When spending time outdoors, clothing can play an important role in how much UV light reaches your skin. Many people assume that wearing black or dark clothing will make them feel hotter, especially in the summer. While darker shades can absorb more heat, they also tend to offer better protection from UV rays compared to lighter colours. With the right fabrics, this can be an easy way to support your skin health.
Why Clothing Colour Matters
Along with seeking shade and using sunscreen, wearing UV protective clothing is one of the most reliable ways to reduce UV exposure. The colour of your clothing is part of this protection. Dark or vivid colours absorb more UV radiation, which means less light passes through to the skin. You can learn more about how UV affects the skin on our skin cancer overview page.
What Colours Are Helpful in the Sun
Recent guidance from research groups, including university health departments in the United States, suggests that darker shades such as black, navy, or deep red tend to block more UV rays than lighter or pastel colours. Bright, saturated colours like red or neon yellow can also perform well because they absorb more light.
Wearing clothing in these colours may help reduce the amount of UV light that reaches your skin, especially when combined with tightly woven or UPF rated fabrics.
Why This Happens
When light hits a dark or bright-coloured fabric, more of that light is absorbed and converted into heat rather than passing through the material. This is why darker clothing can feel warmer, but it is also why these shades may offer stronger UV protection.
To stay comfortable on hot days, many UPF rated garments are designed with breathable, moisture wicking fabrics that help offset the heat absorbed by darker colours.
A Helpful Rule of Thumb
If you can see through a piece of fabric when holding it up to the light, UV rays can likely pass through as well. This is more common with thin, lightly coloured garments. Choosing clothing that is darker, thicker, or labelled with a UPF rating can offer more consistent protection.
For more guidance on sun protection basics, you can visit our Skin Cancer 101 post.
