Harrison, Simone L. and Downs, Nathan J. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3191-6404 and Rawlings, Alex T. and Parisi, Alfio V.
(2018)
The Garment Protection Factor (GPF): an index for sun-protective clothing that combines garment coverage and UVR transmittance.
In: 4th International Conference on UV & Skin Cancer Prevention 2018, 1-4 May 2018, Toronto, Canada.
Abstract
Introduction: Clothing provides a protective barrier that reduces the amount of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) reaching the skin. Industry standards for sun-protective clothing have been implemented in Australia/New Zealand, Europe, and the USA. However, ratings and labelling used for clothing marketed as sun-protective do not routinely communicate the importance of garment coverage, although evidence suggests that this may be as important in preventing skin damage as the UVR-transmittance of the fabric. We propose a new index for sun-protective clothing called 'the Garment Protection Factor (GPF)' which considers both the body surface area (BSA) covered by a garment and the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of the fabric from which it is made.
Methods: Manikins (range of sizes and ages) were fixed to an optical bench and marked with horizontal lines at 1 cm intervals. The GPF algorithm was developed based on the number of lines visible on clothed versus unclothed manikins and the UPF of the garment fabric.
Results: The GPF weights fabric UPF by the BSA-covered above the minimum specified in international sun-protective clothing standards for upper-body, lower-body and all-in-one garments. GPF increases with BSA-covered and UPF. Three nominal categories are proposed: 0 ≤GPF<3 for garments that 'meet' minimum standards; 3 ≤GPF< 6 for garments that provide 'good' sun-protection; and GPF ≥6 for garments that provide ‘excellent’ protection.
Conclusions: The proposed GPF provides a means by which garment design (in terms of proportion of skin covered) and fabric UPF can be reported in a single index. Adopting the GPF would encourage manufacturers to design sun-protective garments that exceed the minimum standard for BSA-coverage. The research may also assist efforts to standardize the evaluation and labelling of sun-protective clothing across global markets, with positive implications for consumer awareness and skin cancer prevention world-wide.
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