Cotton Bamboo Sun Sleeves UV protectors
Bamboo is a plentiful, renewable natural product with many remarkable characteristics. It is soft, comfortable, protective and hygienic with natural UV protection for both UVA and UVB rays.
Slinky Sleeves’ range of 90% cotton and Bamboo cotton plain and dyed fabrics therefore already meet many of the Australian Standards Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating requirements, but over the next couple of months we will have key samples officially rated.
According to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) the factors that contribute to the UPF rating of a fabric are:
- Composition of the yarns (cotton, polyester, etc)
- Tightness of the weave or knit (tighter improves the rating)
- Colour (darker colours are generally better)
- Stretch (more stretch lowers the rating)
- Moisture (many fabrics have lower ratings when wet)
- Condition (worn and faded garments may have reduced ratings)
- Finishing (some fabrics are treated with UV absorbing chemicals)
Under these guidelines many of our sun sleeves qualify and the stretch factor of 10% to provide and maintain shape, style, and keep the sun sleeves in place should not impact significantly.
A material with a UPF rating of 20 would only allow 1/20th (5%) of the UV radiation falling on its surface to pass through it, ie it blocks 95% of UV radiation. Any fabric rated above UPF15 provides good protection against UV radiation, but UPF50+ is recommended.
- Grey bamboo cotton sun sleeves
- Peach bamboo cotton sun sleeves
- Black cotton sun sleeves
- Cream Bamboo cotton sun sleeves
- Pink 90% cotton sun sleeves