Child clothes 'fail to block sun'

If clothing gets wet the protection may be even less, researchers believe

A quarter of children's clothing could be failing to give proper protection from the sun's harmful rays, experts have warned.

A team from the Health Protection Agency tested 100 items of child clothing from high street stores.

Using the same measure of cover against UV rays as sun lotions, they found 25% offered less protection than factor 15.

The items offering the least protection were dresses, followed by shirts. Swimwear came out the best.

Parents have the right to know what protection from the sun clothes are giving Dr Jill Meara, deputy director of the HPA's radiation protection division

The team believes it is partly down to the weave of the fabric - when fibres are closer together the protection is greater.

Clothes that were stretched or got wet would offer less protection, she said.

Dr Jill Meara, deputy director of the HPA's radiation protection division, said clothing companies should give information about sun protection on their products.

She said labels could carry a sun protection factor in the same way that sun creams do.

Speaking at the HPA's annual conference at the University of Warwick, she said: "I think parents have the right to know what protection from the sun clothes are giving.

"Most people do not realise that just because you are covered up, it does not mean that you are totally protected against UV rays."

Holding the material up to the light is a good way to see how much light and UV rays will get through Jo Viner Smith of Cancer Research UK

Each year there are 100,000 new cases in the UK of skin cancer, which is linked to UV radiation.

Cancer Research UK encourages people to cover up with both sun cream and clothing.

Jo Viner Smith, Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign manager, said: "We advise people to look for T-shirt materials with a close weave and in darker colours as they will block out the most UV rays.

"Holding the material up to the light is a good way to see how much light and UV rays will get through. People should be aware that the protection of clothing is reduced when it is stretched or wet and other sun protection measures should be used.

"The SunSmart campaign warns that clothing doesn't cover all your skin, so on hot summer days we advise people to wear a hat and sunglasses, find some shade around midday, and apply SPF15+ sunscreen to exposed areas."

Some retailers already declare the UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) on their clothing. This is voluntary.

The test itself is relatively simple and can be applied to all garments. Any garment with labels displaying a claim of UV protection should conform to those claims.