Why Your UPF Sun Hat Shouldn't Be Made of Plastic

Most UPF Sun Hats are made with polyester and micro-plastics and GoldenOur is here to change that with a NEW organic cotton and linen UPF Sun Hat.

Consumers ask bout micro-plastics in our food, skincare, and water bottles. We read the back of the bottle, we screenshot ingredient lists, we care. And then we put a hat on our head, in direct sun, for six hours at the beach, and never once wonder what it's woven from.

Most sun hats on the market are made with plastic and polyester and here's why GoldenOur think your hat should be made with natural, organic fabrics.

Why so many sun hats are made of polyester

If you flip the tag on the average UPF hat, odds are it says polyester or nylon. There is a reason for that, and it is not a conspiracy. Tightly woven synthetic fabric blocks UV rays very well. It is cheap to produce, it scales fast, it holds a shape, and it lets a brand slap a high UPF number on a label without much thought about anything else.

So polyester became the default. Not because it is the best thing to wear against your skin in the heat, but because it is the easiest thing to manufacture at volume. The industry optimized for the number on the label and quietly stopped asking what the fabric was doing the rest of the time.

Consumers no longer want polyester, consumers want natural fibers

Business of Fashion shares consumers are moving away from fast-fashion and cheap materials, such as polyester, and are rather seeking natural fibers again. Consumers are more aware than ever, and the information on polyester's damage to people and the planet is pushing consumers to return to natural fibers like cotton and linen again.

The part that changed how I think about fabric

Polyester is plastic. It is spun from the same petroleum-based materials as a water bottle, just pulled into thread instead of molded into a shape.

And plastic fabric behaves like plastic. Every time a synthetic garment is washed and worn, it sheds tiny plastic microfibers. Those fibers wash into our water, settle into our soil, and turn up in places we are only beginning to measure. Researchers are still working out what this means for our health, and I am not going to pretend the science is finished, because it isn't. But you don't need a finished study to make a simple choice. Given the option, I would rather not wear plastic on my head all summer. I suspect you feel the same.

That instinct is not just mine. Shoppers are already moving. As Business of Fashion recently reported, concern about synthetics, hotter summers, and an exhaustion with cheap, disposable polyester is pushing people back toward natural fibers, and it is happening across generations. The tide is turning. GoldenOur was built for where it is turning to.

The standard I wanted to set for sun hats and sun care

Here is the trap most brands fall into. They assume you have to choose. Real sun protection, or natural fabric that feels good. Pick one.

I refused to pick one across sun protection, style and healthy for you and the planet fabrics. This is the core of why I am building the GoldenOur sun care brand.

The GoldenOur hat is made from an organic linen and cotton blend, 80% linen and 20% cotton, and it is lab-tested to UPF 50+. That combination is harder to pull off than reaching for a synthetic, which is exactly why so few brands bother. Linen is one of the oldest, most breathable fabrics we have. It is cool in the heat instead of trapping it, it softens beautifully with wear, and it comes from a plant, not a barrel of oil. Getting it to a tested UPF 50+ took real work. It was worth every bit of it.

What that feels like when you actually wear it

A hat you love is a hat you keep on. And a hat you keep on is the one actually protecting you.

That is the quiet logic underneath all of this. The most protective sun hat in the world does nothing sitting in your bag because it feels like a plastic dome. GoldenOur is the one you leave on through the whole long afternoon, from the first swim to the last glass of something cold, because it breathes, it feels like something, and it looks like you meant it.

Sun protection was never supposed to be a sacrifice. We just got sold a version of it that was.

Pre-order yours

The GoldenOur UPF 50 sun hat, made with an organic linen and cotton blend, is available to pre-order now and launching this September.

Pre-order yours at golden-our.com, and come find us at @goldenoursummer on TikTok and Instagram, where we are building the whole GoldenOur summer in real time.

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Frequently asked questions

Are most sun hats made of plastic? Many are. Most UPF and performance sun hats are made from polyester or nylon, which are synthetic fabrics derived from plastic. Brands use them because tightly woven synthetics block UV well and are inexpensive to produce at scale. GoldenOur uses an organic linen and cotton blend instead.

What are GoldenOur sun hats made of? GoldenOur sun hats are made from an organic linen and cotton blend, 80% linen and 20% cotton, lab-tested to UPF 50+. Linen is a breathable, plant-based natural fiber that stays cool in the heat.

Does polyester shed microplastics? Yes. Synthetic fabrics like polyester shed tiny plastic microfibers during washing and normal wear, which enter waterways and the environment. Natural fibers like linen and cotton are plant-based and biodegradable, and do not shed plastic microfibers. That's why GoldenOur does not use polyester.

Is linen good for sun protection? Linen can offer strong sun protection when it is woven and constructed correctly. The GoldenOur linen and cotton blend is lab-tested to UPF 50+, meaning the fabric blocks the large majority of UV rays. Not all natural fabrics reach this level, which is why testing matters.

Why did GoldenOur choose linen and cotton over polyester? Because you should not have to choose between real sun protection and a fabric you actually want to wear. Linen is breathable, ages well, comes from a plant rather than petroleum, and does not shed plastic microfibers. Reaching a tested UPF 50+ with a natural blend is harder than using a synthetic, and that was the standard we set.

What does UPF 50+ mean? UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor and measures how much UV radiation a fabric blocks. UPF 50+ means the fabric blocks at least 98% of UV rays, the highest standard rating for sun-protective textiles.

When does the GoldenOur sun hat launch? The GoldenOur UPF 50 sun hat is available to pre-order now and launches this September at golden-our.com.