Yes, to your question, “Is a black shirt hotter in the sun?” This is why it is important to find out how to keep cool your black shirt!
Black will block more of the suns hot and damaging rays. With your black shirt absorbing the sun’s rays, the resulting energy has to go somewhere. This energy produces heat that goes through to you. You will feel warner.
While it is absorbing all those damaging UV rays it will be heating you, the one who is the wearer.
Your black clothing absorbs more of light’s energy and that, in turn, will convert to heat energy. The suns rays may not be damaging or burning your skin but they will make you warmer.
Your black shirt absorbs all the sun rays wavelengths that shine on it. While the energy in the sun’s rays reaches your black shirt is not reaching your body, that energy automatically becomes heat.
Remember this energy has to become something, so heat is the result.
So, at this point how do you feel about wearing a black shirt to block the sun? While it might be the best choice in the cooler months of the year, maybe not so much in the hot part of summer for a sun blocking shirt.
A lighter color like grey, or blue. Or anything but solid black. A black print or check will be cooler to wear in the heat. A sun blocking shirt can be pretty or attractive as well.
Many new fabrics have been developed that do a great job of blocking the dangerous rays that burn our skin and make us more prone to skin cancer with time.
How Your Shirt Fits
Because your shirt will produce heat, how your black shirt fits is an important factor for your comfort. For being comfortable in the hot months your black sun blocking shirt should be loose fitting and have loose fitting long sleeves.
A looser fitting black shirt will allow for some airflow to cool your body. Your black shirt is also absorbing the heat your body produces. As the shirt is holding your body heat, and then sun heat that will pass through, you will find this a better bet for cooler months of the year.
We are using the color black here because often those who are a bit heavier than they should be are more comfortable with black. Actually, darker tones of most colors are effective at blocking suns rays.
However, you are protecting your skin from the extreme damage that the sun does to unprotected skin. While considering ways to make your fun in the sun time to be less dangerous for your skin. Remember the season of the year. Protecting your skin
If you want to protect your skin, you have chosen a good color, but what about the weave or weight of the fabric? This is even more important. If you can see through your shirt fabric, the sun’s damaging rays will get through as well.
Your shirt color is important, and you are making a good choice with your black shirt just remember that the thickness of the fabric makes a difference too.
The thickness of your fabric is an important part of the protection picture.
Consider How Thick Your Shirt Is
The weave of your shirt fabric is important. The tightness of the weave and the thickness of the threads will determine the thickness of your black shirt. To be sun blocking, you will want the fabric to block every little pinprick through where it is woven.
Hold the fabric up to the light. Can you see little pinholes that the light can get through? That damaging sun ray will get through as well. Think denim, as a good tight weave example that allows no light to shine through. This will protect your skin from the sun. Yes, most traditional denim is pretty warm too. How long will you keep a hot shirt on?
How Stretch Affects Sun Blocking Abilities
Stretch fabrics can be very effective in blocking the sun, as long as the fit is loose enough to allow the threads to lie close together. Think a loose-fitting black tee shirt. Remember the words loose-fitting. You don’t want to see through the knit of the shirt, nor do you want it to stretch tightly anywhere on your body.
Make sure last years shirt wasn’t washed too many times resulting in a fit that is now too snug. That kind may feel comfy on your body, but will it protect your skin? Skin protection is what you are going for. A fit that protects your skin is important. You will wear a garment that is comfortable.
There are many knit fabrics that will do a great job of protecting your skin while being cooler and easy to wear. Some have a special finish that does a great job of blocking the sun. Some are just woven in a manner that allows them to block the sun without adding extra finishes.
Read labels. Pay attention to laundry directions.
Black Shirts Can Be Cool
Finding the fabric that both protects your skin as well allows you to be comfortable while wearing it is worth the search. So far in this short article, black has been used as the color example for ease in sharing the concept of how black and darker colours absorb the damaging UV rays. These are the rays that can damage and age your skin.
Royal Blue is actually more desirable for the color to protect you best. More importantly, the darker tones of any color are better to help protect your skin. A dark red is better than a pale pink for sun blocking.
You will be more comfortable if your shirt has a bit of room to breathe a little or to allow a little airflow. The darker color will be warmer. You will need some room for the air to move under your shirt.
With today’s closer fit in clothing finding a looser fit can be a bit more difficult. Stick with it, find a looser fit. Not to be forgotten with fabrics is the comfort of a the wicking feature. Different kids of fabric feel differently on our skin. Shop for what works for you.
A Few Highlights
Darker clothing will protect your skin from the sun. The more you are covered, the more you are protected.
The thickness of the fabric in your sun blocking clothing is important for your skin to be protected. If your garment is not treated to be USF, make sure the sun can not get through. Your clothing is a physical barrier to protect your skin.
Fit is also important. If your shirt or cover up or neck gaiter is too small and tight, it will do less to protect you. Be careful that you are not overstretching knit fabrics until they are thin.
If you are swimming in your tee shirt to protect your skin, change to a dry one upon leaving the water if it isn’t a specially treated shirt. Most fabrics lose the ability to protect when they are wet. Read the label.
Synthetic fabrics often score better than all-natural ones like cotton, linen rayon and wool. Read your labels. Know how much protection you are getting from your fabric.
You may want to shop the specially made SPF garments. They may bring a more styled look to your sun blocking wardrobe. There is a good selection of sun blocking shirts online by Walmart if you are just now building your sun blocking wardrobe.
Knowing how to use a good sun blocking shirt and adding with proper sunscreen use, a sun blocking hat, sunglasses, an umbrella and other forms of shade will help you stay safe. Help yourself take better care of your skin for those fun in the sun days.
Sami’s Take on Is A Black Shirt Hotter IN The Sun
Finding that first sun block item or two is a good start for your sun block wardrobe.
We are better off using different layers of sun protection for our skin. Your sun block hat is the first thing to shop for. Sunscreen is helpful, but using a good wide brim hat is so much easier, no reapplication is needed.
Then add your sunglasses and your sun block shirt. Thinking about what is important for you and your lifestyle is the best guide for getting started.
Having some basic ideas about the best kind of fabric and the fit of the garments will also assist you with getting protected from the sun. There are many choices, and being able to use clothing instead of depending only on sunscreen will keep you safer.