Would you trust SPF 6 sunscreen on your baby?
No? So why trust a muslin swaddle – they provide the same sun protection.
Aussie mum, Anna-Lise Brink, is on a mission to warn parents about the little known dangers of muslin swaddles in relation to sun safety.
An Australian mum is warning parents about a hidden sun safety risk, after lab testing revealed muslin swaddles provide almost no UV protection for babies.
Anna-Lise Brink, a mother of three, regularly used muslin wraps to shield her babies in the pram and carrier – until she discovered they were letting in harmful UV rays.
"I was horrified when I found out," Anna-Lise said. "I knew my babies needed protection from the sun and thought I was doing the right thing by shielding them with my muslin wraps, but they're actually little better than SPF 5-6 sunscreen."
Anna-Lise regularly used muslin swaddles to shield her babies exposed limbs from the sun.
The Shocking Results
To be considered sun protective, fabrics require a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating of at least 15, while experts such as the Cancer Council and ARPANSA recommend UPF 50 or higher.
Independent lab testing confirmed Anna-Lise's fears. A popular Kmart muslin swaddle she had used with her own children returned a UPF of just 6.
"I'd been using these muslin swaddles for hours in the hot Queensland sun as a sun shield when my babies were too young for sunscreen," Anna-Lise said.
"I'm so thankful they never got a sun burnt, but it's still scary to think how much invisible damage that may have caused."
The lab-test results of a 100% cotton muslin swaddles from Kmart
Why Not Use Sunscreen?
The Australian College of Dermatologists doesn't recommend sunscreen for babies under six months and medical experts also advise keeping infants under 12 months out of direct sunlight when the UV index reaches three or higher. Even short bursts of intense sun can be harmful to delicate, developing skin.
Excess sun exposure in early childhood isn’t just an immediate risk – research has shown a strong link between childhood sunburns and an increased risk of melanoma later in life. That’s why it’s so important to use a range of different sun protection methods, including high-UPF accessories, protective clothing, hats and sunscreen (6 months+) to shield babies from harmful UV rays.
Why UPF 50+ Matters for Babies
When it comes to protecting babies, not all fabrics are created equal. Research from James Cook University in North Queensland has shown that children who regularly wore UPF 30–50+ clothing during early childhood developed 24% fewer new moles overall – and more than 30% fewer on skin covered by protective garments – compared to those in regular clothing.
Since the number of pigmented moles is one of the strongest predictors of melanoma risk later in life, this is powerful evidence that sun-protective clothing and accessories really does make a difference.
A baby wears a Bebe Trek Multifunctional magnetic sun cover as a cape while in a baby carrier for UPF 50+ sun protection
A Safer Solution
In search of a better alternative, Anna-Lise devoted more than a year to researching and developing a range of protective products to help parents get outdoors with their babies and not stress about the sun.
She launched Bebe Trek in early 2024 with the award-winning world-first Multifunctional magnetic sun cover, UV protective sunsuits and reversible sun hats. All block over 98% of UV rays (UPF 50+) and are made of lightweight and breathable bamboo.
Anna-Lise Brink with her third child, protected from the sun with the Bebe Trek UPF 50+ reversible bucket hat, sunsuit and magnetic sun cover.
"I wanted to create something that was not only sun protective, but also versatile for value," Anna-Lise said. "The magnets are a definite game-changer allowing parents to use the sun cover in over a dozen ways to help protect their babies without the need for pram clips or awkward knots and ties.
"The magnets also make directional shading on prams a breeze, meaning parents can block the sun but leave gaps open for airflow so there's no overheating risk on hot summer days."
The Bebe Trek Multifunctional magnetic sun cover creates directional shading on prams to block the sun and not airflow
"It's also difficult to find full-body UPF rated baby clothing that isn't swimwear so I created a zipsuit that provided full-body sun protection but is still lightweight enough to be comfortable in the hot Australian summer.
Parents play with their babies under the shade of the Bebe Trek Multifunctional magnetic sun cover, hung as a shade sail thanks to inbuilt magnets.
Taking On The World
Anna-Lise started Bebe Trek from her dining room table on the Gold Coast while on maternity leave with her second child.
Now, parents in over 20 countries are keeping their babies sun safe while outdoors thanks to her innovative products.
She's also won two national Australian awards in Product Design for her Multifunctional magnetic sun cover - Editor's Choice in the She-Com Product Awards and Bronze in the AusMumpreneur Awards.
“I never imagined something I started on maternity leave with a four-month-old would be recognised nationally,” Anna-Lise said.
“I was just a mum trying to solve a real problem — keeping my baby safe in the sun when sunscreen wasn’t an option and I’ve been blown away by how many parents now call it their best-ever baby purchase."
Anna-Lise Brink keeping her baby sun safe on a hike in New South Wales thanks to her sun safe accessories.