Sunskinz Children's UV Protection Clothing Review and Giveaway

Now that the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, the kids are putting on their shorts and sandals -- and I'm putting on hats and sunscreen. With my kids' heritage (Alfie is English, with typical pale English skin) and the knowledge that we've gained over the years about sun exposure and skin cancer, our family takes sun safety very seriously.

Here are some alarming statistics from the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention:

* Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US. It is estimated that one American dies every hour from skin cancer, and one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.

* 90% of all skin cancers are caused by unprotected exposure to UV radiation.

* Melanoma is the second most common form of cancer for young adults 15-29 years old. One severe sunburn in youth doubles the potential for skin cancer.

That last statistic is what scares me the most. It's our kids who have the most to lose if they're not protected from the sun, and it's really up to us, the parents to protect them!

I've done several blog posts about ways to keep kids safe in the sun, and one of the easiest is to make sure they're wearing hats and sun-protective clothing. That way, if I forget to reapply sunscreen, or if my kids are out with friends and they forget (and that's an almost certain thing!), they're still protected. Ordinary shirts usually have an SPF rating of 8 or 10, so I like to add a sun-protective laundry aid to the washing machine when I do the laundry in the summer, which gives clothes a UPF 30 rating for up to 20 washes.

Even better, I invest in good-quality sun shirts that my kids can wear while swimming, playing at the beach, or running through the sprinklers in the yard. I recently received some samples of Sunskinz UV-protective clothing from the Sun Protection Zone, and I was absolutely delighted with their quality and design! Read more about what I thought of Sunskinz below, and enter to win a Sunskinz of your own:


The Basics
Sunskinz are children shirts from Sun Protection Zone, rated for 100 SPF / UPF 50+ UV Protection. Here is how Sun Protection Zone describes these shirts:

SunSkinz are tightly woven with proprietary high-density yarn that provides 100 SPF / UPF 50+ Maximum Broad Spectrum UV Protection. Four way stretch fabric is comfortable to wear, dries quickly and stands up well to chlorine and salt water.

As their website says, it's Sun Protection That Doesn't Wash Off!


The Bongga
Over the years, I've bought a ton of sun shirts for my kids, and let me tell you, Sunskinz are GOOOD. Many of the shirts I've bought are made with very thin material that lets light through (which means they're not as sun-protective), wears thin and stretches to the point of no return, causing the shirt to misform. Not so with Sunskinz; I love the thick material. Yet the kids don't complain of feeling too warm or constricted. They also like the bold, colorful designs.

We put their new Sunskinz to the test in our first-ever waterfight of the season:




They're having so much fun they don't even realize how cute they look. And I can snap picture after picture without worrying about reapplying sun lotion on their shoulders and back. I am so loving these Sunskinz!


The Blah
While I have no complaints whatsoever with the shirts themselves, I think the website could be improved to make it easier for people to purchase online. For example, when I was wondering what sizes my kids should get, I searched the website for a size chart, but couldn't find it in all the usual places (i.e. Help section, Customer service). Turns out, it's buried in the FAQ section. But believe me, these shirts are worth the small amount of extra effort it takes to buy them!


The Bottom Line
Sunskinz UV shirts will be a hit with your kids because they're cute, cool, and comfortable. They'll be a hit with parents because they protect kids' skin, and are sturdy enough to last throughout the summer (and beyond). They're a must-have item for the summer!


Win a Sunskinz UV-protective shirt



That's right, one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Sunskinz shirt from the Sun Protection Zone! To enter, go to sunprotectionzone.com, then leave a comment on this post telling me which of their products you would most like to get to protect your family from the sun.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following, (you can only do each extra entry once unless otherwise noted; please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Follow @sunprotectzone on Twitter (leave a comment with your Twitter name).

2) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (leave a comment with your FB id).

3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (leave a comment with your FB id).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

5) Leave a comment on any of my blog posts on Finding Bonggamom (leave a comment here with the link to the post that you commented on).

