Can you get a sunburn through clothes?

By Johanna Young | Sun-safety advocate

5 minute read

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Published 11 April 2024

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Key takeaways

It is possible to get a sunburn through clothes, and some fabrics provide more protection than others.
Wearing dry, dark fabrics that are slightly thicker or heavier can provide better protection.
For the best sun protection, stay out of the sun during the hotter hours, always wear SPF50+ and cover up with good quality clothing and accessories.

Year round, Australians know they need to be sun smart. Even on cloudier days we know our sun is so strong it can cause damage. But did you know you can also burn through your clothes?

While we may cover our faces and forearms with SPF50+, we can’t assume that our t-shirt has the rest covered.

When it comes to summer clothing, not all of your tees are created equal. Choose the wrong one on a hot summer’s day and you could end up burning through it.

[Upbeat music plays as Dr Michela Sorensen stands in a room in front of a rack of clothes].

Dr Michela Sorensen: One of the things we see a lot of as doctors in Australia is skin cancer. It's common, which is a bit sad really, because most of the time it's preventable.

To go back to basics, you might be familiar with sun protection 101, which is slip on some protective clothing, slop on some sunscreen, with as high an SPF as possible, slap on a hat, seek shade and slide on some sunnies.

The one I want to focus on today is the first one, slip, because when it comes to protecting yourself from the sun, not all clothing is created equal. Let me explain.

In the same way that sunscreen has an SPF, or 'sun protection factor', clothing has a UPF, or 'ultraviolet protection factor'.

So, you might be doing all the right things by covering up, but if your clothing has a low UPF, you might not be protecting yourself as well as you think you are.

Here's a few things to consider. The highest UPF rating in fabrics is UPF 50+, and that can block out up to 98% of the sun's UVA and UVB rays. So, when you're buying sun protection clothing, it's worth keeping an eye out for that.

And when it comes to your everyday clothing, fabric is important. The thicker and the tighter the weave, whether it be knitted or woven, the better the sun protection.

Both synthetic and natural fibres are effective, but tightly woven lightweight fabrics like linen, cotton or hemp will keep you cooler while they protect you.

Then let's talk about colour.

[Dr Sorensen picks up one black and one white long sleeve shirt]

So, while you might be tempted to lean towards lighter colours in the warmer weather, darker colours actually have a higher UPF rating. So that black rashie is always a good idea.

Now I know how much you were looking forward to wearing your tight, stretchy activewear to the beach, but the looser the better. And that daggy old T-shirt? Well, it probably won't be protecting you very much, because clothing deteriorates as it ages.

Now lastly, remember, all of these tips apply not just to your clothing, but to your hats as well. So, while that baseball cap might look cool, the more skin you cover, the better.

Broader brim equals better protection.

[Dr Sorensen puts on a hat]

I mean, I still look cool, right?

Every burn matters

Aussies are known for spending our days outside, whether it be picnicking, cricketing or beaching. And who can blame us? While this lifestyle boosts our health in many ways, it can be detrimental in others. Just one bad sunburn can impact your skin for a lifetime.

Skin cancer is described as Australia’s ‘national cancer’, but it’s one of the most preventable. Proper sun protection is essential in the fight against skin cancer, especially melanoma. And with the right gear, it isn’t hard to strengthen your defences.

Are our fabrics are failing us?

What’s the UPF rating of your summer wardrobe? If, like most Australians, you’ve got no idea what UPF is (let alone how your clothes stack up), this next part may come as a shock.

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. It’s a rating system that measures the amount of ultraviolet (UV) protection provided by fabric, similar to the SPF rating used for sunscreens.¹ The rating looks at how much skin is covered by the piece of clothing and how much UV radiation the fabric blocks.²

To be rated as minimally protective (with a UPF rating of 15), clothing needs to block 93.3% of UV radiation. If you’re looking for clothes rated as ‘excellent’ for UPF protection (50 or 50+), they need to block 98% of UV rays.²

But your clothes don’t necessarily need to have a UPF rating to provide you with protection from the sun.

So, what else can we wear to protect our skin?

Most fabrics will give you a degree of sun protection, but some pieces in your wardrobe will work harder for you on a sunny day than others. Here’s what to reach for:

a tight knit or weave. The tighter the fabric’s woven, the better. Think merino wool or denim.²
shiny synthetic fabrics. Acrylic, polyester, nylon, Lycra and rayon all tick this box, but avoid viscose which offers poor protection.³
dark colours. Darker colours absorb more UV rays, giving them a higher UPF rating than light shades.²
thicker and heavier are better. It’s probably not what you feel like throwing on, but thick, heavy materials are your friends on sunny days.³
clothes without stretch. That means swapping out your activewear when things heat up.²
something dry. When fabric gets wet, its UPF rating tends to decrease.³
nothing too shabby. As your clothes get older and start to deteriorate, so does their UPF rating.⁴
long sleeves. The more skin you can cover with high UPF clothing, the safer you’ll be. Think long sleeves, long pants and broad-brimmed hats.¹

The highest sun-protective clothing you can buy is a whopping UPF50+, similar to wearing a SPF50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen all day long without ever needing to reapply. Search online for UPF50+ clothing brands to find local suppliers such as The Cancer Council.

At Bupa, trust is everything

Our health and wellbeing information is regularly reviewed and maintained by a team of healthcare experts, to ensure its relevancy and accuracy. Everyone's health journey is unique and health outcomes vary from person to person.

This content is not a replacement for personalised and specific medical, healthcare, or other professional advice. If you have concerns about your health, see your doctor or other health professional.