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What are "UPF" - Definition & Explanation

UPF
(Ultraviolet Protection Factor) The UPF rating indicates how effective a fabric is at blocking out solar ultraviolet radiation from reaching the skin. UPF ratings range from 15 to 50 with higher ratings indicating more effective blocking and therefore better protection for the wearer of a garment. Fabrics that test higher than UPF 50 are rated as UPF50+. UPF testing involves exposing a fabric to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and measuring how much is tranmitted through the sample. Different wave-lengths of radiation in the UVR spectrum have different effects on human skin and this is taken into consideration when calculating the UPF rating. Factors that contribute to the UPF rating of a fabric are:

Composition of the yarns (cotton, polyester, etc)

Tightness of the weave or the knit (tighter improves the rating)

Color (darket colors are generally better)

Stretch (more stretch lowers the rating)

Moisture (many fabrics have lower ratings when wet)

Condition (worn and faded garments may have reduced ratings)

Finishing (some fabrics are treated with UV absorbing chemicals).

Some other terms

Some more terms:

A type of knitted fabric construction in which the yarns are formed into stitches in a lengthwise manner. Warp knits are generally less elastic than weft knits. Common examples of warp knits are...
Two series of pairs of chips that show increasing contrast within pairs, and are used visually for comparing the differences in colour of textile specimens or the degrees of staining of transfer...
A pile fabric with a clipped nap. Before clipping, the nap is a loop as found in frieze or boucle. Velvet was introduced during the Renaissance in Italy and Spain and later moved to France. Designs...
In textile manufacturing, a flange refers to a type of fabric construction that involves the creation of a decorative or functional edge along one or more sides of a textile product. The flange is...
In textile production, "thick and thin" refers to a specific type of yarn or fabric that intentionally exhibits variations in thickness throughout its structure. This deliberate irregularity creates...

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