Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a garment for blocking exposure of a subject to harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting exposure of the subject to beneficial solar irradiation. The garment includes a fabric layer including a dual purpose material composition that, by itself, blocks harmful solar irradiation while simultaneously permitting beneficial solar irradiation to an area of skin of a subject covered by the fabric layer when exposed to solar light, where the harmful solar irradiation comprises ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and/or high-energy visible (HEV) light, and where the beneficial solar irradiation comprises visible (VIS) and/or infrared (IR) light. The present disclosure also relates to methods of using and making the garment, as well as a protective covering made from the dual purpose material composition fabric layer.