GT: How sun shirts work

We bet you’ll relate to the tale: you’re shopping for outdoor clothes. You stumble on shirts labeled “sun shirts” with UV-protective promises on the hang tags. And you think … “Isn’t every shirt a sun shirt?” Fabric shades your skin, right? It’s what we’ve always thought when we see that stuff, anyway. And, to a certain extent, it’s true: shaded skin is better off than skin exposed to full sun. So any clothing you wear is probably blocking some of the rays’ harmful effects. But when we see items marketed as sun-protective—many with actual UV ratings—we wonder if they’re better at protecting our dermises (dermi?) from the searing power of the sun. So we looked into it and are here to report.

What is the UPF rating of regular clothing?

While it’s better to wear a regular long-sleeved shirt and long pants than to let your skin roast au naturel, we were dismayed to learn that the average T-shirt or swimsuit has a UPF rating around 5. Yep. It’s a distressingly low number, and it explains why our skin can still get damaged by the sun even if we wore our favorite cotton tee all day.

How manufacturers can make clothing UV protective

There are a few ways to make clothes more protective, which goes a long way in sparing you a bajillion sunscreen re-applications over the course of a day out. Tight knits: The tighter the fabric knit, the better it blocks the sun. You’d be surprised how big of a difference there is between your average cotton tee and, say, denim or canvas. Manufacturers use an extra tight knit to block the light, while trying to keep the fabric light weight enough to be comfortable on a sunny day. (Better than canvas, anyway!) Note that fabric stretches if it fits too tightly, which spaces the fibers apart from one another. So choose a loose fit for optimal protection. (It’ll feel breezier as a bonus, too.) Darker colored dyes: You probably remember from school science class that different colors absorb and reflect light differently. Dark and intense colors (like navy blue or deep red) will absorb UV rays better than lighter shades. So you might notice a lot of color in the sun shirt section of the shop! Interestingly, slightly shiny fabrics like polyesters and satiny silks reflect a bit more sun, too. Treatments and chemicals: Items touted as having a certain UPF might also have photoprotective chemical additives (like the ones in sunscreen lotion), but there may be health risks associated with these chemicals in sunscreens, so we don’t love the idea of putting these chemicals into our clothing fibers, either. However, Patagonia has found a way to apply nontoxic titanium dioxide to its UPF clothing yarn. This works just like natural mineral sunscreen, with much less worry about negative impacts to health or environment. Clothing items marketed as sun-protective will have a label giving the UPF rating, so you’ll know what you’re working with protection-wise. Get quality stuff built to last so you minimize the environmental impact of it being manufactured to begin with. And of course, if you can, buy it UnNew here on Geartrade! You’ll maximize savings, minimize your carbon footprint, and keep your skin cells safe and stoked all summer long. Beth Lopez is a seasoned writer and creative director who loves to tell tales of adventure and discovery—and finds writing a powerful way to give a voice to people, causes, and places. Beth runs amok in the Wasatch mountains when untethered from her computer. She believes there’s no such thing as a bad ski day and considers animals her favorite people. Don’t tell her mother about her Instagram mountaineering photos. Follow us on Instagram + Facebook: Tag us @geartrade with the hashtag #unnewoutdoor #wearitout on your post or story for a chance to be featured on our page.

Have Spring & Summer gear to sell? Get cracking.

Spring is here. Have Tents, Sleeping bags, Hike & Camp gear, or Bike gear? Now is the time to sell them. It is now easier than ever to sell your gear on Geartrade. With our new Consignment Selling option you can finally reclaim your gear closet. Send it in. We take care of the rest. Geartrade is Climate Neutral Certified