Gardening Arm Sleeves

Three people in long-sleeve gardening gloves work outdoors: one uses a string trimmer, another prunes flowers, and the third waters plants in a vegetable garden.

Gardening sleeves solve the two problems every gardener knows: sun on your forearms for hours, and scratches from roses, brambles and mulch. Armoray garden sleeves give you UPF 50+ sun protection that blocks 98% of UV rays, plus a layer of lightweight stretch fabric between your skin and whatever you are pruning, planting, weeding or hauling. They pull on in seconds, work with any gloves, and are far cooler than a long-sleeve shirt on a July afternoon.

Three styles work in the garden. The Garden Collection Arm Sleeves are the dedicated pair, with five nature-inspired prints (Dragonfly Bloom, Garden Critters, Garden Mirage, Lemon Grove, Sunflower Wings) that look like garden wear rather than sports kit. Thumbhole Arm Sleeves extend the protective sleeve over the wrist and the back of the hand, the gap most gloves leave open, which matters when you are reaching into thorny beds. Classic Arm Sleeves in green, beige or grey are the plain, inexpensive option if you want arm protection sleeves you can throw in the wash with the work clothes.

These are protective sleeves for light contact, not cut-resistant gear: they stop scratches, sap, sunburn and mild plant irritation, and they keep dirt off your arms, but they are not a substitute for leather gauntlets when you are handling cactus or heavy brush. For the full picture on what garden sleeves protect against and how to pair them with gloves and a hat, read our guide Protective arm sleeves for gardening.

Looking for something else? See all UPF 50+ arm sleeves, or jump to sun protection sleeves and women's arm sleeves.

Gardening Arm Sleeves FAQ

Do gardening sleeves really stop scratches?

They stop the everyday kind: rose thorns brushing past, bramble scratches, mulch and bark rubbing your forearms, and sap or plant hairs that cause irritation. They are a stretch fabric, not cut-resistant armour, so for cactus, pyracantha or heavy brush clearing you still want leather gauntlets over the top.

Will garden sleeves make my arms hot?

Less than bare skin in direct sun. The fabric wicks sweat and shades your skin, so most gardeners find their arms feel cooler than they do unprotected. On very hot days, wet the sleeves with cold water before you put them on for extra cooling.

Which style covers the gap between my glove and my sleeve?

Thumbhole Arm Sleeves. The thumbhole holds the sleeve over the back of your hand and wrist so there is no bare strip when you reach into a bed. The Garden Collection and Classic sleeves end at the wrist.

Can I wash them with my gardening clothes?

Best to hand wash them: cool water, mild detergent, rinse, and hang or lay flat to dry. Skip the machine, bleach and fabric softener. Dirt and sap rinse out easily because the fabric is smooth and quick-drying.