Most UV protective clothing lives up to billing: Competition Bureau

Most ultraviolet protective clothing sold in Canada lives up to advertisedlevels of protection, say inspectors with the Competition Bureau.

In a recent examination of 63 retail stores, manufacturers and distributors across the country, the bureau found the tags on the great majority of garments were accurate and truthful about the UV protection offered.

"The bureau's inspections help ensure that Canadians get what they pay for when buying UV protective clothing," Andrea Rosen, acting deputy commissioner of competition, said Wednesday.

Inspectors identified one company from Oakville, Ont.,that sells clothing under the Sunveil Sunwear label whose tags claimed all of its garments provided considerably more UV protection than they actually did.

The company took immediate action and removed all UV protection claims from its tags and corporate website, said a Competition Bureau spokesperson.

The bureau urges consumers to educate themselves about clothing labels before buying, offering the following tips:

• Clothing specially made to block out UV light should be labelled with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating. A rating of UPF 15 is the lowest level of protection and is rated to block 93.3 per cent of the sun's rays.
• Consumers should assess the prices of garments with different levels of UV protection. The higher-priced garment may offer only minimally more protection. For example, clothing labelled UPF 30 blocks 96.7 per cent of the sun's rays, while clothing labelled UPF 50 blocks 98 per cent.
• All clothing provides some protection from ultraviolet light. Denim, for example, provides excellent UV protection but is not normally labelled UV protective.

Consumers should also look closely at products with claims such as "all-day protection," "no sun screen required" and "blocks all UV light or rays." These claims have little meaning, since no fabric offers 100 per cent protection from UV light.