Added 2026-10-06 from trending overseas buyer search questions. We update this centre daily.
UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is a number that tells you how much of the sun's ultraviolet radiation a fabric blocks. A UPF 50 fabric lets through roughly 1/50th of the UV that would hit bare skin — so covered skin can be exposed about 50 times longer before burning. The figure is calculated from measured light transmission across the UV spectrum (about 290–400 nm), weighted by how damaging each wavelength is to skin.
People read "UPF" and think "sunscreen number". They are not the same. SPF rates a sunscreen against UVB only. UPF rates a fabric against both UVA and UVB at once. So a UPF 50 cloth blocks about 98% of the whole UV spectrum, while SPF 50 sunscreen blocks about 98% of UVB and says little about UVA. For a garment, the fabric rating is the more complete number.
Under AS/NZS 4399 the categories run:
| UPF | Category | UV blocked |
|---|---|---|
| 15–24 | Good | 93.3–95.9% |
| 25–39 | Very good | 96.0–97.4% |
| 40–50+ | Excellent | 97.5% or more |
The highest number a garment may be labelled with is 50; anything measuring above that is reported as UPF 50+ (meaning >50, roughly 98%+ blocked). Fabrics below UPF 15 are not considered UV-protective — a typical white cotton T-shirt sits around UPF 5.
UPF is measured instrumentally, not estimated. A laboratory shines calibrated UV light through a fabric sample inside a UV-visible spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere, records how much passes at each wavelength, and calculates the factor. The main standards are:
| Standard | Region | UV range measured |
|---|---|---|
| AS/NZS 4399 | Australia / New Zealand | 290–400 nm |
| AATCC 183 | United States | 280–400 nm |
| EN 13758-1 | Europe | 290–400 nm |
| GB/T 18830 | China | 290–400 nm |
A rigorous test takes several swatches, conditions them at a standard atmosphere (about 20°C, 65% RH), measures at four or more points, and for swimwear and activewear repeats the measurement on the wet sample — because many fabrics protect less once soaked. Any result above 50 is reported as "50+".
That last point is why two cloths that look identical can carry very different UPF numbers — the difference is in the construction and finish, not the appearance.
A UPF rating describes the fabric, not the garment. A UPF 50 sleeve still leaves the neck, face and hands uncovered, and a stretched or worn-out area protects less. Design — coverage, hood, close weave at seams — does the rest of the job. Choose the rating for the cloth, then choose the cut for the skin you need covered.
As an integrated woven mill we run yarn dyeing, weaving, fabric dyeing, printing and finishing on one site, so an anti-UV finish can be applied within the same finishing route rather than sent to a second supplier. The achievable rating depends on the base construction, colour and finish you specify, so we treat it as a per-order performance target: tell us the end use and the UPF you need at enquiry, and we will confirm feasibility and can arrange UPF testing on the developed cloth. Specific measured numbers are available on request once a sample is made — we do not assume a rating from a fabric's look alone.
Note that UPF is a performance test, separate from the certificates we hold (OEKO-TEX, GRS, GOTS, OCS, BCI), which cover chemical safety and fibre origin rather than sun blocking. If you also need the cloth to breathe well, see our air-permeability guide; if you need it to shed rain, see the water-repellency guide. All our certificates and verification links are on the compliance page.
No. SPF rates sunscreen against UVB only; UPF rates a fabric against both UVA and UVB. A UPF 50 cloth blocks about 98% of the whole UV spectrum, while SPF 50 sunscreen blocks about 98% of UVB. For clothing, UPF is the more complete measure.
Not necessarily. Tight construction and UV-absorbing finishes can raise the rating without much extra weight, and a good sun garment also needs to breathe — see our air-permeability guide. The right cloth balances protection with comfort for the end use.
The achievable rating depends on the base cloth, colour and finish. We can develop and test the cloth to a target you give us at enquiry and state the measured result; specific numbers are available on request once a sample is made, not assumed from appearance.
No. Those certificates cover chemical safety and fibre origin or sustainability, not sun blocking. UPF is a separate performance test done by instrumental measurement. Our held certificates are listed on the compliance page.