To protect the skin of young surfers, Decathlon’s new surfing brand Olaian has developed a range of anti-UV clothing to UPF 50+ standard. 

It delivers optimum protection even when wet by blocking at least 98% of UVB and 95% of UVA rays. 


Does a UV top offer better protection than a cotton T shirt? 


Yes, as once they get wet, the fibres in cotton T shirts dilate, allowing light - and therefore UV rays - to get through. 


Another plus point is that our UV tops are designed to stay in place when you're in the waves. This season, our design team has developed the ingenious idea of putting little ties that attach to your swimsuit or trunks, further enhancing this stability. This means there’s less chance of your top riding up and exposing unprotected parts of your body to the sun’s rays. 



Are UV tops more efficient than suncream? 


With anti-UV tops, you get a sustainable form of permanent protection, unlike with suncream, which needs to be reapplied every two hours. 


However, they only protect the parts of your body that are covered, so you’re strongly advised to apply suncream on all other uncovered areas (like your face, legs and arms).



How do Olaian’s UV tops offer UV protection?  

Here's the secret: a tightly woven polyester and elastane fabric that blocks out the sunlight and prevents UV rays from passing through. 


Are we fully protected when wearing UPF 50+ clothing? 

UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) is the index we use to assess the level of sun protection offered by an item of clothing. The factors range from UPF15 to UPF50+. All our clothing adheres to the European standard EN-13758-02, and our fabrics are certified UPF 50+, the optimum level of protection.To meet this standard, and to verify that our fabrics are indeed UPF 50+ compliant, they are required to undergo "light ray" laboratory tests conducted by our engineers at Decathlon's R&D centre. 

Wearing sun protection clothing does not obviate the need for a sensible attitude towards the sun, like avoiding exposure between midday and 4pm, wearing shades and drinking plenty of water.


After several washes, doesn't its protection level start to diminish? 

No, because the more the anti-UV clothing is worn and washed, the more it will create tiny fluff particles (invisible to the naked eye) on the fabric surface, which will help to increase the fabric’s density and therefore the level of sun protection.  

 Is UV clothing for surfers suitable for ordinary beach goers? 

If you can move mountains, you can move molehills. Our clothing is designed to protect surfers exposed to UV rays, particularly those reflected in the water, but obviously it's also suitable for anyone messing about in the waves and who doesn't surf yet. 

CHECK OUR SURFING RANGE
Related tags :