Tips on Selecting Sun Protective Clothing
Posted by Golf4Her Style Team on Dec 31st 2020
Clothing is a great way to protect your skin, whether you are on the golf course, tennis court or enjoying the great outdoors. As golfers, we can be exposed to sun for over 4 hours and sunscreen just isn’t enough to keep us protected. We get a lot of questions about sun apparel and the differences between fabrics. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions:
What is the difference between between UPF and SPF?
Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) indicates how much of the sun’s UV radiation is absorbed. A fabric with a rating of 50 will allow only 1/50th of the sun’s UV rays to pass through. This means the fabric will reduce your skin’s UV radiation exposure significantly, because only 2 percent of the UV rays will get through. That is significant. So you always want to look for a garment with a UPF50 rating to maximum protection.
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is the rating mostly used for sunscreens and other sun-protective products. It measures the amount of time it takes for sun-exposed skin to redden (i.e., get sun burned).
Which fabric is best?
When selecting sun protection clothing, consider fabrics that have been specially treated with UV absorbers. These prevent penetration of both UVB and UVA rays. A number of manufacturers like IBKULand SAN SOLEIL use high-end fabrics in the manufacturing of all of their garments and have been certified as sun safe. To receive The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, sun-protective fabrics must have a minimum UPF of 30. We consider a UPF rating of 30-49 to offer very good protection, and 50+ excellent protection.
Does color matter?
If you select garments that are designed specifically for UPF50 protection, color is not going to matter. They are designed to be worn in hot, humid weather while the sun is at its brightest and strongest.
How do I care for my sun-protection apparel?
We recommend washing it in cold water, without fabric softener. Then, line dry. Sun-protection tops usually are designed to be quick absorbent so it will dry pretty fast!
Here are a few reasons why we love IBKUL sun-protection tops and bottoms:
