Sun Protective Clothing Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation

Here are some facts from the Skin Cancer Foundation. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Between 65 and 90 percent of skin cancer is caused by UV radiation from the sun.

There are three simple steps to reduce your risk of skin cancer. One, avoid tanning beds. Two, use sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Finally, wear sun protective clothing.

UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) is to clothes what SPF is to sunscreen. All clothing has a UPF rating. For instance, a white cotton tee has an approximate UPF of 7 while a long sleeved dark denim shirt has a UPF of 1700. The cotton t-shirt is inherently more suitable for the beach, but does zip to protect you skin from the sun. Vice versa, the dark-colored denim shirt completely blocks the harmful UV rays, but isn't necessarily practical for a hot day at the beach.

That's where technology has stepped in, once again, to improve our lives. A special chemical UV absorber has been developed in the form of a colorless dye. Several manufacturers are now making use of this development in the form of sun protective clothing. Clothes with a UPF of 15 to 50 can be labeled as sun protective. Five companies have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation for their line of sun protective clothing.

Coolibar specializes in sun protective clothing for the whole family. Their Suntect fabric line has a UPF of 50 and above and is specially developed to keep you cool, but safe. They offer hoodies, beach shirts, everyday blouses, tunics, shells, and more for women. Men can choose between fishing shirts, bamboo active shirts, athletic jackets, pullovers, polos, and long sleeve tees. [Source: coolibar.com]

Columbia Sportswear Company has also gotten in on the act. Their Omni-Shade line is designed to be comfortable in the hottest conditions while protecting your from the sun. Women can choose from 186 shirts in a variety of styles and colors. [Source: http://www.columbia.com/Search.aspx?keyword=omni-shade&topCatSearchName=&topCatSearchId=0&viewAll=False&currPage=0&searchType=keyword&activityId=0&activityName=&currFilterId=2&currFilterName=Women's&currFilterType=category&allFilters=catFilterId%3d0%7ccatFilterName%3d] Men have a slightly smaller selection but still an impressive collection. [Source: http://www.columbia.com/Search.aspx?keyword=omni+shade&topCatSearchName=&topCatSearchId=0&viewAll=False&currPage=0&searchType=keyword&activityId=0&activityName=&currFilterId=1&currFilterName=Men's&currFilterType=category&allFilters=catFilterId%3d0%7ccatFilterName%3d]

BTC Innovations offers a casual collection with a UPF of 30 to 50.

Sunbusters, Inc provides activewear - swimwear, hats, shoes, and cover-ups with a UPF of 50.

Finally, Solar Protective Factory has been making sun protective fabric for more than twelve years and now offer a line of sun protective apparel for the whole family: t-shirts, sweatshirts, and more. [Source: http://www.spfstore.com/]