Because your clothes cover your skin, it’s easy to assume you’re 100% protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays. However, ordinary fabrics don’t provide nearly as much sun protection as you think. In fact, a plain white T-shirt offers a low UPF rating of 7, meaning tons of UV radiation reaches your skin, while UPF 50+ clothing blocks 98% of UVA and UVB rays.
If you’re an active sunbather, swimmer or just love being outside, you need both sunscreen and sun protection women’s clothing to protect your skin health. Here are a few things to know.
Rethink Your Relationship with the Sun
It may seem strange that something that feels so warm and enjoyable can potentially damage your health, but excessive sun can be dangerous. Keep in mind that being sun safe doesn’t mean avoiding the sun altogether but making more intelligent choices about your exposure.
Many of us rely on sunscreen as our first and often only line of defense. However, you must also reapply sunblock every few hours, and you might not always have the best coverage. That’s why, along with sunscreen, wearing UPF 50+ clothing, like a fashionable womens swim skirt with a coordinating top, significantly boosts your level of protection.
The Difference Between UPF and SPF
Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) measures the extent to which a fabric blocks ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Don’t confuse UPF with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) since this measures sunscreen’s effectiveness and is unrelated to clothing.
The UPF rating quantifies the level of UV protection a fabric provides, and just like sunscreen, the higher the UPF level, the better. The highest rating available is UPF 50+, so be sure you’re investing in the maximum sun protective clothing, as the level of protection offered by UPF 30+ or lower is not adequate.
How the UPF Rating Is Determined
Several factors contribute to the efficacy of UPF clothing. The fabric type, weave density, thickness, color, stretch and fabric condition all determine the UPF rating of any piece of clothing.
• Weave density: If the sun can penetrate your clothing easily, it’s not providing much protection. Highly-rated UPF apparel typically features a tighter weave or knit.
• Fabric type: Some fabrics are more effective at blocking UV radiation than others. Some synthetic materials like acrylic, polyester, nylon, lycra or rayon reflect more UV and are more protective.
• Color: The darker the color, the better. You might be tempted to wear light colors in the summer, but the UPF rating is higher for darker colors because they absorb more UV rays than the same fabric in a lighter hue.
• Thickness and weight: The thicker or heavier the fabric, the better, similar to weave density.
• Moisture content: When the fabric gets wet, it typically reduces the UPF of the material. For example, a thin white T-shirt with a UPF of 5 may reduce to a UPF of 3 when wet. Look for quick-drying sun safe apparel.
• Fabric condition: As clothes age, the fabrics are likely to deteriorate and can reduce the UPF rating. That’s why investing in high-quality pieces built to last is crucial.
How to Choose UPF Clothing
When shopping for UPF 50+ clothing, look for high-quality fabrics that are fashionable and versatile, meaning pieces you can wear from the beach to the street and everywhere in between. Sun protective clothing has evolved, so you no longer need to choose between fashion and function—you can have the best of both! Whether it’s a cover up dress, swimsuit, swim skirt, activewear or outfits you can wear from work to weekend, you can find colorful, vibrant pieces that perfectly fit your style.
About Cabana Life
Founded by a young skin cancer survivor, Cabana Life encourages you to put your skin health first with their line of premium sun protective clothing. With Cabana Life, you never have to choose between fashion and function as their luxurious, beautiful prints fuse classic nautical elements with vibrant colors, preppy patterns and flattering silhouettes. Their impressive collection of UPF 50+ clothing offers a variety of sun essentials, including activewear, swimwear, cover ups, tunics and more. Each Cabana Life piece blocks up to 98% of UV rays so you can stay sun safe in fashionable, comfortable clothing that goes from beach to street and beyond. Shop the full Cabana Life collection today for sun safe apparel you’ll want to wear everywhere!
Find everything you need for a stylish, sun safe summer from Cabana Life at https://www.cabanalife.com/
Original Source: https://bit.ly/46pDuqG
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