As a young mother, I searched for the best way to protect my children from the sun’s UV rays as they played at the beach or the pool. The solution arrived in a tiny parcel that a childhood friend sent me from Australia.
It was a surfing suit, made from brightly colored, UV-blocking fabric. I was delighted with this excellent solution to the very real problems that arise from exposure to the sun and I enjoyed an additional benefit – it was very easy to spot members of my family on the beach in 1996!
All the other children were more or less naked. Some were plastered with cream, while others had parents who had made a huge effort and insisted that their kids wore a t-shirt, which, once wet, got clingy and uncomfortable. For two years, brave mothers who dared to ask, “where do you get those?” were answered with a smile, and a “next year, I’ll be selling them…”
As an account executive in a successful advertising company, I had no intention of changing careers to work in the textiles industry.
But that was before cancer came knocking at my family’s door.
The tiny swimsuits from Australia turned into a vision of the future, according to which the number of adults who fell victim to skin cancer would be reduced. The good luck wishes I received from Miri Ziv, CEO of the Israel Cancer Association, saw me through all the obstacles that life would throw in the path of an enthusiastic entrepreneur trying to find her way within a sphere about which she knew nothing. My faith that the vision really could be realized – if we protected our children and ourselves as best we could – is still my guiding light today.
My first undertaking was to start importing fabric from Australia. Then there was the cutting, printing, threads, zippers, sewing… I acquainted myself with every stage of the manufacturing process, helped by wonderful people I discovered along the way, who were kind enough to teach me the secrets of tailoring. With a bag full of patterns and plenty of faith in the burning need for the product, I rushed from one buyer to the other. Most of them showed me the door, with the comment: “You’re not going to find anyone putting their kids in something like that!” Some of them… advised me not to give up on my previous career just yet!
But, I also came across people who did believe in the product, and who agreed to put SunWay UV clothing on sale for a trial period.
Exposing your skin – out; Covering up – in
A press conference held during Skin Cancer Awareness Week in the spring of 1998 set the stage for the inauguration of SunWay, which ultimately led to the huge
change in beachwear fashions here in Israel. Exposing your skin – out; Covering up – in
In the autumn of 2006, the leaves drifted down onto the sidewalks of New York, but inside the Javits Center, young models dressed in SunWay UV clothing and swimwear made in Israel strutted down the catwalk in a fashion show run by Vogue Baby to show clothes for the following summer. It was an exciting moment, another step along the long, long road…
The children grew, and so did the demand for larger sizes. Many parents take an interest in reducing their own exposure to the harmful UV radiation of the sun’s rays, and, in so doing, provide a personal example to their children. The wide range of sizes and cuts ensures that men and women of any age or size can find the SunWay UV clothing that suits them and meets their individual requirements. In addition to the SunWay products designed for use at the beach or pool, we have also developed shirts for sportswear and for daily use. Made from light, UV-blocking fabric, these tops have been treated according to a special process that gives them the ability to evaporate sweat, and are perfect for the Israeli summer, well known for its heat and humidity.
Over recent years, awareness of the damage that can be caused by the sun, and of our ability to prevent that damage from snowballing by being “smart in the sun,” is rising all over the world.
You can purchase our products in a variety of stores and retail or you can order them via the website.