I thought I was doing well by slapping on SPF 30 (15 doesn’t seem to cut it anymore) and a hat (not so good with the hat, but I’m trying). But now a Toronto-based company has taken sun smarts to a new level, by creating innovative clothing that not only offers high protection, but provides therapeutic benefits to the skin when you’re under the sun.

SunSoul's clothing harnesses the healing benefits of the sun while providing UPF 50+. The patent-pending fabric, developed in collaboration with cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Steve Mulholland, uses fluorescent compounds in the clothing’s micro-fibre to convert harmful UV rays and broad spectrum sunlight into amplified narrow bands of beneficial blue and yellow light. The clothing comes in two colour categories: Blumod, which helps acne, and Yelomod, created for skin rejuvenation. “Yelomod targets photodamage and rosacea—brown and red discoloration, pore size, texture and fine wrinkles,” the company’s public relations spokesperson, John MacKay, explained to me. “These are the skin issues that intense pulse light treatments in physicians offices address, though clearly with smaller results.”

So you can wear a Yelomod visor or cap while gardening and actually improve the quality of your skin, says MacKay. A teenager or an adult with acne can wear Blumod while playing tennis or cycling and treat their face.

Not irrelevant is that SunSoul’s compact collection of sports-inspired hats and tops for men and women (available at select physicians and dermatologists) is pretty attractive. All this healthy-skin multitasking comes with a price tag, though. The shirts are $135 to $140, and the visors and bucket hats are $70 to $75. But that’s a drop in the bucket compared to in-office non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Besides, Vitamin D is still a freebie. And on a final note, it’s kinda nice to talk about the radiant sun as opposed to the usual “wreaking havoc, poisonous and damaging” sun. For more info, go to sunsoul.ca.

Be sure to check out our sun-hat slideshow, too!