SPF vs. UPF: Why UPF Is a Healthier Alternative to Sunscreen
We love a sunny day. What we don't love? Spending all day chasing our family around with a bottle of sunscreen. That's why we created ShapeShifter Fish and Friends. Our UPF 50+ sun protective clothing has UV protection built right into the fabric without the use chemicals or additives, making it a healthier alternative to sunscreen and helping eliminate the constant battle of reapplying sunscreen!
And because we believe sun protection should be fun, we make it in bold, colorful designs kids actually want to wear and are visibly seen in the water or in a crowd. Our bright neon colors help your family stand out and stay safely seen when you're at the beach, pool, park, or anywhere your adventures take you.
UPF 50 Sun Protection + Neon = Our Kind of Sun Protection
We believe sun protection should do more than protect your skin. It should make life easier.
UPF 50+ clothing helps protect the skin covered by the garment, while our bright neon colors make it easier to spot your family in a crowd. Because when your family is running around a busy beach or pool, being able to see them from across the way is a pretty great feature.
Wildly unique. Safely seen.
That's our philosophy. And our neon collection puts it into practice. Shop some of our brightest sun-protective favorites:
Hot Pink Pufferfish UPF50+ Sun Protection Shirt
One of our TWO best selling sun shirt that is bright, lightweight, and breathable design available in every size we carry (babies, toddlers, kids & adults!)
Neon Green Gecko UPF50+ UPF50+ Sun Protection Shirt
Our other best selling, bright, lightweight, and breathable design for babies, toddlers, kids & adults.
SPF vs. UPF: So What is the Difference?
The easiest way to remember it: SPF goes on your skin. UPF goes on your body.
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It's the rating used for sunscreen and measures protection primarily against UVB rays that cause sunburn. Broad-spectrum sunscreen also protects against UVA rays. UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. It measures how much UV radiation passes through a fabric.
A UPF 50+ fabric allows only a small fraction of UV radiation to pass through, blocking approximately 98% of UV radiation from reaching the skin underneath.
So while SPF and UPF aren't really competitors, they do different jobs:
| SPF | UPF | |
|---|---|---|
| Goes on | Your skin | Your clothing |
| Protects | Exposed skin | Covered skin |
| Needs reapplication | Yes | Not on covered skin |
| Best used for | Areas clothing doesn't cover | Arms, shoulders, back, torso, legs, etc. |
Why We Believe UPF Is a Healthier Alternative to Sunscreen
Let's be clear: we're not anti-sunscreen. Sunscreen is useful for exposed skin like your face, hands, feet, and anywhere else your clothing doesn't cover. But do you really need to coat every inch of your body in sunscreen when you can simply cover it?
We don't think so.
ShapeShifter UPF 50+ clothing provides built-in UV protection for covered skin without requiring repeated application of a topical product to that area.
That means:
- Less sunscreen to apply
- Less sunscreen to reapply
- Less sunscreen on your hands
- Less sunscreen on your beach towels
- Less sunscreen on your car seats
- And one less battle with your toddler
That's the ShapeShifter approach.
Why We Love Neon for Sun Protection
We didn't create our neon collection just because bright colors look awesome. We created it because being safely seen matters, too. Bright colors can reflect more UV radiation than darker colors, making them a smart choice when you're thinking about sun-conscious clothing. But for us, there's another huge benefit:
You can actually find your people.
Think about a crowded beach. A busy pool. A water park. A summer camp. Your kid is running around with 50 other kids. Now imagine they're wearing a bright neon UPF shirt. Much easier to spot. Our neon colors help your family stand out from the crowd, which is why they're such a natural fit with our Wildly Unique. Safely Seen. philosophy.
Sun Protection for the Whole Family
One of our favorite things about ShapeShifter is that sun protection doesn't have to stop at the kids. We make UPF apparel and accessories for the whole family, from baby 3M through adult 3X.
We don't believe protecting your family from the sun should mean hiding inside. We believe kids should be outside. Swimming. Exploring. Playing. Getting dirty. Having adventures. And we believe the clothes they wear can make sun protection easier, healthier, and a lot more fun.
That's why we created ShapeShifter. UPF 50+ protection to cover more skin. Neon colors to help you see your people. Fun designs kids actually want to wear. And sizes for the whole family, because nobody should have to sit out of the fun.