What you need to know about how we test our SPF clothing, swimwear and hats
All of our mens SPF clothing is tested and labeled for sun protection effectiveness.In 2001, a published analysis of UV protection provided by mens clothing concluded that more than 50% offered less protection than a SPF 30 sunscreen.
We independently test our sun protective clothing fabrics for UPF using current national test protocols.
Australians pioneered use of a “Ultraviolet Protection Factor” more than a decade ago and now apply it to nearly 3 million sun protection garments a year, including mens clothing, mens hats and sun protective swimwear. Using standards defined in this country by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, and the American Society for Testing and Materials, all of our sunblock clothing fabrics are rigorously examined.
The fabrics for our sun protective hats and clothing are electronically tested for both UVA and UVB, laundered 40 times, exposed to 100 units of simulated sunlight, then retested. Our men's swim shirts and swimwear fabrics are also exposed to chlorinated water before retesting. Garment ratings are the lower of the initial test and the retest. We only market uv clothing rated from UPF 30 to UPF 50+. Our Coolibar hangtags accurately inform you of each garment’s sun protection rating.
