Testing clothing for sun protection
Why test clothing and hats for the UPF factor?
Clothing and hats are some of the most convenient forms of sun protection but not all provide enough protection. Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun can cause:
- sunburn
- skin damage
- an increased risk of developing skin cancers.
All fabrics have some ability to block UVR. However laboratory testing is needed to tell how useful different fabrics are for sun protection by measuring the Ultraviolet Protection Factor or 'UPF' rating of the fabric.
What is a UPF rating?
A UPF rating shows how effective fabrics are at blocking out the sun’s rays and reducing a person’s UVR exposure.
- A UPF rating of 15 is considered to provide 'Minimum Protection'.
- A rating of 30 provides 'Good Protection'.
- Ratings of 50 and 50+ provide 'Excellent Protection'.
How does our clothing and fabric testing service work?
To test clothing or hats with ARPANSA:
Step 1 - complete the online UPF clothing and hats testing form
Step 2 - After completing the form, print and send samples of clothing and hats to ARPANSA. Instructions for sending sample will be emailed to you after complete the form.
Step 3 - ARPANSA test the material, and return UPF results in 10 business days
After you have received your UPF test report, you might be interested in purchasing ARPANSA’s UPF swing tags to use on your item. Please see Labelling sun protective clothing for more information.
How much does it cost?
Fabrics and single-colour garments:
| Number of samples | Cost per sample (including Australian GST) | Cost per sample (excluding Australian GST) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | AUD $164.00 | AUD $149.09 |
| More than 10 | AUD $142.00 | AUD $129.09 |
Hats and multi-component garments:
| Number of samples | Cost per sample (including Australian GST) | Cost per sample (excluding Australian GST) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | AUD $175.00 | AUD $159.09 |
| More than 10 | AUD $153.00 | AUD $139.09 |
Where do I send fabric for testing?
You can send your samples to:
UVR Services
ARPANSA
619 Lower Plenty Road
Yallambie VIC 3085
Australia
How do we test the UPF of clothing?
We test garments, fabrics, hats and other clothing materials to determine the UPF rating. UPF testing is done in accordance with the Australian Standard AS4399 'Sun protective clothing - Evaluation and classification' which was developed by Standards Australia.
Our UPF testing is accredited by the National Association of Testing Authority (NATA) to ensure the quality of results. Our test reports contain all the information required by the Australian standard for sun protective clothing and you can use the results to ensure your products are correctly labelled.
Sample UPF report
Explanatory notes for UPF reports
Notes about fabric sampling and identification
- For fabrics the preferred sample size is one meter by half a meter of fabric. The smallest sample size that ARPANSA accepts is 200mm x 300mm (A4 paper size).
- For garments and hats, one product is sufficient for testing.
- Prices are in Australian dollars. Australian companies pay the charges in the column that includes Australian GST. Non-Australian companies pay the charges in the column that excludes Australian GST.
- If you require changes to a test report after it has been issued, a processing charge of $35 per report will apply.
