Sun protective clothing? opinions

[sedalbj]

Does anyone have any information on sun protective clothing. I can't decide if it is just the latest marketing ploy or if it is really worth the money. I assume it is sprayed with a chemical of some sort to repel the UV rays.

[jocelyndale]

I don't think it's impregnated with any more chemicals than most textiles (so, pretty much just sizing, which generally washes out).

It's a very tight weave and the nice thing about most of the fabrics is that they are super lightweight and breathe decently.

I couldn't afford sun-protective clothing back when I was photoallergic. So I wore dark clothes (dark colors absorb UV, light colors reflect) and tightly-woven fabrics. In other words, silk was often a better choice than gauze.

[MoonStarFalling]

I insist that the kids wear them if we're going to be at the beach or pool for an extended amount of time. I found studies showing that most regular t shirts are uv protective after lots of washing with detergent. The drawback I guess is that they don't dry fast and the pool doesn't allow street clothes. UV shirts are $5 at old navy right now.

[sedalbj]

Can I just say, it is hard to find info about this stuff? I have sat at the internet 3 times now looking for good info not presented by manufacturers, ugh. I found that most are pre-treated with chemicals to make them UV resistant that are not designed to wash out. And that there are plenty of clothes in my closet that work similarly. I am trying to figure out should i buy a pair of pants and shirt for being at the farm or just stick with what i use already... The kids have always worn the board shirts and hats when swimming and they are cheap. Getting adult clothes is looking like a big expense!