“In Vietnam, the UV is relentless, and the moment I step outside, I feel my skin burning,” says Nguyen, who grew up in the rural township of Tam Xuan 1 in Quang Nam province, known for its heat and strong sun, and has returned as an adult. “I wear UPF jackets everywhere, but they are unflattering. I use sunscreen religiously, but it has its limitations, and so I kept wishing there was another option. That frustration became the foundation for the brand.”

That brand is New York-based Lemon of the Sun, which Nguyen launched with SunClad, a laundry booster designed to transform everyday clothes, typically ranging from UPF 5 to UPF 10, into UPF 30 sun-protective garments after just one wash. UPF or ultraviolet protection factor measures how effectively fabric blocks ultraviolet radiation, the cause of sunburns. While UPF-rated clothing from brands like Athleta, Cabana Life and REI has long been available, it typically requires consumers to purchase dedicated garments. Lemon of the Sun aims to bring similar protection to clothes people already own.

SunClad’s formula features an ultraviolet-absorbing chemical compound, a triazine sulfonic acid derivative, that’s blended with dispersants that help distribute the ingredient evenly throughout the wash, where it binds to fabric at the molecular level. For a one-time purchase, SunClad is priced at $35 for 32 washes.

“Most people assume the clothes they’re wearing outside are protecting them fully from UV rays, but many do not,” says Nguyen, a former corporate strategy consultant. “SunClad is designed to close that gap without requiring people to buy a new UPF wardrobe. Ultimately, my goal for Lemon of the Sun is to offer people more ways to protect themselves from UV rays without having to think twice about it.”

It took about a year and a half of development in partnership with textile and sunscreen chemists to identify a skin-safe ingredient specifically engineered to bind to fibers during a wash cycle and form a protective layer within the fabric. Nguyen tested all sorts of formats, from sheets to powders, but eventually landed on dissolvable pods made with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), the material commonly used in laundry detergent pods.

Examining SunClad’s active UV-absorbing compound, Whitney Hovenic, a dermatologist and co-founder of gen Z sun care brand Spooge, explains that it absorbs “UVA and UVB radiation and converts that energy into heat and visible light before it reaches the skin,” she says. “What I love about SunClad is that it makes sun protection feel seamless. Instead of worrying about what you’re wearing or constantly reapplying in covered areas, you can let your clothing do some of the work for you.”

Hovenic notes Lemon of the Sun’s proposition could be especially appealing to parents. “Childhood is a critical time for UV protection, but, as a parent, there are so many variables you can’t control,” she says. “You apply sunscreen in the morning, but you don’t know if it’s being reapplied at school. SunClad helps bridge that gap.”

SunClad’s UPF protection operates on the same scale as SPF. For example, UPF 30 provides the same level of protection as SPF 30. UPF and SPF both help reduce the risk of skin cancer, and Hovenic emphasizes the benefits of incorporating both into sun protection routines.

“UV damage is cumulative,” she says. “The more exposure you get over time, the higher your risk of developing skin cancer. So, the more ways you can build protection into your daily life, the better.”

Lemon of the Sun is yet another instance of the burgeoning convergence of beauty and laundry. The convergence has been mainly visible in fragrance, with Ouai’s collaboration with DedCool on popular Melrose Place laundry products and fragrance-forward laundry brands like Mozi Wash and Tallow + Ash.

The laundry care and beauty industries are growing at similar rates, although laundry care is a much smaller segment than beauty. According to market research firm Grand View Research, the global laundry care market is projected to register $144.3 billion in sales by 2030, advancing at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% from $109.7 billion in 2024. Management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. forecasts the global beauty industry will hit roughly $590 billion by 2030, growing at about 5% annually.

SunClad has been available through presale since October 2025, and Nguyen says results so far have been promising. Lemon of the Sun has sold hundreds of units, with the majority of orders from TikTok. Nguyen spent between $50,000 and $100,000 to launch the brand. She’s targeting $500,000 in first-year revenue and plans to reinvest profits into inventory expansion and education-driven marketing.

The priority for Nguyen’s early spending has been on research and development, testing and seeking a patent. She acknowledges Lemon of the Sun hasn’t had resources to spend heavily on branding.

“We’re not chasing aggressive growth at the expense of profitability,” says Nguyen. “I’d rather grow in an intentional way and build something sustainable than scale too fast and lose sight of what makes the product and the brand special.”

Not a customary product, Nguyen realizes that SunClad requires quite a bit of consumer education, and TikTok has been central to Lemon of the Sun connecting with consumers and telling its story. She zeroes in on consumers who are particularly sensitive to sun-related concerns, perhaps because of a skin cancer diagnosis or another health condition that makes sun exposure riskier.

Lemon of the Sun initiated its TikTok account in May last year, where it explores various aspects of its product and operations, including bootstrapping hacks and packaging. Nguyen has a personal account on TikTok, too, where she delves into her business. In addition, the platform is a conduit for feedback and insights from consumers, and the brand turns to TikTok to forge relationships with dermatologists as well.

“I never expected to be so public on social media, but I’ve genuinely grown to appreciate connecting with people online,” she says. “I also show up as a founder who is transparent about the journey because building a brand from scratch is hard and I don’t pretend otherwise. I share the behind-the-scenes struggles, the wins and everything in between.”

Currently only sold on TikTok and its website, Lemon of the Sun plans to extend distribution to dermatologists’ offices and med-spas and eventually retail, with Target on its wish list. Nguyen’s objective is to widen the aperture of what sun care means in a retail environment. She positions SunClad as a complement to sunscreen, not a replacement, and is interested in partnering with sunscreen brands to spread a holistic message around the idea of sun safety.

“SunClad protects the skin covered by your clothing, but it doesn’t protect exposed areas, so we always advise people to continue wearing sunscreen,” says Nguyen. “I’ve actually connected with a lot of sunscreen brands throughout this journey, and I’m excited to partner with them to help spread sun safety.”

Lemon of the Sun’s next product will be a two-in-one detergent that cleans clothes as it infuses them with sun protection. “I want to keep expanding the ethos of the brand, ensuring it radiates joy, like the feeling of being outside on a sunny day,” says Nguyen. “I see myself as a sunshine enthusiast and a sun safety advocate who knows most people benefit from spending time in the sun; I just want them to do it smarter.”