Protect Your Skin with UPF Clothing

Most people’s go-to for sun protection is applying SPF to their skin when outdoors. However, there are other ways to protect yourself, too! One in particular is with UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) clothing.  

UPF is scaled similarly to the way that SPF is rated. Unlike SPF, UPF can protect you not just from UVB rays, but UVA rays as well. When you are shopping for UPF clothing, you should know that the higher the UPF rating, the better sun protection you will receive. For example, an article of clothing with an UPF of 50, allows just 1/50th of the sun’s UV radiation to permeate the skin.

When searching for UPF clothing, many in-store and online retailers will either label it as sun-protective or UPF. The hangtag or item description will specify whether or not it’s an UPF of 15+ or more. Lastly, be mindful that if the UPF fabric is stretched out, pulled too tight or wet, the effectiveness of the product may be lost over time. Some of our favorite brands known for high quality and flattering styles include Coolibar, Athleta, and Columbia.

UPF clothing is a great choice for anyone who lives an active lifestyle or enjoys time outdoors. The applications are many, but the most common that come to mind for us are when running and hiking, skiing out West or when out on the water, swimming or relaxing poolside, pushing the stroller or walking the dog. While the sun’s ray’s feel strongest from June to September in New England, the need for sun protection is year round.

If you know you are going to be exposed to the sun, take the proper precautions in protecting your skin. It doesn’t just take a liberal amount of SPF, a few times day. Life outdoors is much more fun when you know you’re adequately protected!