The Headwear Association Launches Fourth Annual Hat Day in the Sun

LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, and 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun overexposure. On, Wednesday, June 20th, The Headwear Association (THA) is hosting the fourth annual  "Hat Day in the Sun" to help arm people in the fight against skin cancer.

Hat Day in the Sun is an annual national public awareness campaign that aims to educate adults and children that the right hat can protect against skin cancer, sun damage, and premature aging. THA members will be giving away FREE wide-brimmed sun-protection hats in cities across the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston and more. For a complete list of cities and locations, please visit http://www.TheHeadwearAssociation.org. The free hats are being provided by Dorfman-Pacific, Bollman Hat Company, Broner Hat & Glove, Philadelphia Rapid Transit and Wallaroo Hats. If you do not live in one of the host cities, you can enter to win a free Sun Protection hat by simply LIKEing the THA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheHeadwearAssociation.

What makes a perfect Sun Hat? 

Wide Brims. Choose hats with at least a 2 1/2-inch brim and always wear sunscreen and a hat when outside. Women's hats with brims larger than 5 inches also offer shoulder and decolletage protection from the sun.

Curved Shapes. Look for hats that follow the contour of the head and neck. These shapes offer the best protection against ultraviolet radiation. A baseball cap is not recommended as it leaves the cheeks, ears and back of the neck exposed.

Opaque Materials. The denser the fabric, the higher the UPF. Choose close-weave fabrics or tightly woven straw. Many hats have been tested for sun protection qualities, and include an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) number on the label.   Fabrics are rated with a UPF rather than SPF, which only applies to sunscreens. A hat with a UPF of 50 allows just 1/50th of the sun's UVR to reach the skin.

2012 Hat Day in the Sun Locations

New York City, NY - Harlem Hat Heaven @ 6PM, 2538 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd (at W. 147th Street)

Boulder, CO - Weekends Retail Store @ NOON, Pearl Street Mall

Boston, MA - Copely Square @ NOON

Philadelphia, PA - Hats in the Belfry, South Street & Third Street @ NOON

Lancaster, PA - Binns Park @ 8AM, Queen Street, Lancaster, PA

Los Angeles, CA - Eagle Rock Farmers Market @ 4PM (This event is taking place on June 22nd), 5048 Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock

Charleston, SC - Marion Square Park @ 3PM (This is a kick-off event which took place June 14th.)

Stockton, CA - Round Table Pizza from 12 - 5PM, 2819 W. March Lane, Stockton (This is a kick-off event which took place June 14th.)

For more information about The Headwear Association and "Hat Day in the Sun," visit http://www.theheadwearassociation.org or contact Jill Hammer at [email protected] or 917.207.5707.

This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE The Headwear Association