Ultraviolet and high energy visible light protective garments with skin and scalp beneficial properties

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a garment for blocking exposure of a subject to harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting exposure of the subject to beneficial solar irradiation. The garment includes a fabric layer including a dual purpose material composition that, by itself, blocks harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to an area of skin of a subject covered by the fabric layer when exposed to solar light, where the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and where the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light. The present disclosure also relates to methods of using and making the garment, as well as a protective covering made from the dual purpose material composition fabric layer.

1 . A garment for blocking exposure of a subject to harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting exposure of the subject to beneficial solar irradiation, said garment comprising:
 a fabric layer comprising a dual purpose material composition that, by itself, blocks harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to an area of skin of a subject covered by the fabric layer when exposed to solar light,   wherein the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and   wherein the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light.   
     
     
         2 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) selected from the group consisting of from about 10 to about 50+, from about 15 to about 45, from about 20 to about 40, from about 25 to about 35, and from about 30 to about 35. 
     
     
         3 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises one fabric layer and blocks ultraviolet (UV) light to a UPF 10+ while simultaneously permitting significant or very significant transmission of VIS and IR regions having wavelengths selected from the group consisting of 700-800 nm, 800-900 nm, and 900-1100 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The garment according to  claim 3 , wherein the dual purpose material composition further transmits about 25-35 percent of HEV (400-500 nm) and about 15-25 percent of green light (in the range of about 500-600 nm). 
     
     
         5 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises two fabric layers and blocks ultraviolet (UV) light to a UPF 30+ and blocks up to about 90 percent of HEV while simultaneously permitting significant or very significant transmission of IR regions having wavelengths selected from the group consisting of 800-900 nm and 900-1100 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises one fabric layer and blocks ultraviolet (UV) light to a UPF 7+ while simultaneously permitting very significant transmission of VIS and IR regions having wavelengths selected from the group consisting of 600-700 nm, 700-800 nm, 800-900 nm, and 900-1100 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The garment according to  claim 6 , wherein the dual purpose material composition further transmits about 25-35 percent of HEV (about 400-500 nm) and about 15-25 percent of green light (about 500-600 nm). 
     
     
         8 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises two fabric layers and blocks ultraviolet (UV) light to a UPF 30+ and more than 90 percent of HEV while simultaneously permitting significant, or very significant transmission of VIS and IR regions having wavelengths selected from the group consisting of 600-700 nm, 700-800 nm, 800-900 nm, and 900-1100 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises one fabric layer and blocks ultraviolet (UV) light to a UPF 15+ while simultaneously permitting very significant transmission of VIS and IR regions having wavelengths selected from the group consisting of 600-700 nm, 700-800 nm, 800-900 nm, and 900-1100 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The garment according to  claim 9 , wherein the dual purpose material composition further transmits about 8-15 percent of HEV and about 20-25 percent of green light (500-600 nm). 
     
     
         11 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition comprises two fabric layers and blocks ultraviolet (UV) light to a UPF 35+ and blocks up to about 94 percent of HEV while simultaneously permitting significant transmission of VIS and IR regions having wavelengths selected from the group consisting of 600-700 nm, 700-800 nm, 800-900 nm, and 900-1100 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition is selected from the group consisting of Tencel, Lyocell, Cotton, Linen, Bamboo, Modal, Rayon, Wool, Silk, Polyester, Spandex, Nylon, Elastane, Supplex Nylon, Kevlar, Linen/Cotton blends, Polyester/Spandex blends, Cotton/Nylon blends, Cotton/Elastane blends, Kevlar/Nylon/Spandex blends, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition is free from UV blockers, such as p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and its esters, benzophenones such as oxybenzone, also cinnamates, anthranilates, salicylates, and camphor derivatives. 
     
     
         14 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition is free from benzoxazine organic ultraviolet absorbers, benzophenone organic ultraviolet absorbers, benzotriazole organic ultraviolet absorbers, and salicylic acid organic ultraviolet absorbers; and inorganic ultraviolet absorbing and/or reflecting agents, including titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, alumina, magnesium oxide, talc, calcium carbonate, and sodium carbonate. 
     
     
         15 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition is free from graphene oxide nano particles. 
     
     
         16 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the dual purpose material composition is free from fluorescent compounds (dyes) such as perylene dye, a cyanine dye, a rhodamine dye, a coumarine dye, a dye belonging to the class of anthrapyridone dyes, thioxanthene dyes and thioindigoid dyes, wherein the dye includes one or more species of fluorescent dyes alone and/or in conjunction with titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         17 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein said garment is configured to provide sufficient skin and scalp protection against Ultraviolet (UVB and UVA) and High Energy Visible (HEV) irradiation while simultaneously allowing a user to obtain skin and scalp benefits from sun exposure associated with relevant wavelength ranges in the Visible (VIS) and Infrared (IR) ranges. 
     
     
         18 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein said garment is configured to have UPF values ranging from about 10 to about 50+ for protecting skin and scalp from at least two harmful/non-beneficial wavelength ranges (UV and HEV) from solar light, while allowing sufficient transmittance in at least two beneficial wavelength ranges or three beneficial wavelength ranges, or four beneficial wavelength ranges, or more than four beneficial wavelength ranges. 
     
     
         19 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein said garment is in a form of an article of apparel and/or clothing. 
     
     
         20 . The garment according to  claim 19 , wherein the article of apparel and/or clothing is selected from the group consisting of headwear, neckwear, bodywear, footwear, and handwear. 
     
     
         21 . The garment according to  claim 19 , wherein the article of apparel and/or clothing is selected from the group consisting of hats of any type or style, hoods, head coverings, caps, head bands, bandanas, scarfs, facial masks, bonnets, costumes, neck ties, covers for décolleté area, collars, pants, shorts, dresses, leotards, martial arts uniforms, uniforms, jackets, gloves, socks, slippers, shoes, and the like. 
     
     
         22 . The garment according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a combination of two or more fabric layers, wherein the two or more fabric layers each comprise either identical or different types of dual purpose material compositions. 
     
     
         23 . A method for blocking exposure of a subject to harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting exposure of the subject to beneficial solar irradiation, said method comprising:
 providing a garment according to  claim 1  to a subject, wherein said subject wears the garment so as to cover an area of skin of the subject during exposure to sun, thereby blocking harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to the area of skin of the subject covered by the fabric layer when exposed to solar light,   wherein the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and   wherein the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of making a garment according to  claim 1 , said method comprising:
 providing at least one fabric layer comprising a dual purpose material composition that, by itself, blocks harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to an area of skin of a subject covered by the fabric layer when exposed to solar light, wherein the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and wherein the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light; and   preparing a garment from the at least one fabric layer.   
     
     
         27 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A protective covering for blocking exposure of a subject to harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting exposure of the subject to beneficial solar irradiation, said protective covering comprising:
 a fabric layer according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method for blocking exposure of a subject to harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting exposure of the subject to beneficial solar irradiation, said method comprising:
 providing a protective covering according to claim  31  to a subject, wherein said subject uses the protective covering to cover an area of skin of the subject during exposure to sun, thereby blocking harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to the area of skin of the subject covered by the protective covering when exposed to solar light,   wherein the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and   wherein the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light.   
     
     
         35 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of making a protective covering according to  claim 31 , said method comprising:
 providing at least one fabric layer comprising a dual purpose material composition that, by itself, blocks harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to an area of skin of a subject covered by the fabric layer when exposed to solar light, wherein the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and wherein the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light; and   preparing a protective covering from the at least one fabric layer.   
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled)