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What is the best color to wear for sun protection?

The weave and weight are the most important factors in determining the sun protective effectiveness of fabrics, but scientific studies have shown that color plays an important role too.

We were all told growing up to wear lighter colors in the sun because they keep you cool, but scientific studies have proven that darker colors are more effective at protecting us from the suns harmful UV rays.

A study conducted in Spain in 2009 found that fabrics with darker or more intense colors tended to have better UV radiation protection than lighter colors. Of all colours they tested, dark blue offered the best levels of UV protection. In relation to the same study, it was reported in the Telegraph newspaper that white and yellow were the worst performing colors in terms of sun protection.

The researchers admitted that whilst the results of their tests were conclusive, however, they were not entirely sure why some colors performed better at preventing UV rays from penetrating fabrics than others.

The Cancer Council in Australia has advised on their website that darker colors absorb UV rays (which equates to blocking UV) better than white or pastel colors of the same fabric.

At Solbari we test every fabric with the Australian Government and we can confirm from our fabric testing results that darker colors in the same fabric offer better sun protection. We only offer fabrics in chosen colors if they have been tested and rated UPF 50+ by the Australian Government. So, irrespective of what color fabrics you see on our website, those fabrics have achieved the excellent UPF 50+ rating.

Solbari Sun Protection is leading Australian sun protective clothing (UPF clothing) brand with customers in over 60 countries.

All of Solbari’s products, in all colors, are independently tested and rated UPF 50+ by the Australian government. UPF 50+ is the maximum sun protective rating for fabrics awarded by the Australian Government.

Solbari’s award-winning range includes UPF 50+ shirts, polos, trousers, arm sleeves and umbrellas.

You can find out more about Solbari's certified UPF50+ sun protective range by clicking the blue links below:
Women UPF50+
Men UPF50+
Sun hats UPF50+
Accessories UPF50+

The SOLBARI Team
This blog post is for information purpose only.

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Not all clothing is created equal when it comes to sun protection. Regular summer clothes may have an Ultra Protection Factor rating (UPF) as low as 5.

A UPF of 5 provides little sun protection and lets large amounts of sunlight and UV rays pass through. This can lead to skin damage, premature skin ageing, skin cancer and melanoma.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends sun protective clothing as the best way to protect your skin against the sun's damaging rays. Solbari UPF50+ clothing, sun hats and accessories provide the highest sun protection rating for fabrics and block out 98% of harmful UV rays.