Certified UV Protection vs UV Protection 

• There is a clear, scientific and medical link between "too much UV" and getting disfiguring, life threatening skin cancer.
• Most lightweight clothing provides minimum UV protection. UV exposure is cumulative. The more you shield your skin with sun-protective clothing the less UV radiation you will absorb.
• The Solar Protective Factory produces the world's best selling brands of sun protective fabrics. Those brands include: SPF®, Solarweave®, Solarknit®, Solartwill™, Solarcanvas™, SolarCotton™ & Strollerweave™

Clothing industry experts have predicted that UV rated clothing will rapidly become the next big growth area in apparel. A recent Wall Street Journal article confirmed that growth by saying that the sun-protective industry "easily has become a $3 billion business---more than a third of what Americans paid to go to the movies last year". That article also said as boomers age÷ever more worried about their health and eager to maintain their youthful looks÷the business is only increasing. SPF® products clearly and truly benefit people, providing a differentiating marketing and competitive edge, and are affordably priced. 

Sun Safety Begins With "U"

Your skin is in danger every time you go out in the sun. UV A and B Rays cause sunburn, aging and skin cancer. The amount of UV you receive is up to you. But the amount of UV that is reaching the surface of the earth around you varies tremendously depending on the ozone (protective layer) levels at you latitude, your elevation, the time of day and time of year. Other factors that affect the amount of UV reaching you are reflectivity of the surfaces around you, such as, snow, concrete, water and the fabric under the brim of your hat. 

The good news for you is that most UV rays are absorbed by the ozone layer or reflected back into space. The bad news is the ozone layer is continually thinning around the world, especially in cooler climates. When UV rays make it through to your skin the contact is made at a molecular level because of UV's great penetrating power. 

UVA is the long wavelength that penetrates the skin very deeply, degrading theelastic fibers in the skin, causing aging, some sunburn and adds to the effect of 

UVB ("B" as in Bigger problem). 
UVB rays penetrate the top layers of the skin, causing sunburn. UVB promotes skin aging and can cause damage to the eyes. UVB rays are the main cause of skin carcinomas. It doesn't matter what type of skin you have, you can still get skin cancer. 

Dermatologists also tell us that tanning is a sign of damaged skin. Tanned skin becomes like tanned leather that's been left in the sun ödry, lifeless and wrinkled.

Exposure to both UVA and UVB rays has an accumulative effect on the body. That is, the more you are exposed, the more potential damage is done over a lifetime.

UVB's effect is most harmful between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. A simple rule to follow is if your shadow is longer than you are, your UV exposure is relatively low. The shorter your shadow the higher the UV exposure risk.

Time spent in the sun accumulating UV rays into the skin lead to problems later in life. You don't have to burn to have harmful UV radiation absorbed into your skin, increasing the risk of getting skin cancer. Sunburn is simply evidence that a person has been exposed to too much UVB too quickly.

Since UV rays are invisible, we can't see what's really happening to us until it's too late.

Understanding the dangers of Ultraviolet exposure is the first step in getting sun safe. When you cover up with a combination of sunscreen and sun protective apparel products you can----play in the sun··. work in the sun··live in the sun··..longer.