Dyneema® denim passes impact abrasion test

A stronger version of Dyneema® Denim that will be CE safety certified is under development, making Dyneema® Denim a viable alternative to leather and therefore a game-changer.

The future is here: the latest version of Dyneema® denim can be applied to single-layer motorcycle clothing and passes the standard impact abrasion test ? without sacrificing the comfort and style of traditional denim and without the need for an extra lining. The first generation of Dyneema® denim for motorcycle clothing ? composed of over 50 per cent Dyneema® fibre ? was launched in 2015 after years of research. The fabric was immediately acclaimed for retaining denim?s traditional qualities while offering 360-degree protection. However, it fell just short of the four seconds of slide time required to pass the standard impact abrasion test EN13595.

DSM Dyneema announced a new fabric (4Q2016) that can indeed pass this test. Wear comfort has also been improved by adding stretch to the fabric.

?These new fabrics can make you feel safe without being a nuisance,? says David Borras of the legendary Spanish high-performance custom motorcycle company El Solitario. ?Because you don?t feel like the technology is there. But it?s actually doing good things for you ? and that?s the beauty of it.?

Fifteen times stronger than steel but floats on water, Dyneema® fibre has long been used to moor oilrigs, sail ships, stop bullets and repair human ligaments. As a fabric component, it?s becoming increasingly popular with high-performance sports ? from mountain climbing to motorcycling. Besides offering unparalleled protection, Dyneema® fibre is also soft, light and thermally conductive ? keeping your skin feeling cool in the sweatiest of conditions. As a composite fabric, it is becoming increasingly popular with high-performance sports ? from mountain climbing to motorcycling ? since it can also be engineered to enhance particular properties.

Dyneema® Denim offers increased protection to non-professional riders and commuters. Rider jeans can now be designed that increase safety without losing any sense of freedom or style. Newer versions of this Dyneema® Denim are also currently being developed in different colours and with water-repellent finishes. Dyneema® Denim provides revolutionary protection and comfort for motorcyclists who don?t want to skimp on style and fit. The short documentary ?TRAILBLAZERS: The Quest for Protective Single-Layer Motorcycle Denim?? (available on their website) gives the inside story on how world?s most durable denim is set to transform both the denim and motorcycling industries.

DSM Dyneema collaborated with Australian clothing label Saint, Italian denim mill Berto E.G. Industria Tessile S.r.l. and technical yarn spinners Filtes International S.r.l. to bridge the gap between fashion and technical clothing worlds and come up with a denim that could protect motorcyclists. The resulting ultra-strong Dyneema® Denim is almost indestructible and outperforms typical jeans and jackets by a factor of seven in terms of abrasion resistance, durability and tear strength ? while still aging like regular denim. The motorcycling-inspired label Saint has been using Dyneema® Denim for its Unbreakable line of pants and jackets since 2014. As Saint co-founder Mike Lelliott says in the documentary: ?It?s made to protect you when things go random.?

The Berto mill is currently developing an even stronger version of Dyneema® Denim that will be CE safety certified ? making Dyneema® Denim a viable alternative to leather and therefore a game changer for the denim industry. ?We?re really just at the beginning of what?s possible,? says Lelliott.

ISPO Awards

The ISPO TEXTRENDS 2016 forum awarded seven different Dyneema® Fabrics with ISPO Awards for ?Best Products Spring/Summer 2016?. ISPO TEXTRENDS is a presentation platform that identifies and honours trend-leading performance textile technologies that can be applied to the outdoor and sportswear industry. This year, ISPO?s eyes fell happily on the lightweight strength and versatility of Dyneema® Fabrics.

The all-rounder: ?Best Product Soft Equipment? ISPO Award went to CT9HK. 18/blkwov6. This backpack and bag fabric combines Dyneema® strength with the abrasion-resistance of woven polyester.

Lean and mean: A ?Top 5 Soft Equipment? ISPO Award went to CT0.3E.08, an extremely light and thin fabric ideal for emergency shelters and jackets.

No stretch: Another ?Top 5 Soft Equipment? ISPO Award went to CT2HHBSW6-2.0. Dyneema® fibres are placed in 4-directions to create an ultimately low-stretch fabric for footwear and bags.

The great light outdoors: A ?Selection Soft Equipment? ISPO Award went to CT2E.08 OD, an ultra-lightweight Dyneema® Composite Fabric. It was especially designed for tents and tarps used by minimalist backpackers.

Flex meets strength: Another ?Selection Soft Equipment? ISPO Award went to CT9HK.18/W6-2.0. Used for backpacks and bags, a flexible abrasion-resistant urethane coating shows off the high-tech Dyneema® fibres below.

Comfort meets protection: A ?Selection Street Sports? ISPO Award went to Kinetech Guard, an elastic Dyneema® Woven Fabric for rip- and abrasion-resistant protective shorts for cycling and other street sports. Another ?Selection Street Sports? ISPO Award went to DDRD0021, a Dyneema® Denim designed for protective motorcycle jackets and pants.

DSM Dyneema is the inventor and manufacturer of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre branded as Dyneema®, the world?s strongest fibre?. Dyneema® offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40 per cent stronger than aramid fibres, both on weight for weight basis. Dyneema® fibre floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited. Dyneema® is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. Dyneema® is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in the medical sector.

In addition, Dyneema® is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel. Furthermore the new generation Dyneema® Fabrics offer next level innovations in denim, apparel, footwear, sports equipment and lightweight outdoor products and accessories.

UHMWPE products from DSM Dyneema are produced in Heerlen (The Netherlands), Greenville, North Carolina and Mesa, Arizona. DSM Dyneema is also a partner in a high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) manufacturing joint venture in Japan.

Dyneema® Carbon: A perfect marriage for lightweight performance

Dyneema® Carbon hybrid composites represent a leap in the evolution of carbon. The world?s strongest fibre significantly improves the performance of pure carbon composites in terms of weight, impact resistance, ductility and vibrational dampening. Join us in building a shatterproof world.

The lightweight performance power of Dyneema® Carbon hybrid composites was presented at the plastics and rubber K Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, 19-26 October 2016. Ongoing projects which were highlighted demonstrated how Dyneema® Carbon improves the performance of sports and automotive motorsports products that currently rely on pure carbon composites. Imagine a hockey stick with a better feel through reduced vibration, or a rally racecar component that does not shatter on impact ? and that?s just for starters.

The popularity of pure carbon is easy to explain: ?It?s strong, stiff, lightweight and easy to mould. But it?s not so good at handling impacts,? notes DSM Dyneema scientist and part-time professor at Delft University of Technology Roel Marissen. Carbon also splinters when it breaks, which can cause injuries. By marrying carbon with Dyneema®, impact energy absorption can be increased by up to 100 per cent while removing the risk of splintering. Dyneema® Carbon hybrid composites are also lighter, less brittle and more vibration dampening than pure carbon composites.

Fifteen times stronger than steel but floats on water, Dyneema® fibre has long been used to moor oilrigs, sail ships, stop bullets and repair human ligaments. As a fabric component, it?s becoming increasingly popular with high-performance sports apparel and athletic sportswear ? from mountain climbing to motorcycling.

Now as part of a hybrid composite, Dyneema® can bring its lightweight strength to products currently using pure carbon composites ? covering everything from golf clubs to racing bikes to steering wheels. The possibilities are endless.