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Just some FYI here on UPF clothing ratings, specifically the UV Buff:
I went to purchase a UV Buff but wanted to know the UPF rating. I was assuming it was at least 30 to 50 since it states it blocks 95% uv rays which was kinda confusing to me without the UPF rating. Anyway found out the following;
S o what is the UPF rating for the UV Buff®?
From Buff website- the UV Buff® averages a UPF of 20+. It has been tested for UV protection by AITEX and LEITAT – Textile Technology Institutes in accordance with the standard AS/NZS4399:1996 “Sun protective clothing – Evaluation and Classification”, results ranged from 93.3% to 96.7%, averaging 95% UV protection.
So based on the information from Buff website and the detailed explanation below ( included for your reading pleasure), the buff offers the lowest UPF rating even on their UV Buff. I ended up buying Another brand that offered a rating of 50+
UV-protection claims for clothing were first formalized in the 1990s in Australia, where skin cancer is a widespread concern. Researchers there developed the first fabric testing procedures for UV transmission and created a UPF rating system (see chart below). Clothing manufacturers have since voluntarily adopted this system.
UPF Range Protection Category Effective UV-R Transmission (%) UPF Rating
15-24 Good 6.7-4.2 15, 20
25-39 Very Good 4.1-2.6 25, 30, 35
40-50, 50+ Excellent Less than 2.5 40, 45, 50, 50+
Basically, a UPF rating of 50 indicates the fabric of a garment will allow only 1/50th (roughly 2%) of available UV radiation to pass through it. A garment rated UPF 25 permits roughly 4% (1/25th) UV transmission.
The higher the number, the better the protection the fabric offers. Any fabric that allows less than 2% UV transmission is simply labeled UPF 50+.
All fabrics in some way impact the transmission of UV radiation. You may read that fabrics "absorb" UV rays, but that wording implies that fabrics somehow soak up UV radiation like a sponge. That's not exactly the case. When ultraviolet radiation and textiles interact, the energy of UV rays is changed. UV radiation is converted to heat, a transformation that renders most rays harmless. Some garments, depending on factors such as construction, dyes and fabric treatments (explained later in this article), do a better job at this than others.
The original Australian rating system stipulates that garments made with fabrics rated below UPF 15 cannot be marketed as UV-protective. So where does a white cotton T-shirt rate? Many Web sites estimate it falls between UPF 5 and UPF 8, meaning it could allow as much as 20% (one-fifth) of available UV radiation to pass through.
While no doubt true in some cases, many newer T-shirts are treated with "optical brightening agents." These OBAs, appearance-enhancers for white fabrics, also boost disruption of UV radiation. Most common household detergents also include OBAs, so repeated launderings will increase the fabric's accumulation of brighteners and thus increase its UV-protective ability. Some experts estimate that such shirts may offer a UPF of nearly 15.
I went to purchase a UV Buff but wanted to know the UPF rating. I was assuming it was at least 30 to 50 since it states it blocks 95% uv rays which was kinda confusing to me without the UPF rating. Anyway found out the following;
S o what is the UPF rating for the UV Buff®?
From Buff website- the UV Buff® averages a UPF of 20+. It has been tested for UV protection by AITEX and LEITAT – Textile Technology Institutes in accordance with the standard AS/NZS4399:1996 “Sun protective clothing – Evaluation and Classification”, results ranged from 93.3% to 96.7%, averaging 95% UV protection.
So based on the information from Buff website and the detailed explanation below ( included for your reading pleasure), the buff offers the lowest UPF rating even on their UV Buff. I ended up buying Another brand that offered a rating of 50+
UV-protection claims for clothing were first formalized in the 1990s in Australia, where skin cancer is a widespread concern. Researchers there developed the first fabric testing procedures for UV transmission and created a UPF rating system (see chart below). Clothing manufacturers have since voluntarily adopted this system.
UPF Range Protection Category Effective UV-R Transmission (%) UPF Rating
15-24 Good 6.7-4.2 15, 20
25-39 Very Good 4.1-2.6 25, 30, 35
40-50, 50+ Excellent Less than 2.5 40, 45, 50, 50+
Basically, a UPF rating of 50 indicates the fabric of a garment will allow only 1/50th (roughly 2%) of available UV radiation to pass through it. A garment rated UPF 25 permits roughly 4% (1/25th) UV transmission.
The higher the number, the better the protection the fabric offers. Any fabric that allows less than 2% UV transmission is simply labeled UPF 50+.
All fabrics in some way impact the transmission of UV radiation. You may read that fabrics "absorb" UV rays, but that wording implies that fabrics somehow soak up UV radiation like a sponge. That's not exactly the case. When ultraviolet radiation and textiles interact, the energy of UV rays is changed. UV radiation is converted to heat, a transformation that renders most rays harmless. Some garments, depending on factors such as construction, dyes and fabric treatments (explained later in this article), do a better job at this than others.
The original Australian rating system stipulates that garments made with fabrics rated below UPF 15 cannot be marketed as UV-protective. So where does a white cotton T-shirt rate? Many Web sites estimate it falls between UPF 5 and UPF 8, meaning it could allow as much as 20% (one-fifth) of available UV radiation to pass through.
While no doubt true in some cases, many newer T-shirts are treated with "optical brightening agents." These OBAs, appearance-enhancers for white fabrics, also boost disruption of UV radiation. Most common household detergents also include OBAs, so repeated launderings will increase the fabric's accumulation of brighteners and thus increase its UV-protective ability. Some experts estimate that such shirts may offer a UPF of nearly 15.
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