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Transmittance or Blocking of Transmittance or Blocking of 

Erythemally WeightedErythemally Weighted

Ultraviolet Radiation ThroughUltraviolet Radiation Through

FabricsFabrics

AATCC Test Method 183-2004

The OzoneThe Ozone

What is it?

Naturally occurring gas in the earth’s

stratosphere which shields the Earth

from harmful UV radiation

What does it do?

Filters sun’s UV radiation and serves as

a buffer that protects humans, crops,

and marine life

Is the ozone depletingIs the ozone depleting?

Carbonfluorocarbons (CFCs)

used in refrigeration & air conditioning (freon)

Halons

used in fire extinguishers

Methyl Bromide

used in pesticides

Methyl Chloroform

a solvent used in industrial processes

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How do we know theseHow do we know thesesubstances are the cause?substances are the cause?

Balloons, aircraft, & satelliteshave the ability to measure theamount of ozone-depletingsubstances (ODS) present in thestratosphere; these substancesreact chemically with the sunwhich results in the destructionof ozone gases

Why is important to know about

UV radiation & the ozone?

Since the ozone is depleting,overexposure to UV rays canlead to things such as:

melanoma

cataracts & conjunctivitis

photodermatosis

erythema (abnormal redness of the skin

due to capillary congestion/inflammation)

Why should we beWhy should we be

concerned?concerned?

There are NO ‘healthy suntans’

Any change in color of the skin is aresult of sun damage

More than 1 million people arediagnosed with skin cancer in the USeach year

Statistics show that 1 in 2 Australianwomen will have skin cancer within

their lifetime

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UVA UVB UVCWavelength 315-400nm 280-315nm 100-280nm

Health Aspect Less dangerousspectrum of UVradiation

More dangerousthan UVA, cancause DNAdamage.

Very dangerousto the skin &eyes.

GeneralImplication

UVA rays aremost abundant atthe earth’ssurface.

Only a smallamount of UVBreaches theearth’s surfacedue to absorptionby theatmosphere.

No UVC reachesthe earth’ssurface due toabsorption in theatmosphere.

Effects UVA penetratesinto the corium of skin. The skinprotects itself byinstantpigmentation &thickening of outer layer.

UVB penetratesless deeply intothe epidermisthan UVA. Highdoses can causeDNA damage.

Medical Aspect Results intanning &acceleration of skin aging &wrinkling

Results in skinreddening(erymema), or sunburn, cancer,& cataracts

UV Radiation,the GOOD & the BAD

GOOD: Small doses (315 to 400 nm)

beneficial to humans because the sun

stimulates the production of vitamin D in our 

skin

BAD: Large doses (less than 315 nm)

these have detrimental effects on humans

and are the ones we need to worry about

Factors that influence the effect of 

UV radiation on the human body

wavelength of light

geographic location

width of stratospheric ozone layer

time of day (10AM-2PM, 60% exposure)

season of year

skin properties

sensitivity to sunlight

environmental conditions at the time of

exposure

UV IndexUV Index

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Sun Protective ClothingSun Protective Clothing

Definition

Apparel items for which a claim of 

protective advantage against solar 

ultraviolet radiation is made

Origin of Sun ProtectiveOrigin of Sun ProtectiveClothingClothing

Australia was first country toformalize UV protection claims forclothing

Developed a standard lab procedure for 

measuring

Established an Ultraviolet Protection

Factor (UPF)

Labeling guide for UPF rated clothing

UPF Rating SchemeUPF Rating Scheme

40, 45, 50,50+< 2.5Exce llent40 - 50,50+

25, 30, 354.1 - 2.6Very

Good

25 - 39

15, 206.7 - 4.2Good15 - 24

UPF RatingEffective

UVR

Transmissi

on, %

ProtectionCategoryUPF Rang e

Reference: UPF Rating Scheme from AS/NZS 4399, “Sun Protective

Clothing” (1996).

• Sun Protective Clothing is aselling point driven inoutdoor items

• Often seen in golf apparel,swimwear, sportswear,skiwear, hats, etc.

• Merchandise will have ahang tag to educate & attractcustomers

Retailers and manufacturers areresponsible to providedocumentation to support their UVclaim

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Sun Protective ClothingSun Protective Clothing

ExamplesExamples

Coolibar 

Masque Rays

Physicians Endorsed

Solar Eclipse

Sun Precautions

Sun Solutions

96.7% UV blocked

Coolibar Coolibar 

98% UV

blocked

polyester 

Sun PrecautionsSun Precautions

nylon microfiber 

Garment Properties thatGarment Properties that

Influence UV TransmissionInfluence UV Transmission

Fabric construction porosity; density of weave or knit

Fiber type Cotton - highly permeability

Unbleached cotton - increased ability to absorb UV

Wool - high permeability

Polyester - high permeability

Nylon - fairly permeable

Color Darker color absorb more UV than lighter colors

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Garment Properties thatGarment Properties thatInfluence UV TransmissionInfluence UV Transmission

Presence of optical brighteners, dyes, &chemicals added during processing Many dyes absorb UVR and therefore improve UPF rating

UVR absorbers added to fabrics that have a naturally lowresistance to UVR will increase UPF rating

White w/ optical brighteners improve UPF rating

Treatment with a UVR inhibitor during manufacturingresults in a higher UPF rating

Fabric wetness UV transmission ↑ when fabrics are wet because the

scattering of UV is ↓ 30 – 50% reduction in UPF rating

Fabric Stretch 10% stretch results in 40% reduction of UPF rating

Conditions That Can Affect aGarment’s UV Protection

• Garments w/out UV protective treatment,may improve their UV protectionperformance after shrinkage

• Old worn and faded garments may looseprotective value

• Repeated washings may reduce the UVprotection performance of UVR treatedgarments

• UV finishes can reduce fading and fabricdeterioration

How can the textile industry

help?

