Insect Repellent Shirts

The best part about summer is being able to sit back and relax while grilling in your backyard with your friends. Or enjoying a day on the lake. Or standing in line at the local food truck festival. Or even just relaxing on your porch with a cool drink. The only thing missing from those scenarios is a pesky bug buzzing around your head, dripping with sweat, landing near your mouth and just out of arm’s reach. It’s no fun when these critters are pestering you. And after slapping at one of them, it feels like a mosquito left an imprint on your skin as it flies away from you, alive and free to annoy someone else. But what if I told you that there was a way to protect yourself in all of these situations? Well guess what – there is a way! Insect Repellent Shirts are simply shirts that are infused with an Insect Repellent treatment. This protects you from annoying bugs and even ticks! The best part about wearing ONE of these shirts is the fact that you don’t need to spray bug repellent onto yourself every time that pesky bite gnats start pestering you. All you have to do is throw on this shirt and bugs will steer clear of you

Insect Repellent Shirts

Insect-repellent clothing is treated with permethrin, an insecticide that has been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for more than 40 years and is the only repellent used to treat factory clothing. You’ll often find these clothes labeled as having “No Fly Zone” or “Insect Shield” fabrics.

Kevin Chan, in-house entomologist for national pest control leader Mosquito Squad, told Shop TODAY that Permethrin-treated clothing acts as a contact irritant and is commonly used for camping gear and even military uniforms to help keep bugs away.

Though it can be an investment, the use of permethrin-treated clothing has proven to be very effective in protecting against bugs.

“It repels all flying insects in addition to ticks, and this method of protection is endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” said David Brown, technical advisor of the American Mosquito Control Association.

How effective is insect-repellent clothing?

Immo Hansen, principal researcher of The Hansen Lab at New Mexico State University (which performs research in the molecular biology of mosquitoes), put insect-repellent clothing to the test in a study on permethrin-treated clothing — and the results were impressive.

“We tested Insect Shield fabrics and found them highly effective in preventing the covered area from being bitten by mosquitoes,” Hansen told Shop TODAY.

When applied properly, permethrin binds to the fabric of the treated clothing items, so it can last for plenty of washes without faltering in efficacy, according to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). The tight binding also means that the insecticide will not be absorbed by the skin, but the EPA recommends washing permethrin-treated clothing separately from non-treated clothing.

Will you still need bug spray?

While bug repellent clothing is an effective shield against insects, experts suggest coupling permethrin-treated clothing with the use of an insect repellent for even better protection.

“It is important to also use an EPA-registered repellent since the permethrin-treated clothing does not protect exposed skin,” Chan said.

When looking for a good bug spray, there are a few key ingredients to keep in mind.

“A very effective and very safe active ingredient in spray-on repellents is also one of the oldest ones — DEET,” Hansen said. “Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) is a very effective ‘natural active ingredient.'”

If you’re looking to upgrade your summer wardrobe with some insect-repellent clothing, we found several top-rated options that can help keep bugs away.

Insect Repellent Shirts

Summer is finally in full effect, which means many of us are likely spending more time in our own backyards or on the campground. Barbecues and late-night campfires with family might be on your summer agenda, but these outdoor activities can bring some uninvited guests in the form of pesky bugs.

Though citronella candles and bug sprays are the most traditional means of keeping pests away during the warmer months, it might be time to consider adding some insect-repelling clothing to your summer wardrobe. Many brands are now offering clothing items that promise to keep bugs away, so we reached out to experts to find out how they work.

List Of Insect Repellent Shirts