FAQs

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor and is the rating given to clothing for its broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays! SPF in sunscreen measures the effectiveness only against UVB rays, while UPF measures protection against the full spectrum of ultraviolet radiation. All UPF50+ Tutublue clothing offer broad-spectrum protection that blocks 98% of UVAandUVB rays!

Manufactured in sunny California, all of our suits are made with UPF50+ fabric that blocks out 98% of UVA and UVB rays! Many other companies design their suits with a UPF50 chemical that will eventually wash out over time, but because our UPF50 is built into the weave of the fabric, you can wash your Tutublue suit as many times as you need without the protection diminishing over time.

Every Tutublue suit is also engineered with Quick Dry Technology and 4-way stretch, making them gentle on the skin, breathable, lightweight, and swim-friendly.

Tutublue products have been approved by the American Melanoma Foundation and the Melanoma International Foundation.

UVA (aging) rays penetrate deep into the dermis, the skin’s thickest layer, while UVB (burning) rays are primarily responsible for premature skin aging, brown spots, wrinkling and blotching. UVA rays have been shown to cause skin damage at the cellular level and may cause a great deal of internal damage, such as organ problems. Unprotected exposure can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkling (photo-aging), and suppression of the immune system. UVB rays are more intense rays that usually burn the superficial layers of your skin and damage the outer layers of the skin. UVB rays play a key role in the development of skin cancer.

When you're wearing Tutublue, you only have to wear sunscreen on the areas where your skin is exposed! We recommend you protect your body with a combination of clothing, hats, broad-spectrum sunblock, and lip balm of SPF 30 or higher. 

A cotton t-shirt only blocks about 3% of UV rays when wet, which means it doesn't protect your skin against the sun. The fibers in cotton shirts stretch and allow UVA and UVB rays to penetrate your skin. We suggest wearing clothing with at least UPF50 and lathering up with sunscreen where you aren't covered!

No! While UVB rays change their intensity based on the sun’s position and the seasons, deeply penetrating UVA rays are present with equal intensity during all daylight hours throughout the year. Even if you are not going outside frequently, UVA rays can penetrate clouds and automotive glass. Damage caused by UVA rays, known as the “A” for aging rays, is cumulative and is suspected of contributing to skin cancer. On a daily basis, UVA causes wrinkling, brown spots, freckles, sagging skin and collagen loss!

Yes. Scientists have found that certain sunscreens and personal care products are culprits in the damage of coral reefs. More specifically, the ingredient ‘oxybenzone’ is of particular concern in the overall health of these fascinating ecosystems. It only takes a very small amount of these chemicals to make an impact. Scientists have found that just 62 parts per trillion (equivalent to one drop of water in 6.5 Olympic swimming pools) is all it takes to affect the coral reefs.

Not only can sunscreen wash into the water from our bodies while swimming, but it can also wash off the sand at the beach. All those spray-on sunscreens that people love for their convenience? They create a chemical cloud that often misses the skin and settles on the sand. Then as the tide comes in each day and night, all those chemicals wash into the ocean. Plus, sunscreen chemicals can enter the ocean in treated wastewater after it is washed off in the shower or excreted through urine.

Save your skin and the ocean by wearing TUTUBLUE and using mineral-based sunscreen on any exposed skin.  Say NO to harsh chemicals found in traditional sunscreen lotions.

To increase the lifetime of your new Tutublue, we recommend rinsing your suit after each use to minimize the aging of the fabric from chlorine, salt water, and sweat. We suggest hand washing or in a washer on 'delicate' cycle, then just lay it flat to dry.

Note: If you rub up against a rough surface such as the side of the pool or cement etc, the suit will snag + rough up the surface of the fabric and fray the seams. This is not returnable.