Wearable UV Protection Is Our Mission
Since 1994, we have been developing and manufacturing
functional clothing. Our mission and responsibility have always been
to create the best possible protection against skin cancer,
skin diseases, and premature skin aging.
All renowned testing institutions, from the EU to TÜV, certify
our clothing to meet these high standards for your health.
The use of our certified products in professional occupational
safety for people working under the sun demonstrates the professional
quality of iQ UV products.
iQ UV is therefore Europe’s No. 1 brand for UV protective clothing.
Sustainability Drives Us
Alongside protecting our own health, we take every possible step
to protect people, animals, and nature.
That is why we develop our protective clothing — our wearable sun protection —
from recycled raw materials, such as 2Life® made from
used PET bottles and ECONYL®, regenerated nylon.
Waste such as fishing nets, old carpets, and industrial plastics,
which would otherwise pollute the planet, is transformed into durable,
comfortable, and functional fabrics.
iQ UV works 100% sustainably for us and future generations.
For Outdoor Activities, Water Sports, and Work
Our clothing protects you while hiking, cycling, enjoying water sports,
gardening, exercising, relaxing, and even during professional outdoor work.
It is comfortable, durable, breathable, and designed for people
who want to move safely under the sun.
iQ UV for a Conscious and Sustainable Society
We want to embrace the challenges of our time and contribute
to the future of our planet.
That is why we always manufacture with a focus on the most
sustainable textile production methods available, appealing to
people who care about health, the environment,
and life in all its forms.
iQ UV values fair conditions, fair wages, and fair materials
for truly fair clothing.
iQ UV – Since 1994
The iQ UV story began back in the early 1980s.
Markus Courtial emigrated to Australia with his family as a teenager.
The impressions and experiences from a continent that was the first
— and still remains the most heavily affected by UV exposure —
became a major inspiration for iQ UV sun protection clothing.
In 1994, he founded iQ Company AG, initially focusing mainly
on hot holiday destinations in the south. With climate change,
UV protection has become increasingly important in Europe as well.
Skin cancer is now the fastest-growing form of cancer worldwide.
We see it as our responsibility to provide you with the perfect
protection against UV radiation and skin cancer.
iQ UV benefits from decades of experience.
How Does Our Sun Protection Clothing Work?
It’s simple: the clothing is made from materials that block UV radiation.
The individual fibers in the fabric are woven so tightly
that radiation cannot penetrate through them.
This creates long-lasting physical UV protection
without any chemical additives.
In Italy and France, we produce high-quality fabrics from old fishing nets
and PET bottles, which are then sewn into garments in Poland and Portugal.
iQ UV protection — durable, sustainable, and chemical-free.
How Are the Fabrics Made?
Our clothing is made from different materials,
all of which provide excellent UV protection while also delivering
impressive environmental benefits.
Part of the collection is made from regenerated ECONYL® nylon,
a yarn created from waste materials such as old fishing nets,
carpets, and industrial plastics collected worldwide.
Through an advanced regeneration and purification process,
the nylon waste is restored to its original purity and quality.
Regenerated nylon reduces not only the amount of
waste, but also the impact on global
warming by up to 90% compared to newly produced
oil-based nylon.
Another part of iQ UV clothing is made from 2Life® yarn,
produced from recycled PET bottles.
The environmental savings achieved by using recycled PET yarns
instead of new polyester yarns are significant:
32% lower CO2 emissions and 60% less energy consumption.
Best of all is the water savings.
Compared to this, a conventional cotton T-shirt can require
up to 2,750 liters of water from production to finished product.
In contrast, manufacturing iQ UV T-shirts requires
only around 18 liters of water.
Why Is All This Important?
An added benefit: the fabrics created from these materials are
durable, lightweight, flexible, and provide optimal protection
against harmful UVA and UVB radiation — and even against jellyfish
stings during water sports.
Together with our customers, we also help reduce the use of sunscreen.
This matters because almost all sunscreens release additives that pollute
groundwater, lakes, and oceans — not to mention the tons of plastic waste
generated by sunscreen tubes.
Dermatologists also agree that the most effective protection
comes not from sunscreen, but from UV protective clothing.
