If you're wondering, "can UV rays go through clothes?" You may be surprised to learn that yes, it can. That's why you need UV clothing, learn more today.

Can UV rays go through clothing?

You may be surprised to learn that the answer is, indeed, yes.

Even if you wear clothing from head to toe, you can still find yourself sunburned at the end of the day and susceptible to skin cancer.

In this article, we'll discuss why wearing UPF clothing is so important, especially if you're someone who has sensitive skin and/or enjoys the great outdoors. With UV protective clothes, you can keep your skin cool and protected while ensuring you don't damage your skin.

Read on for more information on why UV protective clothing is essential for the modern-day lover of the outdoors.

Why Do You Need to Protect Yourself from UV Rays?

Skin is the body's largest organ, and exposure to UV radiation can lead to skin cancer. While skin cancer is sometimes curable, it must be caught in time. However, depending on how advanced it is, it could be disfiguring. If not caught in time, skin cancer can spread to your other organs and become fatal.

Additionally, any skin changes must be heavily monitored to ensure that the moles or bumps are not becoming or have become cancerous.

UV rays are also bad for the skin apart from the fact that they can cause cancer. They can cause changes in your skin's texture and even premature aging if you don't protect yourself from them.

Can't I Just Use Sunscreen?

While wearing sunscreen is certainly better than wearing nothing at all in the sun, it is not sure-fire protection against UV rays.

Sunscreen must be reapplied diligently if you're spending the day in the sun, which can get difficult if you're with very active children who don't want to disrupt their playing. It can even get tedious for adults who are having fun in the sun and don't want to get out of the water or stop playing their sport to reapply.

However, sunscreen most often comes off within two hours of wear. This is especially the case if you're sweating heavily in it or you're swimming. You'll need to reapply from head to toe every 2 hours to ensure you're fully protected against the damaging UV rays.

The American Skin Cancer Society also warns that sunscreen doesn't protect against all UV rays, so it is important you take other steps and precautions as well. According to the American Skin Cancer Society, sunscreen is simply a filter, and it doesn't filter out all of the cancer-causing agents.

Can UV Rays Go Through Clothes?

As we mentioned in the intro, UV can and often does, go through clothing. This is especially the case if the clothing is thin or see-through. Darker colors are your best bet, and ones that cover the entire body. If there are parts of the body you can see through the fabric, they aren't covered and are vulnerable to high-intensity UV rays.

You should also keep in mind that clothes become less protective when they are wet, especially lighter colored clothing. The same principle applies, wherein if clothing gets wet and see-through, you can get a sunburn or damage to your skin.

You will still need to wear sunscreen if you wear long-sleeved dark colors on the parts of your skin that are showing.

BloqUV clothing (UPF rating of 50+) is the exception to this rule, however, and you will get at least UPF 50 protection on all colors and products.

UV Protective Clothing Can Block UV Rays

While UV rays can go through most clothing, especially if the colors aren't dark, you can purchase special outdoor clothing that blocks UV rays. BloqUV's clothes are made out of a fabric called BloqTek which is equivalent to an UPF of 50, except the clothing is on all of the time and won't wear off.

UV protective clothing is a great alternative to wearing dark colors and hoping you'll be protected, and to reapplying sunscreen every two hours. This is especially the case if you have children who are having so much fun in the pool or at the beach that they don't want to get out to put on more sunscreen. With UV-blocking clothing, such as BloqUV water resistant rash guards, you can apply sunscreen to the areas exposed to the sun and leave the rest, resting easy that your child won't be banking on a lifetime of sun damage.

BloqUV's sun protective clothing can be worn in a variety of settings and is designed to be moisture resistant. As such, depending on which item you purchase, you can use it to work out or to go swimming. The clothing won't weigh you down the same way that wearing a black t-shirt in the pool would, and it will protect you and your family all day.

BloqUV's clothing comes in a variety of colors, and provides SPF protection of 50+, which is the maximum protection you can get from a fresh application of sunscreen. This applies to all colors, and whether the item is wet or dry.

Additionally, you don't have to worry about UV protection coming off. In some cases, UV protection can rub off or come off in the wash. BloqUV's clothing doesn't do that, keeping you protected for years to come.

Staying Safe in the Sun

Can UV rays go through clothes? Most definitely. As such, it is important that you're vigilant about sun exposure and wearing protective clothing as well as sunscreen on the exposed areas of your skin. You may also wish to wear a hat in the sun to ensure your face is also protected, as skin cancer can be most disfiguring if you develop it on your face.

If you're looking for a cute and stylish way to stay safe in the sun, click here to have a look at BloqUV's swim range. Stay safe as you spend all day by the pool!

January 13, 2023 — Gabriella Lowell