Understanding UPF
UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is a crucial measure of fabric's ability to block harmful UV rays.
A garment with UPF50+ blocks 98% of UVA and UVB rays, allowing only 1/50th of UV radiation to reach your skin.
All Beyond Skin™ fabrics are rated UPF50+, offering consistent protection unlike regular clothing, which can let significant UV radiation through, especially when wet.
Unlike SPF, which only measures protection against UVB rays, UPF provides broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB.
Wearing UPF50+ clothing ensures all-day sun safety for outdoor activities such as hiking, beach trips, and sports, unlike sunscreens that diminish in effectiveness over time.
Choose Beyond Skin™ for guaranteed long-lasting protection against sun damage, premature aging, and skin cancer risks.
What does UPF mean?
UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) measures the amount of UV radiation that is able to pass through the fabric and reach the skin's surface. A garment certified with the highest available UPF rating - UPF50+ - will only allow 1/50th of UV rays to reach the skin. All Beyond Skin™ fabrics are rated UPF50+ and are certified to block 98% of UVA and UVB rays. UPF ratings are exclusive to fabrics.
How does a UPF50+ garment differs from regular clothes?
Even though regular clothing provides some degree of sun protection, it still lets a lot of sun rays pass through. Also the degree of protection can vary a lot depending of the fabric and color. For instance, a regular white cotton t-shirt has a medium UPF of 5 – that means 1/5th (20%) of UV rays will pass through the clothes and reach your skin. Besides, if you sweat and those clothes get wet, the level of protection also drops, and more UV rays pass through. This will potentially increasing your risk of skin cancer and premature aging.
What is the difference between UPF and SPF?
SPF (Sun Protective Factor) is the rating used for sunscreens while UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is the rating used for fabrics. SPF measures the amount of time your skin is protected from UVB rays before it begins to redden or burn. SPF measures ONLY protection against UVB rays, but not against UVA rays, which contribute immensely to premature ageing and skin cancer development. UVB rays are strongest during the summer months while UVA rays are present and strong all year round!
Unlike SPF, UPF ratings measure the efficiency of fabrics to block both UVA and UVB rays. In addition, rather than measuring the amount of time the skin is protected, UPF ratings measure the total amount of UV radiation to pass through the fabric and reach the skin's surface.
Why it's recommended to choose UPF50+ sun protective clothing?
Unlike sunscreen, wearing UPF50+ clothing guarantees the same amount of protection all day long. Sunscreens decrease in their efficiency to block UVA and UVB rays as time goes on due to sweat, rubbing on fabrics and natural breakdown on the skin.
The difference with UPF50+clothing
Unlike regular clothing, which can leave you vulnerable to sun’s damaging effects, our sun-protective garments are specifically designed for outdoor activities like beach outings, hiking, running playing tennis, golfing or any outdoor exercising.