Importance of UPF-Rated Clothing; Save Your Skin, Save Your Life

Skin cancer sucks.

Everyone here at KADRI Clothing has been impacted by cancer. While experts continue to gather information on causes and prevention of most cancers, we are fortunate to know the main cause of skin cancer. And with knowledge, comes power.

We asked our dear friend, Jenn, to provide us with some information about skin cancer. A graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Jenn lost her father in 2021 after a long battle with skin cancer.

Below, she educates us on this killer.

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Skin Cancer:

According to the American Cancer Society and the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide. In the United States, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined.

Alarmingly, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70 and more than two people die of skin cancer every hour. 

The main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. 

What Causes Skin Cancer:

The main cause of skin cancer is overexposure from UV rays; either from the sun or manmade tanning beds. The primary types of UV rays that can harm your skin are UVA rays and UVB rays; both cause skin cancer and both are dangerous. 

The strength of UV rays depends on a number of different factors:

  • Time of day - UV rays are strongest in the middle of the day between 10AM and 4PM

  • Season of the year - UV rays are strongest during the spring and summer months

  • Distance from the equator - UV exposure decreases as you get further from the equator

  • Altitude - more UV rays reach the ground at higher elevations

  • Cloud cover - the effects of clouds can vary, but UV rays can still reach you, even on cloudy days (and sometimes be strengthened by the reflection off the clouds)

  • Reflection off surfaces - UV rays can bounce off surfaces like water, sand, snow or pavement, leading to increased UV exposure

How to Protect Your Skin - Sun Protective Clothing:

Sun exposure adds up day after day and it’s not just the long days at the beach that can cause damage. Each time you walk the dog, go for a run, or spend any time out in the sun without proper protection, it adds to the damage that can lead to cancer. 

Luckily, protecting your skin is simple, and it starts with covering your skin. 

Clothing can act as a barrier against UV rays; it’s protection is consistent over time and unlike sunscreen, it does not wear off or need to be reapplied if it gets wet or you sweat. Clothing can offer high-tech UPF protection and breathability. UPF stands for ultraviolet protection factor and it is designed to block a certain level of UVA and UVB rays from penetrating through the fabric to the skin. 

UPF fabrics come in ranges which indicate how much UV radiation is able to reach your skin. For example, a UPF 50 fabric blocks 98% of the sun’s UV rays and allows 2% (or 1/50th) to penetrate to your skin. Be sure to check the label - a fabric must have a UPF of 30 to qualify for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. A UPF of 30-49 offers very good protection, while a UPF of 50+ rates excellent. 

Sun protective clothing is the simplest way to stay safe and enjoy the outdoors without compromising your health. UPF-rated clothing gives you the necessary protection and the style to look good and take care of your skin; save your skin, save your life.


Education, HealthKADRI Clothingskin cancer, cancer prevention, upf, UV, UPF-rated, protective clothing, cancer