101 easy tips for a great summer!

Protecting you and your family from inadverted sun rays, is easier when you pay attention to what you wear, too.
Today technology allows us to take a step into a new era: research mixed with modern fibres give birth to new styles that protect you and your kids all summer long.
Ever heard of sun protective clothing? It's as important as SPF lotions for your skin and health.
You can find all types of men's, women's and children's active wear, swimwear and accessories. Let's improve your summer wardrobe with few easy tips:

Rules to dress defensively

1. According to statistics, more men than women wear hats during summer months: men tend to wear baseball caps, but those expose the sides of the face, the ears and the back of your neck. Wide-brimmed hats are better for screening out the sun. Start by wearing one of these.
   
   
2. Aways wear sunglasses. You are especially vulnerable if you have blue or green eyes. The safest styles are wraparounds that hug the curves of your face, since rays can sneak around the sides of glasses. Sunglasses that offer UVA/UVB protection are the best defense against such sun-related ophthalmic diseases such as cataracts.
   
   
3. Wear lightweight long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts and long pants--even in the heat of summer.
   When you are not planning to sunbathe - that is, if you are hanging outdoors or watching a sports event - you might not be aware of the time you are exposing yourself to the sun. In such occasions go for long-sleeves and long pants/skirts made of tightly woven fabric. Remember, if you can see light through the fabric, so can the sun.
   
   
4. Remember that wet clothing (this includes sweat!) allows the sun's rays to pass through more easily. So don't wet your kids' t-shirt when they play on the beach, thinking that will refresh them, it only causes more harm.
   
   
5. Some textile fibers, such as polyester crepe, bleached cotton, and viscose, are quite transparent to UV and should be avoided in the sun. Instead unbleached cotton, for example, contains lignins, pigments that act as powerful UV absorbers, while high-luster polyesters and even thin, satiny silk can be highly protective because they reflect radiation.
   
   
6. Remember: no clothing can protect you head to toe; be sure to wear sunglasses, and use an SPF 15+ sunscreen on all exposed skin.
   
   
7. Walking around in the heat and humidity can make your feet sweat. When feet are wet, blisters can develop, so try to wear socks.
   
   
8. Purchase a light-colored collapsible travel umbrella (white, cream, yellow, beige will do). These fold to a compact 9 inches long, 2 inches wide and fit easily into any purse or backpack. Open it as soon as you are in the heat, waiting in line, taking a walk, etc.
   

Sun Protective Fashions

Consider buying sun-protective clothing, such as those made by NoZone and Tuga. Sun-protective clothing is recommended because it can reduce exposure to a broad spectrum of UVA and UVB rays. While sunscreen remains an important part of a balanced sun protection plan, many organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend wearing tightly-woven protective clothes.
Sun protective clothing is an excellent sun protection tool as it provides a physical block that doesn't wash or wear off. Many of these fabrics shields your skin from 95% to 99% of the sun's harmful all UVA and UVB rays. That's equivalent to wearing a SPF 30+ sunscreen - without the need to keep reapplying lotion.
In addition, sunscreen is chemical based, protective clothing is not; the tight weave of the material provides the sun protection. And a small percentage of people may be sensitive or allergic to some of the active ingredients in sunscreens. Furthermore, experts recommend that parents refrain from using sunscreen on infants under 6 months old and instead rely on protective clothing and keep them out of direct sunlight.

Most summer-weight cotton T-shirts offer as little as 5 UPF dry and lose 50% of their UPF when wet. Also, while the t-shirt may prevent skin from burning, the effect of UVB rays, it is not preventing the absorption of harmful UVA rays, which, over time, dramatically increase the risk of skin cancer.

Did you know... The new units for UV protection are called UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor). UPF is like the sun protective factor SPF used on sunscreen lotion bottles and fabrics today, in that both UPF and SPF measure sunburn protection. One difference between UPF ratings and SPF ratings is that UPF measures both UVB and UVA radiation blocked. SPF is a measurement of UVB radiation only.

Sun-protective clothing offers another way to protect skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Sun-protective fabrics are different from traditional summer fabrics in three ways:

1. sun-protective clothes have a tighter weave or knit than traditional fabrics
   
2. sun-protective clothes are usually a darker color
   
3. sun-protective clothes are labeled with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), or the level of protection the clothing provides from the sun's UV rays. Sun-protective clothes don't look any different than other fabrics, so look for the label.
   
   
   

The UPF rating indicates how much of the sun's UV radiation is absorbed by the fabric. For example, a fabric with a UPF rating of 20 only allows 1/20th of the sun's UV radiation to pass through it. This means that this fabric will reduce your skin's UV radiation exposure by 20 times where it's protected by the fabric.

Everything above UPF 50 may be labeled UPF 50+; however, these garments may not offer substantially more protection than those with a UPF of 50. Also, a garment shouldn't be labeled "sun-protective" or "UV-protective" if its UPF is less than 15. Sun-protective clothing may lose its effectiveness if it's too tight or stretched out, damp or wet, and if it has been washed or worn repeatedly.

According to U.S. guidelines, the classifications for sun-protective fabrics are:

• Good UV Protection (UPF 15 to 24)
  
• Very Good UV Protection (UPF 25 to 39)
  
• Excellent UV Protection (UPF 40 to 50+)

You can block harmful sun rays from hitting your eyes by wearing sunglasses that provide 100% UV-A and UV-B protection: this smart move will prevent you from having short-terms troubles like inflammation, and long-terms problems like cataract! Try modern, fashionable sunglasses like the ones at Fossil or at Kenneth Cole New York: protect your eyes while you're making a fashion statement.

Did you know... there are also sun protective shades for your backyard and SPF umbrellas for your trips to the beach?
Coolaroo Shades keep your house and outdoor dining areas pleasantly cool when outdoor temperatures rise. Tough, all-weather knit fabric blocks up to 90% of the sun's ultraviolet rays, allows plenty of air and light to pass through and resists mold, mildew and rot. You can find different styles (sails, gazebos, window shades, etc) at a few selected shops that carry Coolaroo outdoors accessories, like Gaiam, HomeVisions , Stacks and Stacks, Comfort1st, Alsto's and Improvements Catalog

just a few examples:
Coolaroo® Gazebo	Coolaroo® Dog Beds	Coolaroo® Roll-Up Shades	Coolaroo™ Shade Sails

Moreover, the brand new 129 SPF Beach Umbrella is crafted with a fabric that reflects 99% of the suns UV light, moreover it creates a micro-climate beneath the canopy that is up to 15 F cooler than the surrounding air.

To learn more, you can ask for a free video & kit by SunSetter Retractable Awnings Their products are recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation: the fabric they use blocks out 99.9% of harmful UVa and UVb rays, as tested by independent laboratories.

For summer clothing that's already in your closet, there is a special laundry product that can be used to increase the UV protectiveness of your clothing. Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant is in fact the first laundry treatment that washes in sun protection of about SPF 30.
The typical t-shirt provides an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 5, add in Sun Guard and it soars to an UPF of 30! Rit Sun Guard works even if your shirt is wet. It´s safe for the whole family, and recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation.