Getting out there means cosying up to the elements. From rain, snow, and sleet to sun, each season has its issues to navigate. Whether you're deliberately basking in the sun’s glorious rays or hiking a bare ridge, sun exposure can be harmful, causing sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer.
What’s a sun lover to do? Aside from planning shade-friendly activities, slapping on some sunscreen, or becoming a vampire, you can add UPF clothing to your wardrobe.
According to the World Health Organisation, one in three cancers diagnosed are skin cancers, so the need for sun protection is real. We’re not going to stop you from getting out there (and why would we want to?), so we’ll teach you how to protect yourself, using UPF.
What the heck is UPF?
UPF is a rating system that evaluates how much ultraviolet radiation is blocked by a fabric.
UPF stands for ultraviolet protection factor and the higher the rating, the better a garment is at protecting the skin against harmful UV radiation.
What do the UPF ratings mean?
Clothing that’s UPF rated will include its rating on the tag. Luckily, it’s a simple rating system to follow — the higher the number, the greater the protection.
For example, a UPF 50 rating means only 1/50th, or 2%, of the sun’s UV radiation will contact the skin.
How is a UPF rating determined?
UPF rating is determined by colour, fibre, density, fabric construction, and treatment if any is used. Dark colours absorb more UV radiation, providing better protection, while light colours reflect light back towards the body.
Tighter weaves help raise a UPF rating, and nylon and polyester perform better than natural fibres like hemp and cotton.
In order to achieve a UPF rating, the garment must be designed in a specific way. The rating itself is determined by the fabric but without garment consideration it can’t bear the UPF hangtag.
That’s why we have styles in UPF fabric with no rating. For example, our SUN-Stopper fabric is also used in the ULT-Hike Women's Tank, but the tank can’t be classified as UPF due to its sleeveless nature.
You won’t see clothing with a UPF rating of under 15, as these are no longer considered UV protective. Although something provides more protection than nothing, you'll want your clothing UPF rated if you’re looking to block out the sun’s exposure.
It’s important to note that UPF ratings only apply to areas the garment covers.
Are these claims backed up by a standard?
All our sun protective fabrics are tested in an accredited lab, on every bulk colour, every summer season against Australian Standard AS 4399:2020. It’s mandatory to provide a UPF rating if you make a sun protection claim, and there are also design requirements that must be followed.
Why do I need UPF clothing to protect against the sun’s harmful rays? Why won’t my regular clothes do the job?
Any clothing is better than bare skin. However, UPF clothing provides even more coverage than non-UPF clothing, based on the way it’s constructed, designed, and (sometimes) treated. Sun-protective clothing often have features such as hoods, high collars, long sleeves, and loose fits that allow for more areas to be covered.
If you’re planning to spend prolonged time in the sun, like at the beach or on an exposed hike, it can pay dividends to cover up with UPF clothing. Avoiding sunburn allows for more fun in the sun (see what we did there), as is saving yourself from the risks UV rays cause. Plus, there’s no need to squawk at whoever did a poor job covering your back in sunscreen — it’s all covered!
Who should consider UPF clothing?
Well, everyone, really. The sun causes damage to all skin, but those that burn easily, children, and older adults are more susceptible to sun damage.
The Australian Skin Cancer Foundation states; “Australia and New Zealand have the world’s highest incidence of melanoma and melanoma is the third most common cancer diagnosed in Australia. The risk of being diagnosed with melanoma by age 85 is 1 in 13 for men compared to 1 in 21 for women.”
Those are pretty staggering stats. Considering clothing that blocks these rays is one small step in protecting yourself against skin cancer.
How does UPF differ from SPF?
SPF — Sun Protection Factor — measures the amount of time it takes exposed skin to redden, where UPF measures the amount of UV radiation that can penetrate fabric to reach skin.
Sunscreen is a great first measure of defense, but it’s easy to miss a spot, it rubs off when you sweat or jump in the pool, and has expiration dates.
What are other ways I can protect myself against the sun?
Being sun smart is easy with a little forethought. When the UV radiation levels are at their highest — typically between 10 am-4 pm in spring and summer months — be sure to wear sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses, as well as seek out shady spots.
Okay, I’m convinced. What does Kathmandu have?
You’re in luck this season. The design team were busy little beavers dreaming up ways to protect your delicate skin for the summer season and launched the SUN-Stopper range. We reckon the name alone provides a good clue as to what it does, but here’s a little quote from our General Manager of Product, Robert Fry, to help explain this cool new range;
“A huge part of our focus for this season was continuing the push for sun protection, carrying on from the launch of the SUN-Stopper range. Skin cancer rates in our part of the planet are the world’s highest, and when considering our customers’ wellbeing, ensuring UPF 50+ seemed like a critical goal. We also wanted to lead with innovation, so we worked on attaining that UPF50+ rating on cotton blends – which is difficult to achieve and rare in the marketplace.”
Special treat for water lovers!
Water lovers are in luck this summer, too. Our brand new WTR range will keep you protected and comfy splashing in waterfalls and hitting the trails. Made for the spontaneous moments of hot summer days, the WTR-Seeker Splash Long Sleeve Tops feature a quick-drying fabric and are UPF 50+ rated.
Ready to protect your skin? Check out our UPF clothing range.