Growing concern about skin cancer, caused by exposure to the sun, is slowly opening up new opportunities for textiles and clothing manufacturers and suppliers.

Each year, thousands of people in the UK contract skin cancer through the ultra-violet radiation given off by the sun, and there is now a growing awareness of the role that clothing can play in blocking the rays.

For some years sun creams have been marked with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating that enables people to choose an appropriate product to suit their circumstances.

A sun protection rating for textiles and clothing, known as the Ultra-violet Protection Factor or UPF rating, was developed in Australia and New Zealand in 1996 and similar standards were later adopted in the USA, Canada and South Africa. More recently a European standard has been introduced.

In each case the standards are all very similar, and intended to enable customers and end-users to make informed choices. Given the fact that the EC standard for testing and labelling is now operational, we are likely to see it being used more and more by fabric and garment manufacturers.

In turn, awareness of UPF labelling will become widely known among consumers in Europe as publicity about skin cancer increases.

UPF ratings indicate how much ultra violet radiation can pass through the garment to the skin, with a factor of 50+ giving the highest possible protection, typically blocking out around 97.5% of the rays.

Conversely, a factor of ten or less would have little or no effect. Ratings can be shown on garment labelling, enabling consumers to make an informed choice and so presents an opportunity to offer an added-value product.

To meet the European standard, and be labelled accordingly, garments must have a UPF of at least 40. A good UPF rating can be achieved through the use of yarns that offer an intrinsic UV protection, through the construction of the fabric, and through chemical treatment of the fabric.

To be effective, many finished garments need to be close fitting and so comfort, stretch and breathability are important factors.

Lycra by DuPont is used extensively in the manufacture of sun protection garment ranges. In some cases garments are made from 100% Lycra, achieving a rating of 50+. In others, Lycra is used in conjunction with cotton, polyester, nylon, viscose and poly/cotton mixtures and again a high level of protection is achieved.

DuPont also offers the UPF rating system to manufacturers using its CoolMax and CoolMax Alta performance fabrics. The company says that addingthe rating gives an additional product benefit.

Yarn producer Unifi has introduced Mynx UV, a performance fibre that offers superior ultra violet protection and which can be used for uniforms, activewear, sportswear and outerwear. Fabrics made with Mynx UV achieve a 50+ UPF rating compared to cotton fabrics of the same construction offering only a five UPF rating, said the company.

BASF Group has developed Ultramid BS416N, a nylon that offers a UV protection level of up to 80, depending on how it is processed. The company says that the fibres created using its product have the look and feel of cotton.

BASF uses titanium oxide in the manufacture of Ultramid BS416N to give the high level of protection. The titanium oxide effectively blocks the sun's rays and is worked into nylon six, the traditional base material for yarns.

Gelanots sun protection fabrics from Tomen Corporation also utilises titanium to block UV rays. The company's Sunpaque sports material contains high-density titanium in the core of each fibre. The titanium prevents Sunpaque from being transparent and also blocks UV rays, providing exceptional sun protection.

Trevira has developed Xpand, a modified textured polyester filament yarn that, says the company, offers a number of advantages over polyamide and other fibres. Xpand has good stretch and excellent recovery and moulds perfectly to the body. It also offers high resistance to UV, making it ideal for sports wear and other applications.

Christian Eschler AG manufactures a wide range of technical products and high-tech materials utilising Trevira products. Among the company's developments are multi-functional fabrics for road workers' garments. These, its says, will provide effective protection against UV rays and so help to reduce the risk of skin cancer to which outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable.

Australian company Stretchtex produces a range of fabrics that offer high levels of UV protection and which are resistant to chlorine. Chlorine can break down fabrics, reducing their UV protection, and so resistance to it is vital in performance swimwear.

Nylstar offers a range of that offer varying levels of UV protection which, used in the correct way, are superior to those of cotton and the most common man-made fabrics says the company.

The Meryl UV range comprises all the full dull microbre yarns of Nylstar. They are ideal for garments in all activities under strong and long sunlight exposure. The UPF factor ranges from around 20 for PES Semi Dull through to 140 for Meryl Microfibre Full Dull.

Protection can also be achieved through applying a specialist chemical coating to the fabric or garment, such as those produced by Ciba Speciality Chemicals. The company's Tinofast CEL and Tinofast PES can be can be applied to light summer fabrics, sun hats, baseball caps, etc., to improve the UPF rating.

Several UK suppliers now offer garments that carry designated UPF ratings. However, indications are that the ratings are not yet a key factor in purchasing decisions.

John More, General Manager of Ricara commented that generally people seem unconcerned about the potential problems of exposure to the sun. The company does, however, report good sales of legionnaire caps to primary schools.

Jan Edgcombe, Managing Director of Revolution, made a similar point. Revolution also has a healthy demand for legionnaire caps, he said, but other than that customers show little interest in UPF ratings as yet.

It may take some time, therefore, before customers check for UPF labelling on garments in the same way that many already check for other aspects of labelling before making their purchase.

The Australia/New Zealand UPF Ratings System*

Protection Category           UPF Rating             % UVR Blocked

Good protection                         15-24                    93.3 - 95.9

Very good                                 25-39                    96.0 - 97.4

Extremely good                          40 and over            97.5 or more

Garments made from fabrics with ratings higher than 50 are labelled as UPF 50+

*The Australia/New Zealand Standard on Sun Protection, AS/NZS 43999:1996, developed by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

www.arpansa.gov.au/is_protect.htm.

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