Can sunscreen clothes really protect against the sun?

Sunscreen clothing does have a sun protection effect, but its sun protection effect depends on its material and manufacturing process. The sun protection principle of sunscreen clothing is mainly based on its special material and manufacturing process. Many sunscreens use fabrics with sun protection functions, which may have added UV absorbers or UV reflectors during the textile process. UV absorbers can absorb and convert the energy of ultraviolet rays into other forms of energy, thereby reducing the damage of ultraviolet rays to the skin; UV reflective agents can directly reflect ultraviolet rays back, preventing them from penetrating clothing and coming into contact with the skin. ‌

The sun protection effect of sunscreen clothing can be measured by its UV protection factor (UPF). The higher the UPF value, the better the sun protection effect. For example, UPF50+sun protection clothing can block over 98% of ultraviolet rays, which means only a very small portion of ultraviolet rays can penetrate the clothing and reach the skin. In addition, sunscreen clothing can not only protect large areas of the body's skin, such as arms, shoulders, back, etc., but also to some extent protect the skin around the face, reducing the damage caused by direct sunlight.

Sunscreen clothes made of different materials also have different sun protection effects. High quality polyester fiber material sun protection clothing usually has good sun protection effect, while cotton fabrics have relatively poor sun protection effect. Some high-end sun protection clothes use a combination of sun protection ceramic fibers and polyester fibers to increase the reflection and scattering of ultraviolet rays on the surface of the clothes, preventing ultraviolet rays from penetrating the fabric and damaging human skin.

Therefore, choosing the appropriate material and brand of sunscreen clothing is the key to ensuring sun protection effectiveness. High quality sunscreen clothing can effectively block ultraviolet rays and protect the skin from sun damage.