Maximising protection — Sun protective fabric and clothing

Cheryl A. Wilson
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; [email protected]; www.otago.ac.nz/textiles

Abstract. UV protection programmes promote the message to However, guidelines for selecting the best fabric and
cover up and minimise exposure of skin surfaces to the sun. garments (other than reference to UPF ratings) are difficult
However, from a consumer’s perspective what information is to find. How has our understanding of factors affecting
available to support selection of garments that will optimise protection provided by fabric and clothing progressed from
protection? UPF rating provides information about fabrics that 2007 to now? Can we improve recommendations about
have achieved high ratings for protection, and by implication, key factors (e.g. fibre, yarn, fabric and wear) affecting
indicates that garments made from these fabrics will minimise protection provided by fabrics, and garments?
exposure. However, most clothing and textile products are not
Social and environmental factors other than UV also
tested and do not carry UPF ratings. When purchasing such
garments what product characteristics are important?
affect summer clothing selection. Warmer temperatures
increase preference for clothing of lighter mass, greater air
UV intensity and sun protective clothing and water vapour permeability, and lighter colour. Thermal
comfort/thermophysiological needs are often at odds with
Credited with the highest rates of skin cancer in the selection of clothing that will provide greater UV
world New Zealanders and Australians are increasingly protection. Is it possible to balance thermo/physiological
aware of the health risks associated with overexposure to and UV protection needs?
UV radiation. The need to slip, slop, slap and wrap has
been extensively promoted, along with the importance of Structure — Woven or nonwoven
utilising shade and personal shade (including clothing)
during high UV index times of day and year. Much consumer advice focuses on woven textiles
A number of national Standards utilising rating systems stating that the weave of fabrics should be tight as such
are recognised as indicating UV protection capacity fabrics provide better protection than loosely woven ones.
provided by fabrics. Such rating systems enable Yet textiles are available in a variety of structures such as
manufacturers label and promote garments made from UPF woven and nonwoven (e.g. knitted, fibre mats, films such
rated fabric as being sun protective clothing. UPF swing as neoprene etc.). Knitted fabrics are increasingly used for
tags can be used on garments rated of fabric as sun production of products promoted as suitable for active
protective by accredited programmes such as ARPANSA outdoor and summer wear e.g. Icebreaker; Silkbody etc.
(Gies et al., 1994) The accepted rule is that the higher the cover factor the
In spite of the promotional programmes and awareness greater the UPF regardless of fabric structure. When
of rating systems the majority of clothing worn during the fabrics with the same cover/tightness were examined a
high UV exposure months is not UPF rated. Consumers are hierarchy of weave structures, in order of increasing UPF,
either choosing UPF rated garments for certain activities were identified: i.e. plain, twill, satin (Dubrovski et al.,
only, actively choosing not to purchase UPF rated 2009), like the twill, jersey was associated with lower
garments, or are selecting clothing on the basis of non-UV levels of transmission (Wilson et al., In preparation)
related criteria, e.g. fashion, life style etc.,. (Wilson et al., In preparation). Differences between plain
From a consumers perspective what is ‘sun protective and twill weaves are attributable to the floating of weft
clothing’? An increasingly common source of consumer (crosswise) yarns, over one and under two of the warp
information about ‘sun protective clothing’ is the internet filling threads creating greater cover/density in twills
‘Googling’ highlights the extensive use of the term. The (Taylor, 1995).
majority of entries related to promotion and sale of SFP or However, this relationship is not linear and is instead
UPF rated clothing as opposed to advice on how to make dependent on the colour of the fabric and other factors, e.g.
informed choices between similar clothing items Such extensibility, which affect the size of the interstitial spaces.
items may provide very different levels of UV protection. More extensible fabrics will require higher set, effective
Examination of the Wikipedia entry for 'sun protective recovery, and garments styled to ensure positive rather
clothing' defines Sun protective clothing as "clothing than negative ease, in order to maintain protection during
specifically designed for sun protection and is produced use
from a fabric rated for its level of ultraviolet (UV)
protection". Further examination of the search results lead Colour
to official websites of organisations such as the Cancer Preference for lighter colours in summer is associated
Society (NZ) website which provides one of the more with greater reflection of the infra-red (IR) part of the light
informative information sheets detailing factors consumers spectrum (Dubrovski and Golob, 2009; Shkolnik et al.,
should consider when buying clothing in order to enhanced 1980). While perceived as cooler, lighter colours result in
their overall UV protection (Cancer Society, 2007). While increased UV transmission as the greater the ‘depth' of
last reviewed in 2007 this information sheet carries the colour the better the resulting UV protection (Wilson et al.,
cover up message, provides information on the UPF and 2008). Many light colours can not be produced with
the UVI, and basic guidelines for choosing the “best type” sufficient depth to provide adequate levels of protection.
of fabric (i.e. advice was regarding fabric weave, colour, Interactions between cover and colour suggest that
weight, stretch and wetness). choosing a fabric in a lighter colour with a tighter sett or

