FAQs
1. What is Lightsmart®?
Lightsmart® is photonic apparel that turns sunlight into red and near-infrared light your body was built to use.
Our Halo layers use patented UV2RED technology to absorb high-energy sunlight, including UV, and re-emit it as red and near-infrared wavelengths. That means the fabric does more than block the sun. It puts the sun to work.
Lightsmart layers are designed to deliver three things at once:
- More red and near-infrared light
- UPF 50+ sun protection
- Cooler comfort in direct sun
It is a smarter layer between you and the sun.
2. How does Lightsmart work?
Lightsmart uses UV2RED, a patented photonic textile technology powered by LUMITON_FIBER™.
When sunlight hits the fabric, UV2RED absorbs high-energy UV and visible light and converts part of that energy into red and near-infrared light. These are the wavelengths commonly associated with red light therapy and photobiomodulation.
When worn next to skin, Lightsmart creates passive red/NIR exposure while you are outside. No panels. No batteries. No charging. No routine.
Just wear it in the light.
You can learn more about the underlying LUMITON® technology at lumiton.com.
3. What are the therapeutic benefits of wearing Lightsmart?
Lightsmart is designed as a general wellness and performance layer. It is not a medical treatment.
The benefits come from increasing red and near-infrared light exposure while also reducing UV exposure and heat.
Performance and Recovery
Red and near-infrared light are widely studied for their role in cellular energy, blood flow, muscle function, and recovery. Lightsmart gives you exposure while you are already outside and moving.
Skin Health
Red light is one of the most studied applications of photobiomodulation. It is commonly associated with collagen support, skin repair, and a healthier-looking complexion.
Comfort and Mobility
Red and near-infrared light are studied for their effects on circulation and the body's inflammatory response, which is why they are often used in sports, recovery, and physical therapy settings.
Lightsmart also provides two major sun-performance benefits:
UPF 50+ UV Protection
Halo layers are designed to block the vast majority of harmful UV exposure.
Cooling in Sun
It's a matter of physics. When fabric absorbs high-energy light and re-emits it at a longer wavelength, that energy leaves as light rather than becoming heat against your skin. Ordinary sun-protective fabrics absorb solar energy and pass much of it to you as heat.
In side-by-side outdoor testing, with thermocouples behind the fabric, Halo layers measured cooler than comparable fabrics without UV2RED. Against similar light-colored fabrics we've consistently observed around 4°F, which is the number we use. In darker fabric comparisons we've measured deltas of 10°F or more.
4. How much red/NIR light do I actually get? And how does that translate to "joules"?
Lightsmart is not a red light panel. It is wearable photonic fabric.
A panel delivers a fixed dose in a fixed session. Lightsmart delivers passive red/NIR exposure whenever the fabric is in sufficient light, especially sunlight. Your exposure isn't one fixed number — it rises and falls through the day with the sun, and it changes with the fabric and colorway you're wearing.
At a given moment on a typical day, we've observed anywhere from about 1 to 8 mW/cm².
Joules measure total energy accumulated over time, which is why a single figure doesn't tell you much on its own. So we built a daily forecast instead. Pick your garment, your colorway, and the date, and it estimates the total energy available where you are that day in J/cm², along with your sun window and peak output.
5. Why do different colors emit different amounts of light?
It comes down to the physics of color. Dark pigments absorb light — that's what makes them dark. The more light a colorant traps for itself, the less is available for our fiber to convert and re-emit as red and near-infrared. Lighter colorways let more of that signal through.
So there's a tradeoff, and it's the oldest one in clothing: what you want to wear versus what performs best. If you want the strongest signal, go lighter. If you want black, you'll give up some output — but you'll still be getting red and NIR light, which is more than any ordinary dark shirt will ever give you. That one gives you nothing.
Every colorway is UPF 50+ either way. And if you want to see the difference, our daily forecast lets you compare colorways side by side for your location and date.
6. Does it work on cloudy days?
Yes. Clouds cut how much light reaches you, but they don't shut it off — even an overcast day delivers a lot of energy, far more than most people assume. You'll get less than you would under a clear sky, but you'll still get real output.
