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FIRE SAFETY A NEW GENERATION OF FIRE RESISTANT FABRICS HAS ARRIVED IN AUSTRALIA Charles Parsons have recently signed an exclusive distribution arrangement with US textile giant, Polartec, to bring to Australia a new, exciting range of fire resistant, high performance and comfortable protective fabrics. Charles Parsons’ Technical Product Manager, Mr. Nigel Parsons, said: “Polartec fire resistant (FR) fabrics are warmer but lighter to wear, they are highly breathable, have four-way stretch and excellent moisture management. They have the combination of modern FR technology and protection combined with the best characteristics of outdoor apparel made famous by Polartec fabrics. The Polartec range of FR Fabrics is the result of over 10 years of FR development with the US Military.” Polartec’s business mission is to manufacture the most technically advanced, comfortable and aesthetically desirable performance fabrics available in the market. The Polartec FR offering is a full line of high performance inherently flame resistant fabrics from baselayer, insulation and weather protection “soft shell” fabrics. Each is designed for high performance as a stand alone garment or as part of a layered system. “The Polartec FR layering system is used extensively by all branches of the United States Military, as well as top workwear manufacturers around the world,” said Mr. Parsons. “And these fabrics are now available in Australia”. The Concept of Layering Weather conditions change during the day, and there is no “silver bullet” single garment that will keep workers comfortable in all situations. A cornerstone to effectively maintaining comfort in a changing environment is by effectively dressing with the right combination of fabric layers for the situation. Being comfortable in your work environment means you can focus better on the tasks at hand, rather than on your clothes. The Polartec FR protection starts with unequaled next-to-skin comfort – base layer – the foundation for comfort. Several technologies work together to make this possible. Most significant is the Polartec Power Dry FR patented bi-component construction. This technology dramatically improves comfort by transporting moisture away from the skin and pulling it to the outer surface where it can dry quickly. “Compared to all other comparable FR fabrics, Polartec PowerDry FR absorbs moisture faster and spreads moisture quicker, keeping you dry,” said Mr. Parsons. “This base layer is patent-approved and field-tested to keep you both safe and comfortable”. Polartec Power Stretch FR is a unique hybrid fabric suitable as a cold weather base layer or as an “only layer”. To start, the fabric’s four- way stretch provides enhanced comfort and a range of motion needed to get the job done safely. Equally important is the unrestricted movement of moisture vapour. “Touch points“ on the inner surface that resemble a grid help draw sweat to the outside of the fabric where it spreads rapidly for evaporation. Polartec Power Stretch FR moves at least 30 per cent more moisture away from the skin than single- component fabrics. When the sweat reaches the outside of the fabric, it spreads out to many times its original surface area, enabling it to dry at least 2 x faster than cotton. “This patented high efficiency grid knit construction maximizes warmth, minimizes weight and enhances breathability and a worker’s freedom of movement,” said Mr. Parsons. Polartec invented fleece in 1981 and forever changed the way people dressed to stay warm. Polartec Thermal FR performs several functions beyond protection from flames and arc flash. It has a double velour construction that creates micro air pockets that trap air and retain body heat. So when it’s cold outside, you stay warm. It also delivers outstanding breathability to regulate body temperature while exerting energy. Used alone or as a middle insulating layer, Polartec Thermal FR offers superior warmth without weight. It punches above its weight class in FR protection as well, offering constructions in Nomex IIIA and cost effective inherent FR 74 AUSTRALASIAN MINE SAFETY JOURNAL blends. Like all Polartec FR fabrics, its flame resistant properties are permanently built into the fabric. Polartec Thermal FR makes it a highly versatile way to stay cool in the heat of the moment. Polartec Wind Pro FR delivers performance above and beyond FR protection. It delivers exceptional breathability, a high warmth- to-weight ratio, and four times more wind resistance than traditional fleece. It even sheds rain should the weather turn foul. Wind Pro FR is constructed with fibers that are lightweight and inherently flame resistant, so you can take comfort even in times that offer none. When Polartec merged insulation fabric with a water resistant membrane and a woven (or knit) face, we reinvented technical outerwear by helping create soft shell. This fabric offers weather protection and thermal insulation for active comfort. Now Polartec has taken these same benefits and added FR protection. Introducing Polartec Power Shield FR – the world’s first Flame resistant tri-layer Soft Shell. It’s a patent-approved, field-tested shield against the elements – All of them! An additional benefit of the Polartec FR line is that the blend of fibers used is resistant to fading and wash shrinkage. Regardless of the ever changing work environment, Polartec has flame resistant fabrics to meet and exceed their customers’ expectations Today Polartec continues to innovate and offer revolutionary fabrics to markets all around the world including: Outdoor, Workwear, Flame Resistant and Military Markets. Polartec continues to push the limits of fabric technology. In the last decade, Polartec has revolutionised the soft shell category, brought 100% post-consumer recycled fabric to market, invented voided (or grid constructed) performance fabrics, created high-loft fleece fabrics and most recently developed most breathable waterproof fabric ever – NeoShell. “Charles Parsons is very proud to be exclusively representing Polartec FR fabrics in Australia and New Zealand, bringing to the Australia and New Zealand workwear market high FR performance garments that are also comfortable and stylish to wear,” said Mr. Parsons. “Polartec FR fabrics are stocked by Charles Parsons for quick delivery within Australia and New Zealand”. For further information on the Polartec FR range, call 1300 147 887 for Australia and 0508 874 664 for New Zealand.