UV-protective clothing is becoming more popular, as people become aware of the documented aesthetic risks of UV exposure. While UVB rays can cause the body to generate vitamin D, it's also the cause of up to 80% of visible signs of skin aging.
But is UV clothing actually proven to reduce skin exposure to UV rays? Which clothing brands, if any, have independent certifications proving their claims? And what was our experience after purchasing and testing the top UV clothing brands?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze research on the effectiveness of UV-protective clothing.
We'll also discuss which UV clothing brands have independent certifications, and what our personal recommendations are after purchasing and testing many products from the top brands (without any commercial relationship with them).
Key takeaways:
- UV-protective clothing likely blocks over 95% of UV rays
- We recommend Coolibar UV shirts
- We recommend Solbari UV hats
Does UV Clothing Even Work?
UV clothing is proposed to work by blocking the amount of UV rays that reach the skin beneath, through material and chemical innovations.
Some UV clothing brands, like Coolibar, use chemical means of protection: zinc oxide nanoparticles (like those in your sunscreen) to absorb and reflect UV rays.
Other UV brands, like Solbari, use physical means of protection: advanced nanofibers that prevent UV rays from penetrating the clothing surface and reaching the skin beneath.
This is a broad generalization, but our research suggests that these are the two primary mechanisms of action and the two most popular UV-protective brands.
A 2022 dermatology review concluded that UV clothing was more effective than sunscreen:
"While sunscreen remains an important photoprotective modality (especially for sites where clothing is impractical), these data suggest that clothing should be considered the cornerstone of UV protection."
A review published in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery documented that non-UV-clothing blocked around 86% of UV rays, whereas UPF 50+ clothing blocked over 98% of UV rays.
Overall, we believe there's enough clinical evidence to feel confident that well-constructed UV clothing is effective at blocking significantly more UV rays than regular clothing.
We Tested the Top Brands
As the author of this article, I wanted to purchase and test various products from the top brands, to share my thoughts on which categories which brands did best.
After a lot of experimentation, I found that I like Coolibar shirts more than other brands, particularly the Morada Long Sleeve T-Shirt and the Morada Short Sleeve T-Shirt.
It's light, breathable, and made with natural, non-plastic materials which is rare for UPF-rated clothing:
I use this as my daily top, because it covers more skin than the short sleeve T-shirt.
For hats of all types, Solbari is the clear winner.
I use their Bondi bucket hats for daily wear, and then their more non-conventional hats like full face shielding hats in greater privacy like on the terrace outside my house:
The Bondi hats look relatively normal/stylish, and provide a lot more UV protection than a regular baseball cap, which is what I used to wear.
They're also extremely lightweight and comfortable, so they're a good fit for low-intensity outdoor sports like tennis or golf.
Have These Brands Been Tested?
Solbari is one of the few UPF clothing brands with independent testing validating their claims.
The brand uses batch testing with devices that simulate the intensity of UV rays from the sun.
They are accredited as UFP 50+ by ARPANSA (Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency).
Coolibar employs similar testing methodologies, and validate blocking of 98%+ of both UVA and UBV rays.
Both Coolbari and Solibar sell products that carry the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation, which means that an independent panel of dermatologists has validated a brand's laboratory testing claims.
We consider the two brands to be equivalent in regard to independent testing and certifications, and consider both to be significantly ahead of any other UV-protective clothing brands in that regard.
