New sun protective clothing fabric for school children

As Australians it is drilled into us from a very young age that the sun can do our skin and health great damage. "Slip, slop, slap" is an iconic Australian phrase that encourages Aussie school children to slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat before entering the sun. It is one of Australia’s most recognisable health messages aimed at reducing Australia’s extremely high incidence of skin cancer.



The ‘slip, slop, slap’ campaign is particularly successful with school children who are frequently exposed to the sun’s rays during their break times at school. Ensuring the sun safety of Australian school children has long been an Australian priority, and the development of kids’ schoolwear in a sun safe fabric is set to further increase the possible sun protection available to Australian schoolchildren.



- What is sun protective material? Clothing provides some protection from solar UV radiation, but the level of protection varies depending on clothing colour, fabric, the tightness of the weave, and the condition of the clothing (amongst certain other factors). The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is a measurement that indicates how protective the textiles of clothing are, with the UPF factor relaying how effective a fabric is in blocking out solar UV radiation. The highest UPF rating is UPF 50+. The weave structure and thread count of UPF 50+ materials is effective in blocking out 97.5% of the sun’s UV radiation.





- Is it available in school uniforms? Current school uniforms offer a UPF of 15 – 20. A new line of school uniform clothing by Australian brand Stubbies, however, is made of a material with a UPF of 50+. Approved by SunSmart and the Cancer Council, this range is available in a range of designs and colours that complies with public Australian school uniforms specifications. The uniforms are designed for ultimate sun protection and comfort, with added features such as cooling arm vents.



School uniforms in UPF 50+ material are a step forward in the sun safety of your child. Ensuring that your child has maximum sun safety at school is important in protection them from the harsh Australian sun and promoting healthy sun protection habits.



Starting school and finding schoolwear can be difficult, a quick way to start is to find boys and girls shirts online.