Do Arm Sleeves Protect from Sun?

What sun protection from fabric really means

Sunscreen is rated by SPF. Fabric is rated by UPF, the Ultraviolet Protection Factor. The two are not interchangeable. SPF is a guide to how well sunscreen protects skin from sunburn. UPF tells you how much of the sun's UV, both UVA and UVB, gets through a fabric to your skin. If that is new to you, our guide to UPF vs SPF explains it properly.

UPF 50+ is the top rating in the Australian standard, in the Excellent protection group. It means the fabric lets through no more than one fiftieth of the UV falling on it. Put the other way, it blocks at least 98%.

The big appeal is that UPF belongs to the fabric. It does not need reapplying after two hours, and it does not sweat off or rub off on a towel. You do need to look after it, though. Fabric protects best when it fits well, is dry and is in good condition.

Why "UPF 50+" on a label is not enough

Any brand can print UPF 50+ on a swing tag. What matters is whether the fabric was tested, by whom, and what sample.

IceRays sleeves were tested by ARPANSA in 2015 (black sample). ARPANSA is the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, the Australian Government's agency for radiation protection, and it offers a fabric testing service. Here is what the report records:

• Report reference 10484-1B, analysed on 18 May 2015.
• Sample: Black Aqua-x/Spandex UV Sleeves, with eight specimens tested.
• Rated UPF 50+, in the Excellent protection category, the highest available.

We keep the limits of that result in plain view. It covers the black sample tested in 2015. It rates the material, not the sleeve design. It is not a test of every colour we sell today, and it is not an endorsement of IceRays by ARPANSA. See the details on our test report page (PDF, opens in a new tab).

When a sleeve has no test details at all, you simply do not know how much UV it lets through. That is the difference between a tested sleeve and a guess.

Does the protection depend on colour, fit, or stretch?

Yes, for any fabric, and this is where a lot of sun-safety advice goes wrong. ARPANSA lists several things that change how much UV gets through:

• Stretch. Stretching a knitted fabric usually lowers its UPF, because the gaps between the threads open up.
• Weave and thickness. Tighter, thicker fabric lets less UV through.
• Colour. In general, darker colours absorb more UV than lighter ones.
• Condition. Worn or faded fabric can protect less over time.

Cancer Council adds that fabric protects less when wet.

So wear sleeves the way they are meant to fit. One size fits all adults, and the sleeve should sit smoothly along your arm without being hauled tight. Follow the care label, and replace sleeves when they look thin or tired. Read does sleeve colour matter? and how to care for sun protective sleeves for more.

But won't covering up make me hotter?

This is the question almost everyone asks, and it is a fair one. Adding a layer in the sun sounds like it should make you hotter.

In practice, many people find a thin, light sleeve more comfortable than bare, sun-baked skin. When sweat or a splash of water dries off the fabric in a breeze, or as you swing your arm, it can feel pleasantly cool. People often describe it as the chill after stepping out of a pool.

That is a comfort feeling, and it varies with the weather, the breeze and the person. We do not claim a sleeve lowers your skin temperature or protects you from heat illness. On hot days, drink water, take breaks and use shade. Our guide do cooling sleeves work? goes into this honestly.

Sleeves versus sunscreen: which should you use?

This is not really an either/or, but sleeves solve some problems sunscreen does not.

Sunscreen has to be applied properly to work. Cancer Council suggests about a teaspoon for each arm, put on 20 minutes before going out, then reapplied every two hours and after sweating or towelling off. That is a lot to keep up on a long day. It can also run into your eyes or make your grip slippery.

A sleeve does not need reapplying. It does not run, and it does not leave anything on your hands. You put it on in seconds and it covers your arms for as long as you wear it. For your face, neck and hands, you still want sunscreen and a hat. Cancer Council calls sunscreen the last line of defence, used together with clothing, hats, shade and sunglasses. Read arm sleeves vs sunscreen for a full side-by-side.

Who actually needs them

Anyone whose arms are out in the sun for hours at a stretch. In practice that means:

• Golfers, who are on the course for four to five hours with their arms out through every swing. See golf sun sleeves.
• Gardeners, who are often out in the middle of the day without thinking of it as sun time. See gardening sleeves.
• Bowlers, on open greens for whole afternoons. See lawn bowls sleeves.
• Walkers and hikers. UV levels change with altitude, so higher walks can bring stronger UV. See hiking sleeves.
• Drivers. Car glass blocks most UVB, but Cancer Council notes side windows can let through far more UVA than the windscreen. In Australia that is your right arm, by the window. In the US it is your left. See driving sleeves.

The common thread is time. Cancer Council says that when the UV is 3 or above, even 15 minutes of unprotected sun can start to damage your skin. Hours outside, week after week, add up.

The bottom line

Arm sleeves do protect you from the sun, on the skin they cover, when the fabric has been properly tested. A UPF 50+ fabric blocks at least 98% of UV. IceRays sleeves were tested by ARPANSA in 2015 (black sample) and rated UPF 50+.

If you want that cover on your arms without the reapplying, have a look at our UPF 50+ arm sleeves. A 4-pack is AUD 120, which is $30 a pair and saves $31.80 compared with four single pairs. In the US it is USD 100. One size fits all adults.

Related guides

• UPF vs SPF: what the rating on sun protective clothing actually means.
• What UPF 50+ means.
• Sun protection for golfers: why your arms burn even with sunscreen on.
• Gardening in the sun: how to cover up and stay comfortable.
• How to care for sun protective arm sleeves.
• The complete guide to UV arm sleeves.

Questions and answers