Could I find out the spf of clothes?

[OsloGin]

I need to keep myself covered up due to various issues. I have a couple of sport tops and some gloves which claim to offer spf of 50+. Is there a way to measure the protection offered by more formal clothes? I was going to adapt the sleeves of old long sleeve tops to use as hand and wrist protection but not sure how much protection they'd offer.

You can't determine it yourself. Theres an interesting article here about the relative SPF of different fabrics

Thanks! That's very interesting (particularly that manmade fabrics seem to offer most protection)

like the article says, it is largely about the density of the weave. This is why cotton t-shirts don't keep the sun off when wet; you need a rash vest for swimming. You couldn't wear that all the time though, you would melt.

obviously floaty frills won't work, and nor will tatty old clothes such as I am currently wearing . Check for semi-transparency!

Will try not to be too threadbare. I have a rash vest and also a sun protection hooded top from under armour but need more variety and colours. I might cut the arms off some thick primark long sleeve tshirts and repurpose them as wristguards/fingerless gloves.

Sunsibility do known spf 50+ clothing, and have some sleeves you can add.

My friend has lupus and is v sunsensitive, and uses Wingz to add sleeves to things. The tall is very long (I wear them to cover surgical scars on my arms/hands) and can be pulled to knuckle length.

I've also, though I would only wear in addition to sun screen, bought fingerless glove things, described on ebay as 'hijab gloves' which are about the thickness of very opaque tights, come in loads of colours, and fill gaps between sleeve and knuckles really well.

Hold the garment up to the light. If you can see between the weave, then it's not opaque enough to give protection to an unusually sensitive person. Or you could hold it over your arm on a sunny day and look underneath. If you can see dappled shade then it's not opaque enough.

Often extra layer, or heavily rumpled/ruched fine fabric can be as effective as dense fabric.

I'm allergic to sunlight and find that good quality men's cotton dress shirts are very effective protection. The collar can turn up to protect my neck, the double cuffs (for cuff links) can give me extra length to protect my hands, the dense fabric gives good opacity, and I can do up the top button but have the rest open for ventilation.

As long as they're dry. For clothes that are going to get wet you need rash vest-type gear.

Thanks CMOT I'll look at those links!

Great advice Theyremad. I like wearing thick heavy weight cotton shirts.

Would I look very stupid wearing gloves in the summer?

No, not all. I've just returned from Paris and lots of men and women were wearing the sort of sleeves CMOT was linking. Many Oriental women were wearing gloves, too. TBH black gloves did look a little weird in the hot weather, but just as many wore other colours. Looked rather formal and elegant. I did not realise, until I read this thread, that they were probably SPF gear.

I may get a mix of gloves and sleeves then. White gloves may be a bit audrey hepburn. I may have to cultivate a more eccentric dress sense to live up to the gloves!

I've had holidays in places where a lot of Asians visit, and they are often to be seen wearing white gloves and long-sleeved white tops, as well as big hats with veils. In much of Asia 'fair' skin is coveted, not suntans.

go for it.

Right. I will go for it. Hope it won't attract too much attention. DH helpfully just sent me a pic of a facekini. May be a step too far.