What Is UPF Clothing?

UPF clothing is a type of clothing that protects the wearer from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, reducing the risk of sunburn and protecting against long-term conditions like skin cancer or premature skin aging.

UPF clothing is made using fabrics that have been tightly woven and treated with UV-absorbing chemicals. They sometimes even incorporate special technologies to reduce sun exposure.

Since UPF clothing helps protect your skin from the harmful risks of sun exposure, you can focus on your hunting or other outdoor experience with peace of mind.

UPF vs SPF

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor, and SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. While both are used as measurements of the sun’s rays, UPF applies to the measurement of UVA and UVB rays in fabrics and SPF applies to the protection in products like sunscreen or makeup with sun protection.

UPF in clothes typically lasts between 2-3 years, and many people find that using laundry detergents with UPF protection could increase the longevity of UPF clothing.

What Do UPF Ratings Mean?

UPF clothing provides different levels of protection, known as ratings. These ratings start at 15 and go all the way up to 50+.

Here are the percentages of UV-blocking rays in clothing:

What to Look For in UPF Clothing

When choosing UPF-rated clothing, it's also important to consider factors such as the fabric's material, color, and design. This will help you make the most out of your UPF clothing and ensure you have the best protection from the sun during outdoor activities.

Here are the different factors to look for when shopping for UPF clothing:

• Fabric Composition: Fabrics that are densely woven can effectively block UV radiation from penetrating through the skin. This includes materials like nylon or polyester.
• Fabric Thickness: Thicker fabrics tend to offer better sun protection as they create a better barrier against UV rays.
• Color: Darker colors, such as black or navy blue, tend to absorb more UV radiation, providing higher levels of protection. Lighter colors like white or pastels may allow more UV rays to pass through, providing less protection.
• Fabric Treatment: Clothing that contains UV-absorbing chemicals or dyes helps improve the fabric's ability to block UV rays and increase the UPF rating of the clothing.
• Construction: Well-designed UPF clothing covers areas of exposed skin, with features like long sleeves and collars to provide added coverage.

FORLOH’S Fabric Technologies

Fabric technologies are another thing to look for when choosing UPF clothing. FORLOH uses SilverLuxe and BrrPro technologies that provide significant UPF protection for your clothing.

FORLOH’S SilverLuxe UPF is used in all of our women’s bathing suits and offers over 75+ UPF protection. BrrPro is used in our Men’s SolAir Hooded Long Sleeve Shirt and Technical Hoodie and provides over 50+ UPF protection, proven by the AATCC ultraviolet protection test.

Benefits of Wearing UPF Clothing

UPF clothing, like sun shirts or swimwear with built-in sun protection, provides a variety of different benefits that can improve your outdoor experience. If you are someone who loves hunting, hiking, fishing, camping, or swimming, you likely spend prolonged periods outdoors, often during peak sun exposure times. UPF clothing helps prevent painful sunburns that can distract from your moments in the outdoors.

UPF clothing also offers added protection against the development of skin cancer. Those who regularly expose themselves to the sun are more susceptible to developing skin cancer in the long run, so by wearing UPF clothing, you will have an additional layer of protection.

While sunscreen is another great method to protect against sun exposure, UPF clothing tends to have a higher level of sun protection, making it more of an effective method. Sunscreen also needs to be frequently reapplied to maintain its effectiveness, which many people forget to do throughout the day. With UPF clothing, you simply wear the clothing and you’re protected—there’s no need to worry about the hassle of reapplying sunscreen. 

Best UPF 50+ Clothing for Outdoors

Fishing

Fishers spend long periods in the sun with exposure to many flying insects like mosquitoes. At FORLOH, we offer premium fishing apparel with built-in insect and sun protection for all your needs.

Hiking

When it comes to hiking, you will want clothing that is UPF protected and breathable. Our Men’s SolAir Long Sleeve Shirt and our Women’s SolAir Technical Hoodie provide 50+ UPF protection with cooling, fast-drying fabric and odor protection.

Swimming, Surfing, or Paddleboarding

Swimmers, surfers, and paddleboarders need clothing that is lightweight with optimal UPF protection, as sun exposure is intense while in the water. Our Men’s SolAir Board Shorts are great for male swimmers as they are made of 50+, quick-drying UPF fabric, along with odor control.

Shop UPF Clothing at FORLOH

FORLOH offers a wide range of high-quality UPF clothing for your outdoor activities, including UPF shirts, pants, and swimwear.

Whether you're a hunter, hiker, fisher, or simply someone who loves spending extended periods outdoors, our UPF clothing will help you stay protected from the sun and ensure the best comfort and durability for your experience.

Browse through our selection of warm weather outdoor clothing today or contact us with any questions.