Clothing can provide protection from harmful UV radiation. Slip on clothing that covers as much skin as possible, such as a top with a collar and/or long sleeves, trousers, or long shorts or skirts. Fabrics with a tighter weave gives you better protection from the sun – if you can see through a fabric, UV radiation is likely to easily pass through it. Darker coloured fabrics will also give you better protection from the sun as they absorb UV radiation better than lighter coloured fabrics.

Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF)

Some clothing has an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating which tells you how protective an item of clothing is from UV radiation. The UPF includes both the design of the clothing (i.e., how much skin it covers) and the fabric (i.e., how much UV it blocks). Sun protective clothing should have a minimum UPF of 15. 

When the Ultraviolet Index (UVI) is 3 and above, for the best protection use all five SunSmart behaviours – Slip into clothing, Slip into shade, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Wrap on sunglasses.