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Safety and protection

Six customers in the European markets for automotive, workwear and military fabrics, with a combined sales potential of US$15–20 million in the next 12–18 months, are already being

A private equity firm in the USA has completed the acquisition of Point Blank Enterprises, a specialist in soft armour and anti-ballistic protection.

Thermal barrier and liner fabrics designed for use in firefighters’ turnout gear will be the centrepieces of TenCate Protective Fabrics’ exhibit at the Interschutz 2015 int

A method for assessing the suitability of flame-retardant (FR) agents for any given application has been developed by a chemical manufacturer.

To improve the efficacy of textile-based safety helmets, a German institute has conducted pioneering work to measure and categorize the sizes and shapes of heads, combined with assessments of hygie

A patented technology that combines high-carbon steel and polyester (PES) yarns is at the heart of a cut-resistant glove designed to allow workers to grip safely objects with sharp edges and slippe

A Dutch company has introduced a protection cover designed to minimize the impact of the unwanted deployment of an airbag.
TenCate Advanced Armor USA of Newark, Ohio, USA, has acquired the sensor technology of Newport Sensors, based in Irvine, California, USA.
A major supplier of automotive interiors has chosen to use a flame-retardant (FR) treatment from Alexium International of Perth, Australia, for commercial production.
UK firefighters have been conducting trials of a fabric designed to manage moisture and so keep its wearer safe, dry and cool, even while working in extremely hot environments.
Wearable airbag technology that prevents hard-to-heal hip fractures in elderly patients will be presented at the TEDMED conference, to be held in Washington, DC, USA, on 10-12 September 2014.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) of Washington, DC, USA, has approved a standard that is written to give suppliers, users and regulators of personal protective equipment (PPE) a consis
An Italian company specializing in knitwear for protective applications has introduced new fleece and microfleece fabrics, as well as fabrics made from recycled polyester (PES).
Safe Reflections Inc of St Paul, Minnesota, USA, unveiled a range of high-visibility reflective trims, transfers and fabrics for the first time during the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market show in Salt L
From the most sophisticated ejection seats for modern aircraft to flexible dams to store water for India's farmers, Ian Holme reports from a conference in Manchester, UK, on how textile innovations ar
Thin, flexible and washable electroluminescent strips that are designed to make the wearer visible in all light conditions have been co-developed by two partners.
DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware, USA, launched two products based on its para-aramid fibre (Kevlar) at the Milipol exhibition, held in Paris, France, on 19-22 November 2013.
Special Forces of the US military are to be equipped with new garments to protect them from chemical and biological agents, and Tennessee Apparel Corp of Tullahoma, Tennessee, USA, says it has been id
Teijin Aramid has launched a laminate (Twaron UD 22) consisting of two plies of aramid yarns, which the company from Arnhem, The Netherlands, says it designed for use in soft body armour.
A lightweight, flame-retardant (FR) and anti-static fabric (Sungrazer 180) has been added to the range of Klopman International of Ratingen, Germany.
King Tech of San Diego, California, USA, exhibited its latest reflective fabric, LumiTech, at the IFAI Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA (23-25 October 2013).
Scientists in the USA are developing soft body armour that they claim can offer a high level of protection from ballistic projectiles and resistance to strikes from sharp objects.
TenCate Advanced Armour claims its latest antiballistic inserts have the lightest weight of any capable of protecting the wearer from one of the most common gun threats in the world, the mild steel-co
TenCate Advanced Armor North America of Newark, Ohio, USA, has launched a range of products for body armour comprising: two soft-body materials; five softbody inserts; 14 hard-body plates.
During the latest Techtextil (Frankfurt, Germany; 11-13 June 2013), two partners revealed a range of highperformance workwear fabrics.
A new aramid fabric for anti-ballistic applications and three different water-repellent treatments for aramid fabrics were presented by Teijin Aramid of Arnhem, The Netherlands, for the first time dur
A modified para-aramid fabric developed by Teijin Ltd offers protection against high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, such as X- and gamma rays, according to the company from Tokyo, Japan.

Selection of the correct safety equipment more vital than ever

Several drivers are shaping developments of a range of fabric-based solutions designed to offer protection against chemical and biological threats. Ian Hutcheson from Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics describes what these drivers are and urges users to take care when selecting from the array of solutions now available to them.

A range of multifunctional safety garments is now available for welders, electricians and industrial workers at risk from electrical hazards, fire and heat, liquid chemicals and outdoor environments.
JB Martin Ltd has sold its business, called Martintek USA, which specializes in hard and soft ballistic materials.
Photographers, reporters and dignitaries in warzones and hostile environments can now get additional protection thanks to a bulletproof cover for tablet computers, specifically Apple's iPad.
Teijin Aramid of Arnhem, The Netherlands, has introduced two products based on its para-aramid fibre (Twaron) that are intended to offer protection from bullets while being lightweight and comfortable
A yarn blend for making fabrics that offer protection from electrical arcs and flames, particularly those from flash fires, while being comfortable to wear is the subject of International Patent Publi
State-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) scanners are helping scientists at the Hohenstein Institute in Bonnigheim, Germany, to create detailed and accurate virtual models of hands, as well as measurem
A range of flame-retardant (FR) coveralls for workers in the oil and gas, utility and transportation industries was introduced at the Health and Safety Expo (Birmingham, UK, 15-17 May 2012) by Praybou
A UK-based manufacturer of protective clothing has appointed exclusive distributors for all its cut-resistant products in the USA and South Africa.
Mount Vernon Mills of Mauldin, South Carolina, USA, says it has more than doubled its production capacity for flame-retardant (FR) fabrics at its manufacturing facility in Trion, Georgia, USA.
A UK company has introduced a thin, lightweight, comfortable, but tough, bullet-proof vest, designed to be concealed under everyday clothing as worn by senior company executives, diplomatic personnel
A German company has launched a brand of cut- and stab-proof, and flame-retardant (FR) textiles for its domestic market and says it is planning to make them available in other regions.
Sander International NV of Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, has launched a range of fabrics containing durably flameretardant (FR) polyester yarns for the hospitality and transportation markets.
Two UK partners are now working to develop a knifeproof textile to expand its current uses to new applications including protective wear for motorcyclists, butchers, timber merchants and hunters.
A German company has developed a range of laminates and an ink-jet printing process, both for garments designed to offer safety and protection to the wearer.
Royal Ten Cate is to cooperate with Beijing Chinamex International Investment Co Ltd to develop the Chinese market for protective fabrics.
A flame-retardant yarn that can be dyed is combined with a yarn made from non-fusible fibre in a doublefaced woven fabric, so as to provide high visibility and to protect the wearer from heat and flam
This month's A+A show in Dusseldorf, Germany, highlights how integrated technologies are improving the functionality of protective clothing, according to Adrian Wilson.
A range of halogen-free flame-retardants has been developed specifically for textiles by LJ Specialities Ltd, a UK-based supplier of high-quality dyestuffs and speciality finishes.
Toray Textiles Europe Ltd of Mansfield, UK, has introduced two ranges of heat- and flame-resistant (FR) fabrics - ThermGuard High Visibility and ThermGuard Molten Repel - that simultaneously offer a v
Concordia Textiles will present several developments to its ranges for workwear and personal protective equipment (PPE) at Techtextil (Frankfurt, Germany, 24-26 May 2011; Hall 4.1 D72):
Dartex Coatings Ltd - a specialist in transfer-coated fabrics, and coating and laminating - will exhibit its new range of halogen-free flame-retardant products (MelaphosFR) at Techtextil (Frankfurt, G
The latest survival suit for helicopter passengers from Survival-One Ltd of Aberdeen, UK, exploits a temperatureregulating phase-change material (PCM) from Outlast Technologies to improve the comfort
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