ARPANSA Certification UV-related knowledge Fabric information

ARPANSA – the authority in UV protection certification

In the 1970s, Australia had the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. To protect public health, the Australian government established the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) by legislation. ARPANSA studies the effects of radiation on the human body and the environment, and formulated the UV-protective clothing test standard AS/NZS 4399:1996 to ensure the actual sun protection performance of garments.

Trusted, professional testing

ARPANSA defines the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) as the standard rating unit for UV-protective clothing. Using a professional spectroradiometer, test samples are scanned multiple times to measure the transmittance of UVA and UVB, which is then converted into a UPF value. With this rigorous process, ARPANSA is recognized as one of the most authoritative UV certification bodies worldwide, and its research data have been adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an international benchmark.

Fabric Testing Process

Once UV100’s fabric development is complete, samples are sent to Australia. The ARPANSA testing process is as follows:

Sample registration

Fabric samples are registered in the ARPANSA system and logged for testing.

Sampling & labeling

More than eight fabric swatches are cut for testing, weighed, and labeled individually.

Repeated testing

Each swatch is scanned six times with UV light passing through the fabric, and all measurement data are recorded.

Certification completed

A detailed ultraviolet test report is issued.

Hangtag approval

Based on the test results, official UPF certification hangtags are granted.

UPF Rating Hangtags

Based on the tested results, UV100 applies to ARPANSA in Australia for official UPF hangtags, which are issued by ARPANSA and not self-printed. ARPANSA’s UPF hangtags are divided into nine levels—UPF 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 50+. The higher the UPF rating, the better the UV protection.

Versions of the UPF hangtags

Each UPF certification hangtag carries a unique serial number registered by ARPANSA, serving as an identification code for the garment’s UPF rating. Several versions of the hangtag are currently in use.