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UPF Ratings and Protection Categories
UPF Rating	Protection Category	% UV radiation Blocked
UPF 15 – 24	Good	93.3 - 95.9
UPF 25 – 39	Very Good	96.0 - 97.4
UPF 40 and over	Excellent	97.5 or more
UPF50+	Considered the Ultimate in UV Sun Protection

UPF Rating System 

The Australian Goverment, a leader is UV research for over two decades, has stated that, "Over-exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can cause sunburn, skin damage and an increased risk of developing skin cancer. Clothing provides one of the most convenient forms of protection against UVR but not all garments offer sufficient sun protection.

Rest assure that Alex & Me's products and brands have been tested and rated by various independent laboratories for their sun protective quality across both UVA and UVB spectrum.  Moreover, these standards follow rigorous testing methods that ensure UV rating accuracy.  Depending on the brand, such standards include:

♦  Australian/New Zealand Standard 4399 ♦  American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D 6544 ♦  American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Test Method 183

 The Alex & Me Company which has been based in the United States since 1997 and the first Multi-Brand UV protective apparel store, only sells Sun Protective UV Clothing, UV Swimwear, and UV accessories that carry skin protection ratings of UPF 25 - 50+. The UPF rating indicates how effective a fabric is at blocking out solar ultraviolet radiation. UPF is the SPF equivalent for UV clothing and UPF50 is the highest rating one can get. We sell UPF Sun Protective Clothing and Sun Protective Swimwear including: UPF swim shirts, UPF swim shorts, UPF board shorts, UPF rash guards, UPF swim shirts, UPF athletic shirts, UPF skirts, UPF hats and of course UPF protective swim suits.

Go ahead and peruse the thousands of UPF protective products on our webstore and see what thousands of dermatologists and customers already know. The Alex & Me Company is not only one of the first, the largest, the best and the most reliable place to shop for UPF UV sun protective clothing, swimwear and accessories, but has has UPF protective apparel for any lifestyle!

What is SPF as opposed to UPF:

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Some manufacturers and even some websites describe their clothing as SPF protective.  This is a false claim as SPF describes only a Sunscreens protectiveness. The number is determined experimentally indoors by exposing humans to a light spectrum that simulates the sun. Some people then use sunscreen and others do not. The amount of light that induces a tan/redness in sunscreen-protected skin, divided by the amount of light that induces redness in unprotected skin is the SPF rating. It is mainly a measure of UVB protection and ranges from 1 to 45 or above.

A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 filters 92% of the UVB. In other words, using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 will delay the onset of a tan/burn in a person who would otherwise burn in 10 minutes to burn in 150 minutes. The SPF 15 sunscreen allows a person to stay out in the sun 15 times longer.

On a side note, there is currently no uniform measure of UVA absorption. There are broad-spectrum sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB radiation although it is important to remember that the SPF does not predict UVA protection and again, one should be very very sceptical of ANY sunscreen that say its UVA/UVB protective. 

SPF if for Sunscreen; UPF is for Clothing & Swimwear

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Some manufacturers and even some websites describe their clothing as SPF protective.  However, as we all know, SPF describes a sunscreen's protectiveness.

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. To help the consumer better determine the protection a garment has, a UPF rating system has been developed. Shoppers should only consider buying a UV garment that as a UPF rating (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) and moreover, from a reputable company and/or manufacturer that promotes the UPF rating system.  This ensures that they are getting only the very best protection from their UV sun protective apparel item.

Rashguards / Swim Shirts / Sun Shirts?

What is the difference?  Well it all comes down to fit!

Rashguards were originally designed to protect surfers from getting a rash as they paddled on their surfboards.  However, now many of our customers wear these rashguards at the pool or sitting on the beach with the added benefit/security of the UPF rating preventing sunburn. 

Swim Shirts were originally designed to fit a bit loser so if one was not surfing, they didn’t have to wear such a tight fitting top.  These shirts then evolved into being designed for children.  This gives a parent great advantages in that a child could get more use out of the UPF shirt as they grow.  Swim Shirts can also be bought to fit as a rashguard, which can also give them great type of use flexibility.  In fact, many swim shirts are called rashguards and vise versa. 

Sun Shirts are simply a regular t-shirt or oxford type shirt that are UPF certified and may or may not be water proof.  This allows those who are use to wearing such types of shirts a similar feel at the beach or pool while the also being protected.