Australian standard
AS/NZS 4399: sun protective clothing and UPF
Standards Australia publishes AS/NZS 4399 as the method for evaluating and classifying fabrics and garments for sun protection, reported as a UPF rating. Workwear listings cite it when the fabric has been tested and given a UPF number.
What is AS/NZS 4399?
AS/NZS 4399 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for evaluating and classifying sun protective clothing, published by Standards Australia. When a work shirt or hi-vis polo carries a UPF rating such as UPF 50+, that rating comes from testing the fabric against AS/NZS 4399.
AS/NZS 4399 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for evaluating and classifying sun protective clothing. It is the designation behind the Ultraviolet Protection Factor, or UPF, rating printed on a workwear label.
Which products does it apply to?
1 guides on this hub cite AS/NZS 4399, across workwear, hi-vis workwear, corporate workwear, ppe and protective equipment, work polos, work jumpers and hoodies, men's corporate workwear, corporate t-shirts and singlets for men, work shorts, work trousers and jeans, work vests, hi-vis t-shirts and polos, overalls and coveralls, hi-vis cotton shirts, hi-vis jumpers and hoodies, cotton work shirts, kids corporate uniforms, hi-vis overalls and coveralls, wet weather workwear, hi-vis flame retardant and arc rated workwear, work t-shirts, hi-vis jackets, hand protection, women's corporate workwear, corporate t-shirts and singlets for women, hi-vis freezer wear, women's hi-vis workwear, work jackets.
- Workwear 102
- Hi-vis workwear 73
- Corporate workwear 151
- PPE and protective equipment 62
- Work polos 9
- Work jumpers and hoodies 7
- Men's corporate workwear 60
- Corporate t-shirts and singlets for men 7
- Work shorts 11
- Work trousers and jeans 10
- Work vests 7
- Hi-vis t-shirts and polos 8
- Overalls and coveralls 5
- Hi-vis cotton shirts 13
- Hi-vis jumpers and hoodies 7
- Cotton work shirts 12
- Kids corporate uniforms 6
- Hi-vis overalls and coveralls 6
- Wet weather workwear 6
- Hi-vis flame retardant and arc rated workwear 4
- Work t-shirts 6
- Hi-vis jackets 7
- Hand protection 7
- Women's corporate workwear 73
- Corporate t-shirts and singlets for women 6
- Hi-vis freezer wear 3
- Women's hi-vis workwear 5
- Work jackets 7
| Marking on the listing | What it indicates | How it appears in these guides |
|---|---|---|
| UPF 15 | Stated on some fabrics | The lowest rating that appears in this corpus |
| UPF 40 | Stated on some fabrics | Appears on a small number of garments |
| UPF 50 | Stated on some fabrics | Appears on a small number of garments |
| UPF 50+ | The most common rating here | Stated on the majority of rated garments in these guides |
Guides that cite AS/NZS 4399
Frequently asked questions
What does UPF 50+ mean on a work shirt?
UPF 50+ is the top rating band reported under AS/NZS 4399 for a fabric tested for ultraviolet transmission. It describes the fabric of the garment as tested. It says nothing about the parts of the body the garment does not cover, which still need shade, a hat or sunscreen.
Is a UPF rating the same as an SPF rating?
No. SPF describes sunscreen applied to skin. UPF describes how much ultraviolet radiation a fabric lets through, measured under AS/NZS 4399. A garment can carry a UPF rating and still leave the neck, face and hands exposed, which is why outdoor crews use both.
Does a UPF rating survive washing and wear?
The rating is measured on the fabric as tested by the manufacturer. Wear, stretching, wetting and heavy laundering can all change how a fabric performs, so treat a UPF figure as a property of the garment when new and replace worn out garments.
Do all Australian work shirts carry a UPF rating?
No. Many listings state one and many do not. Guides on this hub name a UPF rating only where the product listing states it, and say the rating is not stated where the listing is silent.
What this page is not
This page explains how AS/NZS 4399 is used in product listings. It is not the standard, and it does not reproduce its text. Compliance decisions should reference the published standard and your own workplace risk assessment.
- Standards Australia, AS/NZS 4399
- The product listings on donerightsafety.com.au that name this designation