UPF

Clothing

Sun is scorching outside and you have to step out for one reason or the other. Will you stop moving out? The answer is of course NO. Although sunshine is essential for your health, but excessive exposure to it can definitely cause hazard or danger to your skin. It’s just not over blaming the Sun. Your lightweight and loose-woven clothes are not enough to protect you from sizzling heat of the sun. It’s time to look for a better alternative, the sun protective clothing.

Sun damage of the skin can be either acute or chronic, but the main reason or factor is the ultra-violet radiation that causes aging of the skin. It is seen that skin cancer is mainly due to over exposure to sun as the ultra violet rays come in direct contact with the skin DNA and cell functioning that effects the skin system. Other common problems involved with sun exposure are wrinkles, leathery skin, pre-malignant actinic keratoses and the immune system. Hence the need of sun protective clothing becomes important.

Sun protective clothing is specially designed for protection from sun and is made from a fabric graded for its level of UV protection. Laboratory tests have shown that cotton fabric allows 50% of harmful UV rays penetrate to your skin when dry and 10 to 20 % more when your skin is wet. Tightly woven fabrics are considered more useful for protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. These UV protective clothes are restricted to some specific design parameters like long sleeves, full collar, full-length trousers and skirt. Sun protective clothing is usually worn in a warm and humid temperature. Clothes with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 15 to 50+ are meant to be sun-protective. The higher the UPF, the longer a person can tolerate the sun.

Sun protective clothing with a UPF is more effective as compared to sunscreens. Sunscreens with a high SPF cannot endure that much UV rays as a UPF protected clothing. Unlike SPF, that measures only UVB, sun protection clothes with UPF measures both UVA and UVB. Most of the apparels tagged with sun protection usually have UPF 50+.

Sun protective clothing was initially popularized in Australia as an alternative to sunscreens and sun block creams. They follow a standard lab testing procedure that was developed in 1996 by Australian swimwear companies. In America, the UPF rating system was standardized by American Standards and Testing Methods (ASTM). The standards have been adopted by fabric manufacturers to harmonize consumer awareness and safety at large. With the increasing demand in sun protection clothing, many textile manufacturers have developed sun proof fashion statements; wherein the market is flooded with a variety of swim suits, sun hats, sun proof T-shirts, shorts, pants etc. Information on sun protection clothing, sun protective clothing, sun protection clothes can be found at the www.tatjacket.com

Garment

Narrowly defined, natural swimwear for kids can be considered as garments that are comfortable and easy to wear. Another definition of natural swimwear is that it is made of natural or organic fibers. The fiber might be organically grown cotton, as an example. These garments are perfect for children’s swimming pool, beach or wading pool attire. Synthetic fibers that are comfortable to wear can also be considered natural.

When you are shopping for children’s swimwear, some features are necessities. Others are just desirable as features. The styles, colors or designs can fall into this category. The garments selected should always be carefully matched to your child’s age and gender. Here are other important features to check.

Always be sure to check the label of the garments you are considering for your baby, boys or girls. Look for the UPF rating on the garment. The UPF rating tells you whether the garment is designed to protect against the burning rays of the sun. Ultraviolet rays on your toddler’s skin can quickly suffer sunburn is there is not adequate protection with the fabric and sunscreen applied.

Protecting against childhood sun damage is important. There is a direct link between sunburn as a child and skin cancer as an adult. Check the garment label to see what the ultraviolet protection factor is. The acronym is UPF. Look for the highest possible rating which is a 50+. No UPF number on the label likely means that the garment doesn’t have the best protection.

Although natural fibers such as cotton are great for the environment, they may not be the best choice for protection against harmful UV rays. For girls and babies, the best choice is nylon and Lycra. Not only does this fabric provide UV protection, but it tends to wick water away from the skin. This will prevent your child from becoming cold. For boys, swim shorts made of specialized materials to protect delicate skin are also important. In addition, a hat will add additional protection. Always apply sunscreen on exposed skin.

For a better price break, check two or three websites online. You can often find better prices on the Web. You can certainly expect to find a wide range of styles and colors. Choose swimwear that is neither too large nor too small. Garments that are too small could irritate skin. If the swimming suits are larger than necessary, they could interfere with freedom of movement.

For suits that continue to look good even after multiple wearings, you want colorfastness. Chlorinated water, sunlight and environmental factors can cause garments to fade quickly. Rinse your child’s swimwear in clear water each time is is worn. You want garments that can withstand all the features that are usually found when playing in the sun, chlorinated water, or sand.

Look for natural swimwear for kids online or locally. The fabric should be color fast and should have a UPF rating that indicates a high level of protection. A style that covers more skin rather than less and a hat for the child’s face and head protection is important. Always keep sunscreen handy for your child’s exposed skin.