Coming soon: UV-protective clothes made from honeysuckle!

Washington: Soon, an extract of the honeysuckle plant can be a natural way to protect you from the potentially harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.

According to Ren-Cheng Tang and Sha-Sha Sun, the extract can make a highly effective natural coating for clothing to meet a growing trend among consumers who are concerned about the risk of skin cancer and premature aging of the skin due to UV exposure. They say that natural UV-protection coatings can have advantages, including production in a more sustainable fashion with less environmental impact, and added that traditional Chinese medicine has used honeysuckle for centuries to treat colds and fever. In their study, the scientists wanted to see whether honeysuckle extract could boost wool`s ability to block UV rays. They found that wool coated with honeysuckle extract blocked UV rays much more effectively than untreated wool, giving the fabric a high UV protection factor. The extract was durable and remained active on wool, even after a long exposure to sunlight and laundering. The researchers conclude that honeysuckle extract shows significant potential as a natural UV-blocking agent for clothing. ANI