One of the things we\u2019re most famous for here in Australia is our hot, Australian sun. While our warm summer weather is great for outdoor activities like fishing, swimming and camping, it can be easy to forget to protect your skin when there are so many fun outdoor activities to enjoy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve all grown up learning the jingle to remind us to \u2018Slip, Slop, Slap\u2019 – slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat (in case you\u2019ve forgotten). Now they\u2019ve also added \u2018Slide\u2019 to remind us to slide on some sunglasses too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sunscreen is obviously vitally important to protect your skin from the harsh Australian sun but, the truth of the matter is, if you\u2019re not diligent about reapplying your sunscreen every 2-3 hours, then you need to invest in some UPF clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor, so clothing that carries a UPF rating has been approved under Australian standards and guidelines to be effective in protecting your skin from UV radiation. To reach the Australian Standard, clothing needs to incorporate full length sleeves,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
collars, crew necklines, long skirts or long trouser legs – basically the more coverage of the body, the better, as it will provide a physical barrier to block the UV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UPF rating also takes into account the material used in the garment. The amount of UV that passes through unstretched, dry material is assessed to provide the appropriate UPF rating. There are only four UPF ratings used for clothing \u2013 UPF15, 30, 50 or 50+. A material with a<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UPF rating of 30 will only allow 1\/30th (3.3%) of UV falling on its surface to pass through it, therefore effectively blocking 96.7% of UV. A fabric rated with UPF15 provides the minimum protection level against UV to receive a UPF rating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, fabrics rated as UPF50 and\/or UPF50+\u00a0 provide excellent protection and are therefore recommended for use to protect your skin from sun damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having white, pale and pasty skin, I am no stranger to the need to protect my skin from the sun. My children have all also inherited my pale, freckle-prone skin and have grown up having to pay attention to the \u2018Slip, slop, slap\u2019 message – at least they\u2019ve also grown up with the \u2018No hat, no play\u2019 rule enforced by kindergartens and schools these days, so they\u2019re well aware of the need to wear a hat if going outside during those dangerous high UV hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, while we\u2019re all aware of the need to not wear singlets, exposing our delicate shoulder skin, and to try, where possible, to wear t-shirts or shirts with collars to protect the back of the neck, what we haven\u2019t been aware of until recently, is UPF or SunSmart clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I actually can\u2019t remember how I stumbled across the Solbari website<\/span><\/span><\/a> – knowing me, it was probably from a Pinterest<\/a><\/span><\/span> or Facebook ad, or similar. Always looking for ways to protect my skin, and that of my family, I was excited to give some of their UPF50+ clothing a try. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I ordered a shirt and a hat for my eldest son and a \u2018sun wrap\u2019<\/a><\/span><\/span> for myself. Helpful shopping tip – if you sign up to their mailing list, you\u2019ll get a code to receive 10% off your first order! (And SunSmart clothing is a bit on the expensive side, so the 10% discount is worth having).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were very excited to receive our order within a few days. Everything was packaged nicely, the hat even had a plastic mould inside it to keep it in shape.<\/p>\n\n\n