Our daily forecast factors in cloud cover for your location, so you can see what's actually available rather than guessing. See today's forecast →
7. Does it work in winter?
Yes, though there's less to work with. The sun sits lower and the days are shorter than in summer, but the fabric converts whatever light it's in.
The bigger factor in cold weather is coverage. The fabric has to see the light — buried under a jacket, it can't convert what never reaches it. Wear it as your outer layer when you can. We're working on outerwear — fleece and shells — built with the technology, so the layer on top does the converting too.
8. Is Lightsmart safe?
Yes. Lightsmart is safe to wear as daily apparel.
There are no electronics, no batteries, no wires, no artificial light source, and no heat-generating device. The technology is embedded in the fiber and activated by light.
Lightsmart also provides UPF 50+ sun protection, helping reduce harmful UV exposure while converting part of that solar energy into red and near-infrared light.
Lightsmart is designed for general wellness, comfort, and performance. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
9. Can I wear Lightsmart indoors or at night?
Yes. You can wear Lightsmart anywhere you would wear normal apparel.
But the UV2RED benefit depends on light exposure.
Lightsmart performs best in sunlight. It can also activate near strong natural light, including bright windows, but the effect is reduced compared with direct outdoor sun.
At night or in very low light, it still works as a comfortable apparel layer, but it is not generating meaningful red/NIR light.
10. Who will benefit from upgrading to Lightsmart?
Anyone who spends time outside can benefit from a smarter layer between their body and the sun.
Lightsmart is especially useful for:
Athletes and active people
For performance, recovery, cooling, and protection while training or competing outside.
Outdoor workers
For long hours in sun where UV protection and cooler comfort matter.
Golfers, runners, walkers, boaters, and beachgoers
For people who are already getting sun exposure and want to make that time work harder.
People focused on skin health
For those who want red light support while staying protected from UV damage.
People focused on hair and scalp health
Lightsmart headwear is designed to bring red/NIR light and UPF 50+ protection to the scalp during daily outdoor wear.
11. How should I care for my Lightsmart Layers?
Lightsmart layers are designed for daily use and normal care.
The photonic technology is embedded in the fiber, not sprayed on as a temporary coating, so it will not simply wash off.
Machine wash according to the care label. To preserve fit, feel, and long-term performance, avoid harsh bleach and high heat unless the garment label says otherwise.
12. Does the red/NIR light therapy work even while providing UPF 50+ UV protection?
Yes. That is the core idea behind UV2RED.
Most sun-protective clothing blocks UV and turns much of that absorbed energy into heat. Lightsmart takes a different approach. It blocks harmful UV while converting part of that energy into red and near-infrared light.
So the fabric is not choosing between protection and benefit.
It does both.
You get UPF 50+ protection, cooler comfort, and red/NIR light exposure in the same layer.
13. Are there clinical studies supporting the benefits of Lightsmart?
Lightsmart is built on the science of photobiomodulation, commonly known as red light therapy — a substantial body of research on how red and near-infrared light impact the body. It's why red light devices have exploded onto the market.
Lightsmart reaches that same window of light in a different form factor — passively, across your day. It doesn't replace devices. It builds on the same science.
And this textile form factor isn't theoretical. Dermatology researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine studied it and reported improvement in disease severity among patients with mild psoriasis, polymorphous light eruption, and alopecia areata — placing it squarely within the larger body of red light therapy research. Read the study in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment →
No appointments. No devices. No batteries.
14. Where can I purchase Lightsmart Layers?
Lightsmart layers are available at:
You may also find Lightsmart products through select partners and collaborations.
15. Does Lightsmart come in different styles?
Yes.
Lightsmart technology is available across Halo apparel and headwear, including full sleeves, shirts, polos, and caps.
Different styles are designed for different use cases, including sport, work, daily life, skin health, hair health, and sun protection.
The common thread is the same: UV2RED technology that turns sunlight into red/NIR light while providing UPF 50+ protection and cooler comfort.
16. Can I use Lightsmart as a replacement for medical treatment?
No.
Lightsmart is a general wellness and performance technology. It is designed to support daily health, comfort, recovery, and sun protection, but it is not a replacement for medical care.
If you have a medical condition, skin condition, hair-loss condition, or any health concern, consult a healthcare provider.