UV (ultraviolet) radiation belongs to the electromagnetic spectrum of the sun, the majority of which reaches the surface of the earth, despite the ozone located in the layers above the atmosphere and the magnetic field of the earth. What we frequently call UV radiation is defined as a part of the radiation included between the wavelength of 100 nm and 450 nm, therefore part of the solar radiation located between part of the spectrum represented by X-rays and the visible light, and generally divided up into:
UVA radiation (of a wavelength of 400-315 nm) - UVB radiation (of a wavelength of 315-280 nm) - UVC radiation (of a wavelength of 280-100 nm).
The human organism is the most sensitive to the UVB part of the solar spectrum. Up until a short time ago, we believed that UVA radiation (close to the part visible to the spectrum) did not have any huge influence on the organism, but recent studies indicate that it causes accelerated ageing of the organism (photo ageing). The UVC part of the spectrum, close to the X radiation is, fortunately, absorbed completely in the atmosphere. The systematic observations carried out for more than 30 years show a constant increase in the intensity of UVA and UVB radiation, caused especially by the loss of the ozonesphere. The reduction in the ozonesphere is decreasing, but it is not yet sure if we have reached the minimum value. In any case, we live in a period of the minimum value of the ozonesphere and the maximum of UV radiation, ever since measurings of this kind have existed.

Intense exposure to the Sun and frequent outdoor exposure were considered until a short time ago as “a healthy way of living”. However today, with the facts and results of research, we are forced to radically change our attitudes to Sun exposure. Even if a moderate exposure to the sun has pleasant effects because it stimulates synthesis of vitamin D in the organism, it helps our bones and acts on some forms of skin diseases (psoriasis), the skin exposed to sun radiation changes and is damaged just after 10 to 30 minutes. The process itself of tanning, as a natural protection against sun radiation, is not fast enough to obstruct the damages and, finally, does not have enough protection for the organism. A skin that is completely tanned and brown has a protection factor of between 2 and 4.

In 2007 the member countries of the European Union, taking into consideration the results of existing research, approved the norm related to the protection factors against UV radiations n° EN 13758-1.
Up until approval of the norm, apart from rare standards and national recommendations, almost every manufacturer of fabrics, as well as those of sun creams had their own index system that was not compatible with the others and only led to confusion. The sold UPF protection factor (ultraviolet protection factor) is currently being introduced to define the level of protection as a factor of time that each person can spend in the sun without the risk of sun burn. This means that, protected by an awning with a UPF 50 protection factor, unlike unprotected skin, we can spend 50 times more the amount of time in the sun.

Protecting ourselves against UV radiations means recognising the problem and avoiding exposure to the sun as much as possible. It is best to avoid exposure to the sun in the summer months between 11 o'clock in the morning and four o'clock in the afternoon. The UV protection fabrics are characterised by a high level of protection, therefore a low level of permeability of UV radiations (the fabrics that we produce for your awning obstruct the passage of UV radiations by more than 85% up to more than 99%. )