UV Standard 801

We all love and need the sun. Enjoyed in moderation, the sun’s rays are important for our health. Excessive exposure to UV radiation can seriously damage the skin, however. The consequences are sunburn, premature skin ageing and, in the long term, the risk of skin cancer. Therefore the sun must be correctly approached to reduce health hazards.

We all love and need the sun. Enjoyed in moderation, the sun’s rays are important for our health. Excessive exposure to UV radiation can seriously damage the skin, however. The consequences are sunburn, premature skin ageing and, in the long term, the risk of skin cancer. Therefore the sun must be correctly approached to reduce health hazards.

Not all textiles are UV protected, and light summer garments in particular provide an insufficient shield. To ensure the highest level of safety for consumers, independent textile research institutes in Germany (www.hohenstein.de), Austria (www.oeti.biz) and Switzerland (www.testex.com) developed UV Standard 801.

Unlike other UV standards, which test textiles only in a new and dry state, UV Standard 801 also tests sun protective textiles under realistic conditions of use. This strict procedure exposes garments to extreme stress, for example in extensive stretching, in a wet state or via mechanical stresses, and determines the lowest protection factor on this basis. This value, the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), indicates the factor by which the skin’s own protection time is extended without causing reddening of the skin or sunburn.

UV Standard 801 guarantees effective solar protection even when the garments are wet, stretched or worn. The certificate is annually reviewed, and new fabrics and colours are also re-tested.

For more information on UV Standard 801, please visit https://www.uvstandard801.com/en/