Turtle Bay Surf
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Put Some Clothes On

I absolutely love spending time outside.

I love breathing in the fresh, crisp air and in the Pacific Northwest we are blessed with majestic evergreen trees all around.   It really is pretty magical.

There’s also research to suggest that spending time outside boosts mood and lowers blood pressure, so bonus!

But wait, I need to do something very important before I get too excited and rush out the door.

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Sun Safe

I need to sport some form of sun protection before exposing myself to that burning beacon in the sky (even if she is hidden behind the clouds we see so much of around here).

Unfortunately, I am a perpetually lazy person.  Getting outside and feeling some good vibes is the goal.

Applying sunscreen initially isn’t the problem.  It’s reapplying every 2 hours.  I forget and it seems like it takes too much time.

So, how do you protect yourself from UV exposure with the least amount of effort?

The answer, my friends, is clothing.  Clothing with sunscreen.

Sunscreen That Doesn’t Wash Off

Clothing is your first line of defense against the sun’s harmful rays (other than not going outside at all).  Unlike sunscreen, it doesn’t wash off and you don’t have to reapply it every 2 hours.

Aah, but not all clothing is created equal.

Most clothing naturally absorbs some UV (ultraviolet) rays but a select few come out ahead of the pack.

The Best Fabrics

Clothes are made from fabrics and fabrics are made of tiny fibers woven or knitted together.

  • Look for fabrics with a tight knit or weave, like twill.
  • Stay away from bleached cottons and shiny or lustrous semi-synthetic fabrics like rayon.  Wear those pretty pieces at night when the sun is sleeping.

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  • Loose-knit fabrics have more holes which exposes more skin.  The looser the knit, the more UV can pass directly through the holes to reach the skin. The tighter the knit, the smaller the holes and the less UV can get through.
  • Synthetic fibers such as polyester, lycra, nylon, and acrylic are more protective than bleached cottons.
  • Shiny, semi-synthetic fabrics like rayon reflect more UV than matte ones, such as linen, which tend to absorb rather than reflect UV.
  • Finally, consider the fabric’s weight and density — light, sheer silk gauze will provide far less UV protection than heavy cotton denim.

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Clothes with Sunscreen

Look for clothing with UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor).   UPF is the rating given to clothing for its broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays.

The best part about using clothing as sun protection is that clothes don’t rinse off, they’re not applied incorrectly, and they don’t need to be reapplied.   They’re pretty  much fool-proof.  The Skin Cancer Foundation has some great information about UPF and clothing as well as a list of clothing brands that they endorse.

I buy a lot of my UPF clothing from Coolibar.  The only thing they do is make UPF clothing, hats, swimwear, and accessories for men, women, children, and babies.  They have some fun, cute, and comfortable clothes.

Lastly

It’s important to apply sunscreen to exposed skin to protect it from UV damage but it’s so easy to forget to do it.

To make your life easier, wear clothing that acts as sun protection.

Look for fabrics with a tighter weave to allow less UV light to reach your skin.  Or, to make life even easier, look for clothing with UPF integrated into the fabric.

This post may contain affiliate links.  See my disclosure for more information.

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