How Does Sun-Shield Clothing Work?

Your outdoor wardrobe doesn’t just look great, it also offers a whole host of benefits on the trail. Clothing, hats and other outdoor accessories are some of the most effective, and simplest, ways to shield yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays. But how does sun-shield clothing work? Well, it’s quite straightforward. Sun shield clothing is designed to capture as many harmful particles radiated by the sun as technically possible. This is done by using tight weaves in the fabric, selecting dense and technical yarn and also partially by colour choice.

Most people find it much easier to throw on an item of clothing rather than having to lather up with sun cream every couple of hours, particularly when hiking, travelling through the wild, or just walking through town whilst the sun is beaming. Read on for more information on how sun-shield clothing works in our guide below.

Sun-Shield clothing is exactly what it says on the label, clothing that shields you from harmful sun rays, particularly ultra-violet. Essentially it provides a barrier between you and the sun. The fabric is rated for its level of UV protection, with UPF 30+ to 50+ available. Find out more about the UPF rating scale below so that you know what to look out for when purchasing.

So, how much sun shielding does fabric provide? Different fabrics provide different levels of UV shielding, so it will depend on what you wear. As to be expected, long-sleeved shirts, full-length trousers and longer skirts will cover more skin and therefore offer more shielding. A tightly woven fabric will also offer more shielding than a loosely woven material, while dry clothes will generally offer a safer barrier than wet ones.

The level of shielding that your fabrics offer will also depend on its UPF rating. Fabrics for sun shielding will come with a grade, but what is the standard UPF rating scale for clothing?

UPF Rating Scale

Now more than ever, brands are creating clothing that promotes the ultraviolet protection factor. The UPF rating scale determines the level of protection that the fabric offers. The UPF is a standard that is used to measure the effectiveness of the sun-shield clothing. The standard UPF rating scale is as follows:

• UPF Rating 15-24 - Radiation Blocked 93.3%-95.9%. This is a good amount of sun protection.
• UPF Rating 25-39 - Radiation Blocked 96.0%-97.4%. This is a very good amount of sun shielding.
• UPF Rating 40-50+ - Radiation Blocked 97.5%-98%+. This is an excellent amount of sun shielding.

The Craghoppers SolarShield farbic offers UPF30-50 rating with 97.5% blocked UVR and 2.5% (or less) UV radiation 30-50

Not all colours provide equal shielding from the sun. Typically, dark or bright colours will absorb more UV than lighter shades like whites and pastels. This means lighter shades reflect the UV rays, allowing them an opportunity to bounce their way through your clothing and reach your skin. On the other hand, dark shades absorb those rays, that would otherwise, again, have had the opportunity to bounce through, thus making dark shades better for sun shielding. This is also why you might find that your black clothing attracts more heat.

But how long can clothes protect you from the sun for? Our SolarShield fabric is made from sun-shield materials, meaning the technology lasts for the lifetime of the garment. So that when you’re out on the trail, you know you can rely on your clothing to keep you shielded as you continue to explore the outdoors. However, you should still cover up any exposed areas of skin with sun cream for full defence against the sun.

At Craghoppers, we have a great selection of lightweight sun-shield clothing available for men, women and kids. Constructed using denser fabrics with tighter weaves, the SolarShield range offers greater shielding against harmful UV rays which has been tried and tested to provide UPF30-50 shielding.

Get out and enjoy the sun without taking risks. Browse the range of SolarShield clothing online and pack up your kit for your next adventure.