Journal · Sun

UPF vs SPFThe Difference, Explained

One you apply, one you wear. What SPF and UPF each measure, where sun cream falls short, and why the two work best together.

3 minute read

Dressing well and dressing wisely have never been at odds. Yet for all that is written about SPF serums and tinted moisturisers, one of the most effective forms of sun protection is still widely misunderstood: the clothes you wear.

SPF: protection you apply

SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is a measure for products applied to the skin: sun cream, foundation, serum. It tells you how well a product protects against UVB, the rays mainly behind sunburn.

97%of UVB filtered by SPF 30, applied as tested

98%of UVB filtered by SPF 50, applied as tested

The number says nothing about UVA, which is why broad-spectrum formulas matter, and why SPF alone is never the whole answer.

Where sun cream falls short

In real life, SPF rarely performs as it does in the lab. Most of us apply less than we should. We sweat, swim, touch our faces and forget to reapply. Sun cream put on at eight in the morning is doing far less by eleven on a sunny terrace.

Sun cream is the touch-up. UPF clothing is the structure.

Sun Cape in leopard print — Cover the shoulders, and there is less to reapply.The Sun Cape

UPF: protection you wear

UPF, or Ultraviolet Protection Factor, is the equivalent for fabric. Where SPF is about UVB, UPF measures how well a fabric stops both UVA and UVB from reaching the skin.

The number works simply. A UPF 50 fabric lets through around one fiftieth of the UV that reaches it. UPF 50+ blocks 98% or more, and the protection does not wear off through the day. There is nothing to reapply and nothing to rub in.

Apex Romper in black — The Apex Romper and Apex Jumpsuit, with UPF 50+ built into the fabric.

Apex Jumpsuit in black — The Apex Romper and Apex Jumpsuit, with UPF 50+ built into the fabric.

What it means for how you dress

A considered cut that covers the chest and shoulders, a sleeve with intention, a fabric dense enough to stop the sun but fine enough to forget you are wearing it: none of this is a compromise. It is simply good design.

Our sun pieces are made in SolFusion™, with UPF 50+ built into the fabric and independently tested wet and dry, so the protection holds in the sea as well as on the shore.

Better together

The most effective approach uses both. UPF clothing covers the body; broad-spectrum SPF takes care of the face, hands and anything left uncovered. They do not compete. Your collar protects your shoulders, your SPF protects your face, and between them nothing is left to chance.

The short version