Our new partner : UVArmure

*The blog post below was written by Vanessa Côté, co-founder of UVArmure.

UVArmure is a company specializing in the design and production of certified UPF 50+ sun-protective clothing and accessories. We are located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, and are proud to contribute to the Quebec and Canadian economy by manufacturing all our clothing locally.

After a tragic event that my partner experienced, I decided to found UVArmure to help him live with his new condition as a severe burn survivor. He suffered second- and third-degree burns on 50% of his body, making him a true survivor.

In October 2020, during the pandemic, I received a call from a paramedic informing me that my partner was on his way to the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). When I arrived, I understood the severity of the accident. The doctors' prognosis was very concerning, and they told me that my partner was between life and death. On the third day of his hospitalization, I received a call from the intensive care unit telling me to come to the hospital as soon as possible because the doctors did not think my partner would survive the night. After around ten operations, six weeks in a coma, and 14 weeks in intensive care, my partner overcame the biggest challenge of his life.

After this long and arduous battle, a new challenge awaited him: rehabilitation. He had to relearn basic things like speaking, drinking, eating, standing, walking, and more, but he was far from independent despite his best efforts. I left my job as a designer during his 17-month rehabilitation, which involved daily appointments Monday to Friday, lasting four to six hours a day, with occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiology, psychology, and speech therapy, combined with "Z" surgeries to remove subcutaneous scar cords. During his rehabilitation, doctors informed him that he was now at a higher risk of skin cancer if he didn’t protect himself from the sun’s rays.

After buying and testing various sun-protective clothing, my partner was still getting sunburnt regularly after spending time outside. Only sun-protective clothing from Europe and Australia offered optimal protection with certification, but with shipping costs, they were very expensive. That’s when I decided to create a clothing brand with the best sun protection practices to meet my partner’s needs.

Finding fabric with sun protection was easy, but finding fabric offering THE best sun protection with certification was a significant challenge. It required extensive research to understand the world of sun protection - a completely new world. I started by differentiating UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. Then, I learned about the American, European, and Australian sun protection standards and certifications, along with international textile standards for human health and the environment. Learning that a garment's shape, color, opacity, and type of protection (mechanical or chemical) are crucial for effective sun protection helped me choose the right fabric.

After three years of extensive research, I found the ideal fabric offering the best sun protection available. At UVArmure, all our garments are tested to the Australian standard AS/NZS 4399:2020, certifying that 99.95% of UVA and UVB rays are blocked, even when used for water sports. You might be wondering why we use the Australian standard in Canada, and the answer is simply because we want our clothing to protect you wherever you travel.

Environmental respect, excellent sun protection, premium products, and eco-friendly clothing are the core principles at UVArmure. Our goal is not only to offer certified SPF 50+ sun-protective clothing but also to educate and raise awareness about skin cancer prevention to meet the growing needs of the population.

Our company mission is very simple: To ensure high-performance sun protection by offering certified UPF 50+ sun-protective clothing suited for everyday life and all outdoor activities.