the sun is not as strong.

Convenience and Long-lasting Protection

When compared with sunscreen, UPF clothing does not require frequent reapplication and offers consistent protection throughout the day. Dr. Chang says that if you do not have clothing to cover you, you should lather on sunscreen 30 minutes before heading outside. But, this does mean extra time spent getting ready for a day outdoors.

Remember, sunscreen wears off, too. You must put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours. Even reapply after sweating or toweling off.

Breathability and Comfort

Certain UPF clothes can feel lightweight, breathable, and comfortable. Advances in fabric technology have allowed for more airflow, despite the tight weaves, and for moisture-wicking properties to keep you cool and dry.

In a study on the benefits of UV-protective clothing, researchers found that four comfortable clothing types worked even better than sunscreen. Researchers selected sun-protective apparel from the well-known garment brand, Columbia Sportswear, reviewing one nylon woven fabric and three polyester knits.

Testing consisted of exposing the fabric to at least five UV radiation doses. The results determined that the fabrics contained an UPF range of 60 to 80. (Nylon was lowest.) And all of the fabrics met the critical wavelength to be considered a broad-spectrum protection. The four textiles also blocked more than 99% of UV-B.

The researchers also tested two sunscreens in a dose- and SPF-dependent manner. Neither of the sunscreens provided as much UV-B protection as all four fabrics. They found that the clothing was better than commercial sunscreen for UV protection.

Factors to Consider when Choosing UPF Clothing

UPF Rating

When shopping, you should consider the UPF rating. Opting for apparel with a 50+ rating will offer you the most protection. In an overview of UV-protective clothing, researchers found that a UPF rating of 15, 30, and 50+ corresponded to clothing blocking 93.3%, 96.7%, and 98% of UV radiation transmittance, respectively.

You can also look for the Seal of Recommendation from The Skin Cancer Foundation. To receive this seal, the fabric must have a UPF rating of at least 30 after testing.

Fabric Type

You should note the feeling of the fabric and examine the tight weaves and dense fibers, looking for as little porous material as possible. Some pieces might also have received specialized treatments for optimal sun protection, which include UV-absorbing agents or dyes. Recommended fabric types include nylon, polyester, or high-quality cotton (that is not white).

Remember, darker shades absorb more UV rays and thereby offer more protection than lighter colors. This does create a challenge because darker shades also make you hotter, which is why fabric choice is important.

Coverage and Design

Look for clothing that covers as wide an area of the body of possible and includes features like long sleeves, high collars, and wide brims for maximum protection—such as rash guards for outdoor watersports like surfing. For pants, extended length can cover exposed ankles when hiking; and longer skirts can cover knees and the backs of legs that are often neglected when lathering on your sunscreen.

Durability and Care Instructions

You will want to ensure the clothing maintains its sun-protection properties after multiple washes and exposure to the sun. To do this, be sure to read the specific care instructions on the label—they can vary between manufacturers.

You also might consider evaluating your UPF clothing after time. If the article of clothing is stretched out, has any wear and tear, or the color has faded, you should not use it for sun protection.                                                                                 

A photo-protective laundry additive available for creating sun-protective clothing is Rit Sun Guard. This product, which is recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation, sticks to clothing fibers and absorbs UV rays with the active ingredient TINOSORB FD. Once in the wash, this solution can give clothing a UPF rating of 30 for up to 20 washes.

Other Sun Protection Strategies

Frequent Sunscreen Use

It is impractical to cover your entire body with clothing. For this reason, you should always wear sunscreen in combination with UPF clothing. When shopping for sunscreen, be sure to look for a high SPF. Here’s why: SPF 30 would allow someone who would typically burn in 10 minutes to get exposed to the sun for 300 minutes before burning.

Additional Accessories

To keep as much skin out of the sun as possible, wearing sports sunglasses and a hat that shades your face can reduce exposure. Sunglasses also shade your eyes and offer an additional benefit by decreasing the sun's rays on your retina. If you find hats make you hot, a visor allows heat to escape from the top of your head. Choose a cooling towel that also offers UPF protection.

Bottom Line

UPF clothing can reduce the transmission of UV radiation, even more than commercial sunscreen can. The fabric keeps sun rays from penetrating the skin and does not require you to constantly reapply sunscreen (which can get messy).

What's more, the photo-protective measures and woven textiles are becoming quite popular among outdoor enthusiasts, allowing them to prioritize sun protection. However, UPF clothing is not the end-all for protection. You still need sunscreen lathered on exposed skin (don’t forget your lips). You also should wear a hat and sunglasses whenever you can.