• A few companies are currently selling UV protective garments.

• Some claims have been made that cotton garments do not provide sun protection.

• Experiments were run to develop technical information based on a very limited study.

— Undyed, prepared cotton knit fabric may offer little UV protection.

— Dyed cotton knits (medium or dark shades) are likely to absorb UV and provide protection.

— White cotton knit garments typically contain an optical brightener (OB). The OB on white cotton knits will likely result in garments which offer protection.

— The use of detergents (most of which contain opticals) on cotton knits during laundering will likely result in increases in UPF as the garment is laundered.

— UV blocker chemical treatments can also be very effective.

UPF Ratings 50 Maximum Achievable 40-50 Excellent Protection 25-39 Very Good Protection 15-24 Good Protection   click on the image to see full view