Norms and Certificates
UV Standard 801, the international standard for UV protection
The International test associations for applied UV protection have set themselves the target of determining UV protection of textiles under real conditions of use.
This UV Standard 801 is far more stringent than that adopted by the Australian/New Zealand authorities AS/NZS 4399: since 1996, it has closed the gaps which previously existed in the latter text.
What do the various UV protection indexes in fact mean ?
The UV protection index tested and certified on various models of the Switcher collection is comparable to that of a normal sun cream.
For example, a Switcher garment which has a protection index of 10 means that the parts of the body covered by the Switcher fabric can be exposed ten times longer to sunlight than the bare parts.
However, account must also be taken of the natural protection time of each persons skin.
How can your UV protection factor be calculated when you wear a UV Standard 801 certified Switcher article ?
Human beings have 6 different skin types: they range from type 1 which is least able to bear sunlight (5-10 minutes) to type 6 which can be exposed for a longer period (around 90 minutes).
Take an example: you belong to skin type 1 and your natural protection time is therefore around 10 minutes. You wear a UV standard 801 certified Bob T-shirt in Paprika colour with a UV protection index of 10.
Now, you multiply your own protection time (10 minutes) by the protection index of your T-shirt (10), and you arrive at the figure of 100. This represents the number of minutes for which your skin is protected by your Switcher T-shirt.
These articles are certified compliant with UV Standard 801, with the following protection table : UV Standard 801
| Facteur de protection | 2099 Bill (tshirt) 2001 Bob (tshirt) 4010 Harry (polo) |
4000 Sam (polo) 4070 Sandy (polo) |
| 5 | 21 ciel 51 soleil 250 bleu pool 402 gris 409 mercure 615 ficelle |
11 rose 21 ciel |
| 10 | 01 blanc 42 gris chiné 43 blanc chiné |
250 bleu pool |
| 15 | 259 océan 618 nougat |
01 blanc 506 paprika |
| 20 | 31 green 53 jaune 205 azur 334 eucalyptus 410 arsenic 506 paprika |
20 marine 40 noir 43 blanc chiné 53 jaune 402 gris |
| 30 | 10 rouge 20 marine 40 noir 161 bordeaux |
259 océan |
| 40 | 41 noir chiné | 10 rouge 31 green 410 arsenic |
Detailed information
Is available from the Swiss League against Cancer: www.typedepeau.ch or on free phone number 0800 55 42 48.