Sizing guides | Fitting goggles | Sun safety - sunscreens | Sun safety - UV clothing

UV protective clothing and sun glasses for babies, children and adults.

Sun Protective Clothing

Protecting young skin has to be a priority for any one enjoying a holiday in the sun, or just a decent day in the UK!

It is recommended that children under 6 months should be kept out of the sun completely but this may not always be possible, and certainly not for children who are finding their independence. Sun protective clothing, along with a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen is another way of ensuring everybody is safe in the sun.

If you have ever tried to cover a wriggling and reluctant child with sunscreen, you can probably already guess the benefits of clothes designed to reduce the risk of sun burn. Slipping on protective t-shirt and shorts leaves only the exposed areas of skin needing sunscreens. Far less exhausting for all concerned.

Sun Protective Clothing can be a great plus when the weather is overcast and it is not as obvious that skin is being exposed to UV rays. It is estimated that 80-85% of the suns rays pass through clouds. Sitting in the shade isn’t always the answer as reflected light from sand, water or even concrete can cause skin damage – so be sure, cover up and relax.

Ordinary clothing does not always provide the protection you may think as this can vary with the weave, colour, wetness or dryness of the fabric. The Sun Protective Clothing featured on our site, is made from a top quality soft, matt finished nylon/lycra fabric with a UPF of 50+. The material dries very quickly, does not retain water like cotton, and is lightweight and cool on a hot day.

Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is a commonly recognised rating which defines the level of protection the material gives from UVA and UVB rays. The fabric is tested using a spectrophotometer and the rating is usually written as 15+, 30+, 50+ or 100+. The higher the rating the more protective the material.

Useful links

Take a look at our range of sun and UV protective clothing, sunscreen, sun glasses and hats.

National Radiological Protection Board. A partner of the health protection agency has pages on the science behind Sun radiation and protection.
Met Office. Solar UV Index. 5 day forcast.

Sunglasses Make Sense. ...for everybody under the sun.

We have all become increasingly aware of the need to cover up in the sun to protect skin from UV (Ultraviolet) damage. But sun protection is just as important for your eyes. Wearing sunglasses which block at least 95% of UV rays are recommended, to avoid long & short term damage to the eyes.

Sand, water, snow and ice all increase the reflected UV radiation reaching the eye. Even on overcast days or in the shade, there may be enough scattered UV to burn skin and damage eyes. Wrap around, protective eye wear can help reduce the damaging effects of reflected sunlight.

Eye problems

Exposure to bright sunlight for a relatively short period of time can result in swelling and irritation of the eye, and eyes may become sensitive to strong light. This can lead to acute photokeratopathy, that is, sunburn of the cornea.
Longer periods of exposure can lead to more dangerous problems causing permenant eye damge or cancers of the eyelids and around the eye area

So, Sunglasses make sense

Protect your eyes, and those of young children, from UVradiation, with sunglasses.
Choose sunglasses that meet the Bristish Standard (BS EN 1836) which ensures that the sunglasses offer a safe level of UV protection.These sunglasses prevent at least 95% of invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the eyes. Check product information before buying. EPF (eye protection factor) of 95-100% is desirable.
Choose close fitting, wrap-around style sunglasses to stop UV rays getting in around the sides and tops of the lenses.
Coloured lenses are less effective at blocking UV radiation, and very dark shades (not carrying the BS mark) can increase risk of eye damage allowing more UV rays to enter the eyes as the pupil dilates.
Scratched lenses will scatter the sun's light and could cause glare around the area of the scratch. Store your glasses safely and replace scratched sunglasses. For more information about sun protection and a glossary of terms look here.
Links:

Browse through our sun protective clothing and sun glasses, in cluding the baby banz range, here.

sunsmart Sound advice for everybody under the sun from an excellent Australian site.