Can You Add UV Protection to Clothes?

In This Article

We’ll explain how UV protection can be added to clothes in the wash, how SunClad works, which fabrics respond best, what independent testing found, and how long the added protection lasts.

Why do you need to add UV Protection to Clothes?

All clothing provides some protection from UV rays, but the level can vary significantly from one garment to another. A lightweight white cotton T-shirt may have a UPF as low as 5, while a pair of denim jeans may provide UPF 50+ protection.

Adding UV protection to clothes help ensure that all your clothes do more to shield your skin from harmful UV rays.

How Does a UV Laundry Booster Work?

SunClad’s patent-pending formula adds UV protection to fabric fibers during the wash. When UV radiation reaches the treated fabric, the UV filter absorbs the energy and converts it into a tiny, harmless amount of heat that dissipates into the surrounding environment. Fun fact: This is also how sunscreen works!

This process reduces the amount of UV radiation that can pass through the fabric and reach your skin. It all happens invisibly, without changing the color, fit, feel, or breathability of your clothes.

Which Fabrics Work Best With SunClad?

SunClad works best on fabrics containing natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, and rayon. It adds minimal protection to garments made from 100% synthetic fibers.

You can still use SunClad in a load containing polyester or nylon—it simply won’t add much protection to garments made entirely from those fibers.

Loose mesh and very open-weave clothing are also less suitable. SunClad can help fibers absorb more UV radiation, but it can’t close physical gaps in a fabric.

Does It Actually Work?

SunClad has been independently tested by TÜV SÜD using AATCC TM183, a standardized method for measuring UV transmission through fabrics.

Testing showed that SunClad increased cotton fabric from a baseline UPF of 4.5 to UPF 30+ after one wash and UPF 50+ after three washes under the tested conditions.

That said, no two garments are exactly alike, and washing conditions may differ, so we can’t guarantee the exact rate of UPF increase for every garment. What we can promise is that continued use of SunClad adds more UV protection over time.

How Long Does the Protection Last?

SunClad’s added UV protection lasts through at least three subsequent washes. We recommend adding SunClad to every wash to increase and maintain protection.

Bottom Line

Adding UV protection to clothes is possible—and with SunClad, it’s as easy as doing laundry. Just add it to the wash to help the clothes you love do more to protect your skin, so you can enjoy the sunshine with a little more peace of mind.