H.B. woman starts her own brand of UV-protective clothing

For three years, Shelby Anderson has had to be cautious of the sun.

It all started when she was squeezing limes for a meat marinade while on a family boating trip to Catalina.

“I washed my hands like normal but then the next morning, my hands felt sunburned,” the Huntington Beach woman said. “The day after that, my hands were swollen and eventually developed blisters the size of tennis balls.”

After visiting multiple doctors and dermatologists, it was determined Anderson suffered third-degree burns from the lime juice and she was recommended to stay out of the sun.

Indeed, lime juice can result in a condition called phytophotodermatitis, which is a chemical reaction that makes skin extra sensitive to ultraviolet light, experts say.

Since the incident, Anderson — who is light-skinned and has red hair, which she said makes her a bigger target for sunburns — has had to cover up with sunblock. She also decided to look into UV-protective clothing but was disappointed with the selections.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

“Since I’m so fair, I’m worried about how much I’m actually exposing myself to the sun,” the 20-year-old said. “I knew this was something I had to take very seriously. ... When you search for UV protective clothing, most of what you’ll find are for going to the beach or going hiking. They aren’t great options.”

So, the sophomore at UC Irvine decided to do something about it by starting her own clothing brand, Sol Sisters.

Anderson said she developed the idea two years ago and launched her website earlier this month at solsisters.us.

Sol Sisters sells women’s garments like scarves, dresses, skirts and blouses that Anderson purchases at wholesale prices from various retailers that offer ultraviolet-protective clothing.

While the attire, which ranges between $30 and $60, can indeed be found on various sites, Anderson said fashionable garments are rare, and she wanted to create a “one-stop shop.”

“I had to go far into Google to find these clothes,” Anderson said. “I’ve never had to do that before.”

Anderson said all the clothing on her website are made out of fabrics that are considered UV protective, like polyester and spandex. The fabrics work so well because they are woven tightly and made out of synthetic materials that reflect UV rays, she said.

Weave, dye and colors are also factors that can make some pieces more protective than others.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, clothing is the first line of defense when it comes to sun protection and is a “consistent and convenient shield.”

Dr. Walter Quan Jr., chief of medical oncology and director of immunotherapy at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center, said UV-protective clothing has been around for more than 20 years and can help fight against conditions like skin cancer or lupus.

“The general rule of thumb for clothing is that if one holds the fabric up in front of a light bulb, the outline of the light bulb should not be visible,” he said.

Eventually, Anderson, whose parents are also entrepreneurs, hopes to sell her own designs.

She also plans on adding SPF-infused cosmetics and men’s clothing to her brand.

While the clothing is recommended for people susceptible to certain skin conditions, Anderson said it is ideal for everyone because skin cancer can happen to anyone.

“I want to provide UV protective clothing so that me as a burn survivor or cancer survivors or people with lupus have options for protecting themselves without feeling like they have to wear an ugly hiking shirt,” Anderson said. “I want to create a community where we can all unite together with this because this is a daily problem. My goal is the fashion, connection and bringing awareness to these types of diseases.”

--

Brittany Woolsey, brittany.woolsey@latimes.com

Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey