Scientists have developed a new sun-blocking material derived from natural protective agents in fish living off Australia’s coast.

In laboratory tests, the material was found to be twice as effective at filtering out ultraviolet radiation as traditional sunscreen compounds, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The development, reported in the American Chemical Society journal Applied Materials & Interfaces, could lead to new sunscreens made from all-natural ingredients. The material could even be used in coatings that protect products from degrading in sunlight, such as outdoor furniture and car dashboards.

“The material theoretically outperforms everything that is available on the market in terms of protection against UV radiations,” said lead researcher Vincent Bulone, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

“It protects from both UVA and UVB radiations with an absorption capacity higher than the typical products used already in sunscreen creams.”

The new materials is comprised of organic compounds called mycosporines that fish species living on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef produce to protect their eyes and tissues from sun damage.

Previous studies identified the UV-absorbing properties of mycosporines. But the latest research combined the compounds with chitosan, a polymer derived from crustacean shells and insects.

The material has been used to create a clear film that can formed into creams and gels that are nontoxic and resistant to moderate amounts of heat and don’t easily wash off in water.