UPF 50+ Hats: What They Are and Why You Need Them

The beauty of “Made in Australia” products, like the hats in the Canopy Bay range, is the transparency provided by local manufacturers. Rigon Headwear, the skilled hat makers behind this collection, ensure that all their Canopy Bay hats are tested by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and receive the UPF50+ certification.

The ARPANSA is the Australian Government's primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety and does not give certifications to just any product. Each product or fabric must undergo strict in-laboratory testing which is not just a simple visual inspection of the products, as the human eye cannot see UV radiation - instead, testing notably includes light being shone through different parts of each hat to confirm that every inch offers full UPF50+ protection.

When it comes to Canopy Bay styles, that’s as much the case for fabric hats like the Avoca Natural Linen Bucket Hat, which is double-lined, as it is for raffia hats which have been woven tightly compared to your traditional straw hats in order to provide an excellent ultraviolet protection factor. To sum it up, a lot of fabrics or materials offer some natural form of protection against ultraviolet radiation but there is no way of knowing just how much without the products actually undergoing laboratory testing, which the ARPANSA offers.

Sun damage is cumulative which, on one hand, means that it’s never too late to take extra precautions (YAY!), but on the other implies that just wearing a hat when you go to the beach is not enough.

Applying sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) is absolutely essential, especially on our side of the world. And you should be doing so everyday - yes, even if it’s cloudy or if you have an office job.

And if keeping skin cancer at bay is not incentive enough for you to do so, just think of the sun spots and premature skin aging that you could avoid by wearing a layer of sunscreen under your makeup everyday and shading yourself from the sun with a high-quality hat. Definitely cheaper than laser and Botox!

In addition to a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, you can further limit your exposure to the sun by wearing a tightly-woven but loose linen shirt and pants over your swimsuit at the beach, especially at midday when the UV index is at its highest. Not only will you be fashionable, as a good white linen shirt is timeless, it will also help you keep your cool.

Check out our Sun Safe Edit if you want to be stylish and sun safe all year round.

Do you cherish those golf sessions with your husband or those days spent on the boat fishing with your son?

Well guess what, we have a wide range of unisex hats so whether he chooses to borrow one of yours for the day or whether you gift it to him as a Christmas present, you can both enjoy the outdoors together knowing that you’re being sun smart!