6) Tweet this up to once per day (max of 19 tweets, leave a comment with a link to your tweet each time you tweet):

Win a Sunskinz kids SPF100 shirt from @sunprotectzone Enter by 5/28 on @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/1KVXj #giveaway pls RT


The Rules
Maximum of 25 entries per person. US residents only. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on May 28, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on May 29 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received sample Sunskinz shirts for my kids, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

68 comments:

  1. My daughter would like the Orchid Girls Short Sleeve Shirt.

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  2. Facebook Fan: Marcelle Carson

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  3. I would love the Boys Short Sleeve Shirts in flame blue for my son
    veniceangel@hotmail.com

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  4. I follow sunprotectzone on twitter under ChildrensNook

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  5. I follow your blog via blogger
    veniceangel@hotmail.com

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  6. Love the Girls Long Sleeve Suit but as far as shirts I like the Girls Long Sleeve Shirts in pink and white

    disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

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  7. Follow @sunprotectzone on Twitter (AStarrAMama)

    disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

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  8. Fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (Amanda Starr)

    disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

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  9. Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (Amanda Starr)

    disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

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  10. Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(AStarrA)
    disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

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  11. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/13977261638

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  12. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14059080750

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  13. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14114164979

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  14. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14166149757

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  15. I would like the ezShade to attach to a beach umbrella to protect my young kids from the sun during days of fun at the beach.

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  16. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14241361598

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  17. I'd like the ezShade perfect for the beach.
    transamws602(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. Follow sunprotectzone on twitter @lilbabybootie
    transamws602(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  19. google follower (chrissyb)
    transamws602(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  20. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14265451159

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  21. entered P&G
    transamws602(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  22. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14294589274

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  23. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14376950273

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  24. love this:
    Boys Long Sleeve Suit

    autumn398 @ yahoo.com

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  25. http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/14459150865

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  26. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14465463350

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  27. I would like to get the Boys Yellow/green short sleeved shirt.

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  28. The Womens Long Sleeve Rash Guard in white would be great.

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  29. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14532286822

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  30. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14647017896

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  31. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14734511359

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  32. Womens Long Sleeve Rash Guard in white

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  33. idahomom7 is following SunProtectZone on twitter

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  34. http://twitter.com/idahomom7/status/14829880132

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  35. Kathy N Scott likes you on facebook

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  36. Kathy N Scott is following thru networked blogs

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  37. Kathy N Scott is following thru networked blogs

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  38. I would actually like the Womens Short Sleeve Rash Guard shirt for myself. I'm the palest and most sunburn prone in the family.

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  39. Awesome blog and thanks for the giveaway!
    Would love, love, LOVE to win this!
    =]

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  40. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14874142899

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  41. I love the girl short sleeve pink hibiscus shirt! My daughter would look so cute in it.
    soluckyducky at {gmail} dot {com}

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  42. Sun Protect Zone Twitter follower soluckyducky
    soluckyducky at {gmail} dot {com}

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  43. FB fan sarah linette
    soluckyducky at {gmail} dot {com}

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  44. blog follower
    soluckyducky at {gmail} dot {com}

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  45. http://twitter.com/soluckyducky/status/14881983721
    soluckyducky at {gmail} dot {com}

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  46. I would love to get the Mens Long Sleeve Rash Guard in white and silver for my son, or navy. He has light eyes and light skin and his Dad has had skin cancer and I have had precancerous, so I would love for him to have this.

    spencer1953 at gmail dot com-carol.

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  47. Tweet!~http://twitter.com/dresdenrain/status/14917066762

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  48. Follow @sunprotectzone on Twitter -dresdenrain.

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  49. Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs-carol yerby lewis.

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  50. Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger-carolpie.

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  51. I like the boys long sleeve rash guard with blue flames!

    kt1969 at comcast dot net

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  52. I like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook!

    Katie Edwards
    kt1969 at comcast dot net

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  53. I am following you on Blogger!

    Katie
    kt1969 at comcast dot net

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  54. Mens Duckskinz would be nice for hubby
    susansmoaks at gmail dot com

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  55. http://twitter.com/lilbabybootie/status/14948621233

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  56. I would like their Adult Booney Adjustable Full Protection

    ardy22 at earthlink dot net

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  57. follow SunProtectZone twitter

    ardy22

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  58. facebook fan of you
    rich hicks

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  59. follownetworked blogs

    rich hicks

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  60. follow on blogger

    ardy22

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  61. tweet

    http://twitter.com/Ardy22/status/14960396932

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  62. Dermihealth Pro looks very nice!

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  63. I became your Facebook fan under the name Lily Kwan/likwan.

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  64. I follow you on Facebook Networked Blogs under the name Lily Kwan/likwan.

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  65. Congratulations to our winner: #26, Chrissyb!

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