PPE - The right fabric for every application

Extreme heat, poor visibility, smoke and gas development - protective workwear has to withstand many extraordinary conditions to ensure the safety of its wearer. Apart from this, it should of course also offer the best wearing comfort so as not to restrict or even hinder the wearer in their daily work. This is made possible by special fabric solutions that harmonise the safety of personal protective equipment (PPE) with the highest possible level of comfort. Below we give you a brief overview of which special fabrics are used in BP® protective workwear and what their particular strengths are.

BP® employee checks the quality of a BP® jacket.

Everything starts with the fiber

Meta-aramid for optimal protection

Meta-aramids provide inherent flame retardancy and withstand high thermal loads. They do not melt and do not drip, but carbonize at about 285 °C. Meta-aramids withstand temperatures up to 175 °C without loss of strength and lose only about 50% of their initial strength even at 250 °C. They also offer high chemical resistance and good cold and heat insulation.

Many of the BP fabric solutions are based on the Kermel® fiber, which belongs to the meta-aramid fibers. This is because it has the properties that are important for protective clothing:

inherent flame protection,
high thermal insulation,
high thermal stability,
high mechanical strength and
a high resistance to chemicals.

In addition, the special technology of spinneret dyeing guarantees high color fastness - particularly advantageous for protective clothing that must ensure special visibility.

Among other things, the fiber is used in the Kermel® denim fabric, which in turn is used in our BP Multi Protect collection. The fabric is ideal for all all-rounders in the energy sector whose clothing is exposed to high mechanical exposed to high mechanical stress. Apart from that, the high cotton content cotton content makes it particularly comfortable to wear. Which is particularly on the construction site: the fabric is easy to clean and is industrial laundry and is suitable for industrial laundering.

And what are para-aramids?

Para-aramid is a synthetic fiber commonly used in protective clothing. It provides inherent flame protection and withstands high thermal loads. Para-aramids do not melt or drip and are added to PPE protective fabrics due to their good stretch properties - while maintaining high strength.

A man on a roof wears multi-standard arc fault protection clothing.

Always well visible

Not only the work itself, but also the surrounding conditions can be a source of danger. Even in poor visibility conditions, it must be ensured that they can be easily recognized by passing motorists, for example. The clothing in our BP Hi-Vis Protect collection, for example, takes this into account. Here, the fabric ensures robust clothing and, above all, outstanding visibility - not only in warning yellow, but also in warning orange. Here, too, the fabric's good care properties ensure that the bright color and protective function are retained for a long time.

All info on the label

To ensure that every wearer knows exactly what their clothing is made of, what it protects against and how it does it, every protective garment comes with detailed manufacturer information. This also provides information about the correct care, because this is the be-all and end-all for protective clothing - not only so that a professional appearance is guaranteed at all times, but also so that the specific protective functions of the respective fibers are not lost. For example, fabric softeners can impair flame retardancy, washing out the impregnation can reduce protection against chemicals, and soiling can affect burning behavior and reduce visibility.

You want to know more about PPE and its use? Then check back here soon, in the next few weeks we will publish more articles on the subject. If you have any questions, just contact us, we look forward to hearing from you.

Any questions?

Do you still have questions about the safe, standard-compliant use of personal protective equipment (PPE)? Then get in touch with our experts.

Three men and one woman are wearing neon yellow PPE and are in a recycling centre.