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higher knitting stiffness (smaller gauge needles) may an acceptable level of protection when wet, and/or
partially offset the effect of colour alone. High selecting products that will dry quickly e.g. synthetics
temperatures in the clothing layers increases may also be which tends to dry faster than natural fibres (Gies et al.,
offset using appropriate fabric (e.g. selected fibre types; air 1994; Wilson and Parisi, 2006).
(AP) and water vapour (WV) permeability and design
decisions (e.g. loose fitting, well ventilated garments) so Conclusions
that while clothing temperature increases skin temperature
Consumers selecting products intended to maximise
does not (Shkolnik et al., 1980).
protection should be identifying fabrics that have been
Air and water vapour permeability designed and garments constructed in a manner to
maximise protection.
Choosing fabrics with structures and set/knitting Improved understanding of the relationship between
stiffness associated with small interstitial spaces has fibre, yarn and garment properties means that it is now
implications in terms of AP and WV permeability. Low possible to develop decision matrices to aid consumers in
AP and WV permeability are associated with greater their choices while at the same time recognising that
discomfort. However, alternative pathways for air and WV protection provided by textiles and clothing is confounded
venting facilitating microclimate and environmental by interactions among variables. Outreach to the public on
exchange e.g. loose fit; larger sleeve volumes; selection of what fabrics, garments and wear practices are desirable is
hydrophilic (e.g. 'natural') rather than hydrophobic recommended.
(synthetic) fibres; or use of hydrophilic finishes; may
improve physiological comfort. References

Natural, synthetic or blended fabric Algaba, I.M., Montserrat, P. and Riva, A., 2008. Correlation
between the ultraviolet protection factor and the weight and
Synthetic fibres are more permeable than natural fibres . thickness of undyed cellulosic woven fabrics. Fibres &
Differences in UV transmittance through natural, synthetic Textiles in Eastern Europe 16 (1), 85-89.
or blended high UPF fabrics was shown to depend on fibre Cancer Society, 2007. Sun protective clothing-information sheet.
classification (found for UVA and UVR transmission only)
www.cancernz.org.nz/assets/.../IS_SunprotectiveclothingDec
Natural and blended fibre types transmitted significantly
less UV than that which occurs through synthetics yet 07.pdf
while the natural fabrics were significantly heavier the Dubrovski, P.D. and Golob, D., 2009. Effects of woven fabric
synthetic and blended fabrics did not differ significantly in construction and color on ultraviolet protection. Text. Res. J.
their mass (Wilson et al., In preparation). That polyester 79 (4), 351-359.
provides better protection than nylon or cotton (Hilfiker et Gies, H.P., Roy, C.R., Elliott, G. and Zongli, W., 1994.
al., 1996; Reinert et al., 1997) was not apparent in the high Ultraviolet radiation protection factors for clothing. Health
UPF fabrics examined by Wilson et al., (In preparation). Physics 67 (2), 131-139.
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