We’re a nation of sun lovers and as soon as we get a glimpse of it, most of us strip off and bake ourselves senseless just in case we don’t see it again for a while! But are we doing enough to stay safe in the sun or are we neglecting the detrimental effects it can have?

A reminder of what the sun can do and how to enjoy it safely:

Positive Effects

• Sunshine activates a fundamental hormone in your brain called serotonin, this is what makes us feel focused and happy.

• Vitamin D helps to keep our bones strong and in its natural form, can only be obtained from the sunlight. It only takes 15 minutes of sunlight to gain the necessary daily amount so no need to overdo the sunbathing!

• When the sunshine appears we are more enthusiastic about getting out, walking the dog and taking on new hobbies which relieves the stress that builds up from our daily routines.

Negative Effects

• Prolonged exposure to the heat of the sun can cause heatstroke and seriously damage your body, in particular when the body’s temperature reaches 40 degrees or higher.

• Most of us have experienced sunburn from exposure to direct sunlight. Sunburn can have long term effects that can potentially lead to skin cancer, so make sure you apply your sun factor!

• Sunlight can speed up the ageing process significantly as the UV Light can cause an irreversible change to the texture and elasticity of the skin which causes the wrinkles to appear.

Living Life Outdoors

Caribbean Blinds, UK designers, manufacturers and suppliers of the very finest external shading systems actively encourage you to live life outdoors and ensure their products are of the highest quality to enable you to do this all year-round while offering essential protection from the elements, in particular protection to your skin.

All the fabrics featured on their external shading systems, are tested according to the UV standard 801. This testing method does not only consider the fabric when new but also how the fabric behaves under different weather conditions (ie extreme exposure to sun and weather). This helps to determine if the fabric keeps it durability and UV protection over the years.

So how much protection do the Caribbean Blinds fabrics offer?

• UV 40 – Blocks 95% of UV radiation

• UV 60 – Blocks 97.5% of UV radiation

• UV 80 – Blocks 99% of UV radiation

Even their lowest rated fabrics (light colours e.g. white) offer a 95% UV block, whilst their best performing shading fabrics reduce UV penetration by 99%, enabling you to enjoy the sun responsibly.

Discover the comprehensive range of Caribbean Blinds External Blinds and Awnings that will enhance your outside space, providing a dedicated outdoor living area where you can relax, keep cool and most importantly stay protected.