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Hohenstein researches on high UV-protective clothing

19 Mar '14
4 min read

Lightweight, brightly coloured clothing in cotton is comfortable to wear, but only has a UPF of approx. 2 – 10, when measured against the international UV Standard 801. Thick materials, darker colours and wearing several layers on top of each other significantly increase the protective effect of clothing. In order to achieve a balance between a high UV protection factor, wearing comfort and durability, especially for workwear, in recent years special fibres with built-in UV protection have been developed. 

They contain titanium dioxide, which reflects and/or absorbs harmful UVradiation so that it does not reach the skin. At the same time, they are lightweight and very comfortable to wear. Furthermore, at the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim for example, as part of a research project (AiF15749N), combinations of materials have been developed that improve functionality even more. 
 
The initial prototypes offer especially high UV protection (UPF 80) on exposed areas like the shoulders and are mechanically very hard wearing. The use of stretchy materials on the back and sleeves not only provides protection from the sun but also makes the garments comfortable to wear and take on and off. Special textile zones under the armpits and in the stomach area have been optimised to deal with sweat production, making the garments breathable and pleasant to wear.
 
There are various methods for measuring the UPF: the Australian/New Zealand standard (AS/NZS 4399:1996), testing under EN 13758-1 and AATCC 183, and the UV Standard 801. These test standards define different specifications for the materials being tested. The Australian/New Zealand standard (AS/NZS 4399:1996) and the tests under EN 13758-1 and AATCC 183 only require testing to be carried out on new textiles that are dry and unstretched.
 
The UV Standard 801 is considerably more practical: for clothing textiles, the UPF is measured on the stretched, wet textile, and after mechanical wear and tear caused by wearing and washing. It furthermore assumes the worst case scenario of the highest UV radiation level (sun spectrum in Melbourne, Australia at the height of the Australian summer). That is why, when it comes to preventing skin cancer by means of appropriate workwear, calculating the UPF according to the UV Standard 801 should always be the first choice.
 

Hohenstein Institute

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