What is UPF?
The UV protection factor of textiles, and what it really covers
UPF states how much solar UV a weave keeps off the skin. Three different test methods exist, which can give different numbers for the same material. This page explains the scale, lists the values our fabrics carry together with the standard each was tested to, then says openly where the best known of those standards draws its own boundary.
What sits behind the number
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. It is a ratio, not a percentage, describing the weave rather than the finished product.
UPF explained in one sentence
UPF is the ratio between the UV dose unprotected skin tolerates before reddening, and the dose that arrives through the fabric. **UPF 50 means one fiftieth of the UV radiation gets through.** UVA as well as UVB are measured together.
Not the same as a sun protection factor
The sun protection factor of a sunscreen is determined on skin, referring to reddening caused by UVB. UPF is measured in a laboratory on the weave, UVA included. The two numbers look alike, arise on entirely different paths, cannot be converted into each other.
UV protection is not UV resistance
Two questions get mixed up. UPF describes how well a person **underneath** the fabric is shielded. How well the fabric **itself** takes the sun without fading is lightfastness, measured in a completely different way, see what is lightfastness.
What raises the value, what lowers it
A dense construction, high weight per square metre, deep dark shades all protect well. Moisture, stretch, wear, thin spots all reduce the protection. A light, pale fabric can drop several classes when wet without anything being visible.
UPF meaning: the three protection classes
The banding comes from the Australian standard, which has become the international convention. Above the top class no further distinction is drawn.
| UPF value | Rating | Share of UV radiation blocked |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 24 | good protection | 93.3 to 95.9 per cent |
| 25 to 39 | very good protection | 96.0 to 97.4 per cent |
| 40 to 50+ | excellent protection | 97.5 to 99.9 per cent |
| below 15 | no classification | not declared as sun protection |
Three test methods, three points of view
The Australian and New Zealand standard is the most widely used method worldwide, the source of the classes above. Measurement takes place on **new, dry, unstretched** material. The highest class awarded is UPF 50+; nothing above that is declared separately.
It was written for clothing worn **close to the skin**. Shading held at a distance from the body, meaning shade sails, awnings, umbrellas, is excluded by the text itself: scattered radiation entering around the edges means more UV reaches you underneath than the material value suggests, varying with area as well as distance. The fabric figure stays correct; protection at the sun lounger is a second question.
The European standard also measures new, dry material. UV Standard 801 takes another route, testing **wet, stretched, after simulated wear**, so under worst-case conditions. Its figure for the same material therefore tends to come out lower, which is why it is recommended for shading textiles. Comparing two UPF numbers starts with comparing the standard.
UPF values in our range
These figures come from the data sheets as well as the test reports of our fabric suppliers, each with the standard it was measured to. How a fabric is dyed is explained under solution dyed.
| Fabric group | UPF | Tested to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agora, solution dyed acrylic (Air, Liso, Lines, Rayure, Panama, Life) | 50+ | AS/NZS 4399:1996 | top class of the standard, manufacturer figure from the data sheet |
| Agora Liso Waterproof, with backing laminate | 50+ | AS/NZS 4399:1996 | place the laminate facing inwards when making up |
| Acrisol Liso (Dralon), conventionally dyed acrylic | 50 | AS/NZS 4399:1996 | Eurofins report AR-19-YL-000693-01-EN, UVA as well as UVB at 0.00 per cent transmission |
| Screen weave for shading | 20 to 45 depending on colour | EN 13758-1 | deep dense shades protect markedly better than pale ones |
| Upholstery fabrics for seats, indoor use | not declared | - | lightfastness matters here, not UPF |
What the number is worth in a garden
The laboratory figure applies to new material held flat. Four points decide how much of it reaches the person underneath.
Distance costs protection
Under a shade sail you receive radiation from above plus scattered light from the sides as well as the ground. The larger the shaded area, the lower the mounting, the closer the effect comes to the material value. A small sail high above the table protects noticeably less than its figure promises.
Wet fabric protects less well
Water fills the gaps in the construction, letting more UV through. On dense acrylic weaves the effect is small, on light pale materials it is clear. After a shower the protection is temporarily lower than on a dry day.
The value ages with the fabric
Measurement happens on new material. Years of sun, washing, abrasion loosen the structure, while thin spots as well as holes cut the protection sharply. Hold a shade up against the light: if sky shines through, replace it.
What to check when buying
Always ask for the standard alongside a UPF figure. A number without one cannot be compared. Ours appears on every data sheet, plus a fabric sample shows density fastest: hold it against the light, see how much comes through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- German Federal Office of Radiation Protection, UV protection through clothing. Official account of the three test methods, plus the difference between measuring new material as against wet, stretched material
- ARPANSA, the Australian radiation protection agency, on labelling to AS 4399. States the scope of the standard as well as the exclusion of shading held at a distance from the skin
- ARPANSA on the testing of shade fabrics. Explains why shading products are rated by a separate system rather than by UPF
- What is lightfastness? How well the material itself withstands the sun
- All Germes fabrics with their technical figures
- Order fabric samples, check the density yourself
Last reviewed: 24.08.2026 · Reviewer: Germes-Team
Which fabric suits your sunny spot?
Tell us how large the area is, how high the shading will hang. We will name the fabrics that fit, with their tested figures, then send samples on request.