Performance and Standards of UV-Protective Fabrics

UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) serves as the core metric for evaluating a fabric's ultraviolet-blocking performance. In my country, the GB/T 18830-2023 standard is applied; it mandates that a product may only be labeled as "UV-protective" if its UPF value exceeds 30 and its UVA transmittance remains below 5%, with 50+ representing the highest classification. Certain fabrics utilizing "original yarn" technology can achieve UPF values ​​of 100+, 500+, or even 1000+, effectively blocking over 99.7% of ultraviolet radiation.

The durability of UV-protective fabrics varies depending on the manufacturing process. Traditional fabrics treated with chemical coatings may see their UPF values ​​drop below the effective threshold (UPF > 40) after just 20 to 30 washes. In contrast, fabrics utilizing original yarn technology-where sun-protection agents are integrated directly into the fibers during the spinning stage-can withstand hundreds of machine washes while maintaining stable UV-blocking performance.

Currently, while the market for sun-protective fabrics is experiencing rapid growth, it also faces various industry challenges, including exaggerated marketing claims, a lack of unified standards, and instances where the protective efficacy of certain products diminishes rapidly after washing. Consequently, industry regulations and standards require further strengthening.