While the market is brimming with infinite products to save your skin from the sun’s harsh rays, your prep to escape from it is incomplete without considering sun protection clothing. However, the general notion of “anything full-neck and long-sleeved” passed in the name of sun protection clothes can do more damage than good to you. When you’re picking apparel to cater to some precise and crucial needs, the “one glove fits all” approach isn’t going to work. Your clothes need to contain specifically designed features that help you stay safe from sun damage and its potent ultraviolet rays.

Explored below are four vital elements to consider or look out for before your big buy:

Material:  One of the primary things to think about before purchasing sun protection apparel is the material. Your clothing material largely determines the concentration of UV rays and heat you’re actually going to feel. Hence, it is widely considered that opting for natural fibers like linen, rayon, or cotton may not be the most suitable fabric for your skin as they have a relatively lower propensity for absorption. In contrast, synthetic fibers are considered highly efficient in this regard. And therefore, you could opt for clothes in polyester, nylon, or silk materials to do their thing. Polyester is regarded as the best, offering a 3 to 4 times higher UV absorption capacity than its counterparts!

Fabric Thickness: Another crucial factor to weigh in after you’ve zeroed down on the material is the thickness it carries. If the construction of your fabric is not conducive enough, UV rays can easily penetrate through the layers, thereby defeating the entire purpose of your purchase. Knitted fabrics (found in T-shirt patterns) possess a stronger stretching capacity, which means finer holes for light to pass are considered ideal for all the right reasons. This is in complete contrast to woven fabrics (found in formal shirts) that are more vulnerable to the sun’s rays because of their spaced-out construction.

Color: Contrary to the lay notion that light colors help you feel minimal heat, vibrant-hued colors make the real difference! It is because the higher the dye concentration, the better the heat retention. Colored clothes, due to the number of colors on them, will contain more dyes, and the benzene rings present in the structure of these dyes, in turn, will better absorb heat and UV rays. However, colored is not to be confused with darker shades but simply the quantitative presence of several different hues. An ideal sun protection clothing must be made of synthetic knitted fabric that consists of some colors.

UPF Approved: Finally, it is essential to ensure that your sun protection clothes are UPF certified. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is a standardized, credible, and widely accepted indicator to approve your clothes are completely capable of taking on the sun’s harsh rays. As part of the UPF test, fabrics are passed through a lab test and exposed to direct ultraviolet rays. The concentration of rays on fabrics is then calculated using instruments and a mathematical formula which then deems the fabric UPF rated depending on the reading. Most labels carry the rating on the clothes themselves. So do remember to specially keep an eye out for that.

With the right kind of sun protection clothes, you can be relieved and go about with your day without having to worry about skin damage or health complications.