ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun can cause sunburn, skin cancer and eye disorders.

To promote awareness of UVR protection issues, ARPANSA developed the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating system for fabrics, which was used in 1996 to form the basis of the Australian and New Zealand Standard for sun protective clothing (AS/NZS 4399). Manufacturers and suppliers who participate in the UPF rating system, have samples of fabrics tested to determine the level of UVR protection, then their products may be labelled with an appropriate UPF rating tag. UPF ratings have been applied to various products including swimwear, rash vests, work shirts, school wear and hats.

Companies interested in having fabrics tested should go to the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) testing pages.

Many companies label their products with a UPF rating label. AS/NZS 4399 specifies appropriate wording to appear on these labels. ARPANSA has supplied ready-made UPF rating swing tags to companies since 1992. ARPANSA’s own swing tags feature the UPF Certification Trade Mark.

This trademark has become widely recognised by consumers through the millions of UPF labelled products sold in recent years. The highly visible swing tag helps promote community awareness of the dangers of overexposure to ultraviolet radiation and gives consumers confidence that the product they purchase will reduce their UVR exposure.

Please refer to our UV Resource Guide Disclaimer before accessing our supplier and product information lists.

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