Health library

May 25, 2026—Wearing clothing that reduces your sun exposure can lower your skin cancer risk. It goes hand in hand with sunscreen and shade. But choosing clothes that protect you from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays goes beyond simple style.

That's because just how much—or little—certain clothes shield your skin might surprise you. For example, a white T-shirt might provide only the protection of a sunscreen with an SPF of 7, warns the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Here are some key things to consider when dressing for sun safety, according to the AAD and other skin health experts:

Coverage. The more skin you cover, the better. It may not always be practical to wear pants and long-sleeved shirts, but you should do that as much as possible. Other good choices include full-coverage swimsuits, long skirts and wraps.

Weave. Garments made from densely woven fabrics, like denim, let in less light than those made from thin or loosely woven materials, such as sheer fabrics or lace.

A quick rule of thumb from the American Cancer Society: If you can see through it, the light can get through.

Color. Dark fabrics absorb more UV light than lighter-colored fabrics do.

Fit. It's better to choose loose-fitting clothing. Tight clothing stretches more, which causes the fabric to separate and let in more UV light.

UPF rating. You can buy clothing that's designed to protect your skin from UV rays. These items may have a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating on the label. UPF isn't the same as the SPF rating you see on sunscreen, but it does reflect how well the fabric blocks UV rays. A UPF of 30 to 49 offers very good protection, while a UPF of 50 offers excellent protection, preventing up to 98% of UV rays from reaching your skin, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

You can buy products to add to your laundry that may help boost the UV protection of the clothes you own. But this added protection is temporary, and the effects can vary among different articles of clothing, notes the Skin Cancer Foundation.

But wait, there's more!

Wearing sun-protective clothing, along with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, is just one way to safeguard your skin. Discover more ways to be sun-safe.

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology. "What to Wear to Protect Your Skin From the Sun." https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/what-to-wear-protect-skin-from-sun.
• American Cancer Society. "How to Protect Your Skin From UV Rays." https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/sun-and-uv/uv-protection.html.
• Lupus Foundation of America. "10 Wearable Ways to Protect Yourself Outdoors." https://www.lupus.org/resources/10-wearable-ways-to-protect-yourself-outdoors.
• National Library of Medicine. "The Impact of Routine Laundering on Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) Values for Commercially Available Sun-Protective Clothing." https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10440054.
• Skin Cancer Foundation. "Expert Answers to Your Sun Protection Questions." https://www.skincancer.org/blog/expert-answers-to-your-sun-protection-questions.
• Skin Cancer Foundation. "Sun-Protective Clothing." https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing.