Rashie vs Togs: Sun-Safe Swimwear for Australian Kids

calendar Oct 26, 2026 / · 8 min read · togs swimwear au  ·
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The coverage rule that separates a rashie from togs

Under the Australian standard AS 4399:2020, a swim garment gets a UPF rating from how much skin it covers as well as from its fabric. The rating refers to both the design of the garment and the fabric. To claim a rating, clothing should, as a minimum, cover the torso and ¾ of the upper arms, and/or the lower body from the hip line to halfway down the thigh. A long-sleeve rashie meets that minimum. Briefs, a bikini or a sleeveless one-piece leave the upper arms bare and stop above mid-thigh, so they fall short of it.

The coverage question starts in childhood. UV damage built up during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life, and children are at school or in care when daily UV levels peak. Skin cancers make up 80% of all cancers diagnosed in Australia each year. More than 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer each year, and two in three Australians develop some form of skin cancer in their lifetime.

What UPF 50+ means on a swim label

There are only four UPF ratings for clothing: UPF15, 30, 50 and 50+. UPF50 and UPF50+, the excellent protection ratings, are recommended. Each rating describes how much UV passes through unstretched, dry material.

The AS 4399:2020 classification table sets out what each rating blocks:

UPF ratingUPF classificationUV radiation blocked
15Minimum protection93.3%
30Good protection96.7%
50, 50+Excellent protection98%

A UPF of 50 lets 1/50, or 2%, of UV radiation through. For scale, a thin white cotton T-shirt has a UPF of about five.

The rating is measured on unstretched, dry fabric. A rashie in the water is wet, so fit and wear matter as well as the label.

The standard has changed over time. AS 4399 was first introduced in 1996. It was revised in 2017 to simplify the UPF rating system and introduce body coverage information, then revised again in 2020 to include body coverage and labelling information. On the swing tag, look for a label saying the rashie has been tested to the Australian Standard.

Rashie, paddle suit or togs: coverage compared

Togs and a rashie can be worn together. Layering fabrics and garments is an effective way to increase protection from UV, so a rashie over togs, with swim shorts on top, covers more than the togs do alone.

Wet, stretched and faded: why a rashie loses protection

Fabrics offer less protection from UV radiation when wet. Moisture is also one of the factors that change a fabric's UPF: dry fabric often has a higher UPF than wet fabric. There are two fixes: take dry clothes to change into, or for dipping in and out of the water, choose a fabric that protects well and dries quickly.

Stretch is the second loss. A stretched fabric is less protective, and this is common in knitted or elasticised fabrics. A rashie should therefore be a relaxed fit, especially across the shoulders, but one that is too big becomes difficult to swim in and uncomfortable when wet.

In the same fabric type, darker colours such as black, navy and dark red absorb more UV than light pastels such as white, sky blue and light green.

Sun, chlorine, washing and stretching reduce a rashie's sun protection over time. In a 2016 test, a rashie that a child had worn over three to four years was rated UPF 20 after its worst patches were taken into account, which still put it in the "good" category for protection. A new rashie is better, but even a well-worn rashie will do an OK job when there is no other option. The test came before the 2017 and 2020 revisions of AS 4399, and UPF 20 is not one of the four ratings in the 2020 standard, so the result does not line up with the current label classes in the table above.

A child coming home without sunburn does not prove the rashie is still working. Fabrics generally give more protection against UVB than UVA, so no sunburn says nothing about UVA protection.

Three habits help a rashie last:

SunSmart school rules and the UV 3 threshold

Sun protection is recommended whenever the UV Index is 3 or higher. It is also recommended below 3 for long periods outdoors or near reflective surfaces.

For sunscreen on the skin that swimwear leaves bare, the advice to all Australians from 1 August 2024 is SPF50 or SPF50+.

Cancer Council launched the SunSmart Schools program in 1994, and membership is offered to all primary schools, early childhood education and care services and out of school hours care services nationwide. To receive SunSmart status, primary schools and services should implement an evidence-informed sun protection policy meeting minimum standards on sun protective behaviours, environment and curriculum. They should also, where possible, reschedule or minimise outdoor activities in direct sun during peak UV periods. The current national SunSmart school sun protection policy template was published on 28 May 2026.

What the numbers say about cover-up habits

The figures below cover people aged 15 and over, from telephone interviews with 8,595 people across Australia between November 2023 and February 2024. There are no figures here for children under 15.

Of people who were in the sun for more than 15 minutes during peak UV times in the last week, on their most recent time in the sun, 34.7% wore clothing or swimwear covering at least three-quarters of their arms and 38.4% wore clothing or swimwear covering at least three-quarters of their legs. In these figures, peak UV time meant 11am–3pm in NSW, Victoria, SA, Tasmania and the ACT, and 10am–2pm in Queensland, WA and the NT, which do not have daylight saving.

Sunburn in the last week was reported by 15.2% of 15–24-year-olds, compared with 2.0% of people aged 65 and over. Getting sunburnt earlier in life may be a particularly important risk factor.

Price testing and a Cancer Council Shop price list

In earlier rash vest tests, both cheaper and more expensive tops easily met their claimed UPF after a battery of sun, chlorine exposure and repeated washing. That result does not cover long-term wear: there may well be a difference between them after two or three years of use. Because rashies wear out, buying cheaper ones could be the better choice if it makes you more likely to replace them more often.

Cancer Council Shop prices in AUD, from the swimwear and kids' swimwear collections:

ItemPrice
Kids Lobster SS Rashie (short sleeve)A$49.95
Kids Sardine LS Rashie (long sleeve)A$49.95
Kids Adrenalin High Visibility LS RashieA$34.95
Kids Deep Blue LS Rashie (clearance)A$22.50, down from A$44.95
Kids Tropics LS Paddle SuitA$55.95
Kids Swim ShortsA$35.00
Toddler Orange Pop Swim Zip SuitA$49.95
Toddler Pastel Patch LS Paddle SuitA$49.95
Toddler Sailor Bucket Swim HatA$29.95

Bulk orders for schools and early childhood services

The Cancer Council Shop sells Cancer Council sun protection products in bulk to schools and early childhood services, sporting clubs, workplaces, community organisations, local government, health services, and events and festivals. A minimum order of $500 gets bulk pricing of 20% off RRP, and orders under $500 are charged at RRP. Sunscreen must be ordered in full cartons, and payment is required upfront before dispatch, by credit card or EFT. The page does not show whether swimwear is on the bulk price list.

Where to shop

References

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