By developing standards to measure

the transmittance spectrum by using

spectrophotometers with integrating

spheres for the assessment of UV

protective properties of textiles and

clothing

From this data, the UV ProtectionFactor (UPF) can be determined

Global Standards DrivenGlobal Standards Driven

After 1996, both America &

Europe implemented standards

for Ultra-Violet Radiation

Transmission of Textiles

AATCC TM 183

ASTM D6544 and ASTM D 6603

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AATCC TM 183AATCC TM 183

Purpose

To determine the ultraviolet radiation

blocked or transmitted by textile fabrics

intended to be used for UV protection

AATCC TM 183AATCC TM 183

Principle The transmission of UV radiation (UVR) through a

specimen is measured on a spectrophotometer or spectroradiometer at known wavelength intervals

The UV protection factor (UPF) is automaticallycomputed as the ratio of the erythemally weighted UVRirradiance at the detector with no specimen present tothe erythemally weighted UVR irradiance at the detector with a specimen present

% blocking of UVA & UVB radiation is also calculated

General PrincipleGeneral Principle

 Detector

Light ⏐   Ο      ComputerSample Integrating sphere

The higher the percentage of transmittance the less protection it offers.

TerminologyTerminology

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR)

Invisible radiant energy for which the

wavelengths of the monochromatic

components are smaller than those for 

visible radiation and more than

approximately 100 nm; UVR range is 280 to

400 nm

% UV Blocking

100 minus the UV transmission

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TerminologyTerminology

UVA Rays that penetrate deep into the skin causing

tanning, premature aging, and burning;wavelengths 315 to 400 nm

UVB Shorter than UVA rays; generally absorbed by

the skin’s surface & may cause malignancies;wavelengths 280 to 315 nm

Note: UVB exposure causes 1,000 times the damage as the same amount of UVA exposure 

Ultraviolet WavelengthsUltraviolet Wavelengths

Wavelength SpectrumWavelength Spectrum More TerminologyMore Terminology

UV Protection Factor 

(UPF)

ratio of the average

effective UVR irradiance

transmitted & calculated

through air to the

average effective UVR

irradiance transmitted &

calculated through

fabric

400 nm

∑ Eλ x Sλ x  Δλ

280 nm

UPF =  

400 nm

∑ Eλ x Sλ x Tλ x  Δλ

280 nm

where:E

λ

= erythemal spectral effectivenessS

λ= solar spectral irradiance in W.m-2.nm-1

Tλ = spectral transmittance of the specimen

 Δλ = wavelength interval in nm

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Uses & LimitationsUses & Limitations

Used to determine the UPF of wetand/or stretched fabrics

Stretched fabric is not yet included in the

method, however, AATCC Committee RA106

is working on this option for inclusion in the

2007 or 2008 AATCC Technical Manual

Wetting or stretching may change theUPF properties

ApparatusApparatus

Spectrophotometerorspectroradiometerequipped with anintegrating sphere

Filter, Schott GlassUG11

Instrumental CalibrationInstrumental Calibration

The spectrophotometer orspectroradiometer must becalibrated according the themanufacturer’s instructions

SpecimensSpecimens

Test minimum of 2 specimensfrom each sample

Each specimen should be at least50 mm x 50 mm (2 in x 2 in), or 50mm (2 in) in diameter

For fabrics with multiple colors orstructures, each color or structure

should be tested separately

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ConditioningConditioning

Dry specimens should beconditioned according to ASTMD1776, Conditioning Textiles for Testing , for at least 4 hr prior totesting

21 ± 1° C (70 ± 2° F ) & 65 ± 2% RH

Dry Specimen ProcedureDry Specimen Procedure

Place specimen flush against sampletransmission port opening in thesphere

Measure & rotate specimen 45° Take 2nd measurement & rotate 45° Take 3rd measurement Multicolored specimens

determine area of highest UV transmission& make all 3 measurements in thatparticular area

Wet Specimen ProcedureWet Specimen Procedure

Weigh dry specimen Place specimen flat in bottom of a

beaker & pour distilled water intobeaker until specimen is covered tothoroughly wet out the specimen

Submerge for 30 min while pressingand moving it from time to time toensure a good and uniformpreparation

Prepare only 1 specimen at a time

Wet Specimen ProcedureWet Specimen Procedure

Ensure wet pick-up of 150 ± 5% bysqueezing wet specimen betweenblotting paper through hand wringeror similar means (if fabric has lowmoisture absorption, repeat soakingand wringing steps)

Note: some samples may not be capable of 

achieving the specified wet pick-up such as

tightly woven synthetic fabrics

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Wet Specimen ProcedureWet Specimen Procedure

Take measurements in samemanner as the dry specimenmeasurements Use plastic wrap to protect instrument from

water when placing specimen to be

measured

ReportReport

UPF, Ultraviolet Protection Factor

UVA transmittance

UVB transmittance

% blocking UVA

% blocking UVB

ReferencesReferences

Assessment Method for UV-Protective Properties of Textiles , Melliand International, Vol. 7, June 2001,Djani, Rosinskaja, Kizil, Weinberg, Shenkar Collegeof Engineering and Design, Ramat-Gan/Israel.

The Effect of Wetness on the UVR Transmission of Woven Fabrics , Patricia Cox Crews, Unv. ofNebraska-Lincoln, Ying Zhou, Maytag Corp.(AATCC IC&E Conference 2003).

UV Protective Clothing & Recent Trends , LouannSpirito, SGS, Fairfield, NJ, (AATCC Creativity 2 Communication Symposium, April 7-8, 2005,Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City).