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Image courtesy of DuPont

Stab-resistant, knife-resistant, cut-resistant—no matter how you say it, these types of fabrics are made to protect security and law enforcement personnel from knife attacks, as well as any other places where someone could be cut, including industrial settings, food processing, sports, and outdoor gear.

&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Stab-proof fabric or cut-proof fabric is something that should prevent any kind of an object from going in and causing harm to you,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; explains Sundaresan Jayaraman, professor in the School of Material Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Just as in the olden days, when metal (armor) acted as a barrier for the sword, we want this to act as a barrier to prevent the object that wants to go in from going in.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

Let’s take a look at some examples of cut-resistant fabrics—how they work and are tested—as well as how this industry is responding to trends such as comfort and sustainability.

How Are Cut-Resistant Fabrics Made and Tested?

At DuPont, cut-resistant fabrics are made with yarns that can be made from high performance cut resistance fibers, such as Kevlar, High Performance Polyethylene (HPPE), or engineered to provide this resistance through the use of materials such as glass or steel as a core within the yarn as a sheath, says Eric Key, DuPont Kevlar engineer, technical sales.

&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;The DuPont engineered fibers are mainly made from steel core yarns and some from a fiberglass core that utilize Kevlar fibers and other materials such as nylons or polyesters as sheath to enhance comfort and performance characteristics,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; Key continues. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;These high cut-resistant core materials work in conjunction with the Kevlar fiber to give the cut-resistant characteristics we design these yarns for. Our stab-resistant fabric is made with a small, low denier yarn that is woven extremely tight, minimizing the &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8216;gaps&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8217; between the yarns, making the fabric as much like a solid material as possible.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

Over the years, Kozane High-Performance Fabrics has created many such fabrics, says Global Business Development Manager Eve Lamb. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Using high-performance fibers with high tensile strength and resistance to cutting, in combination with our unique 3D patented knitting technology, we manufacture some of the most cut-resistant fabrics in the world,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; she explains.

According to Lamb, cut-resistant fabrics undergo standardized testing to assess their performance against cutting hazards—one of the most common methods in the US is the cut resistance standard from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), which became effective in North America in March 2016.

&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Based on the ASTM F2992-15 testing method, cut resistance is measured on a 9-level scale from level A1 (the lowest) to A9 (the highest),&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; Lamb details. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;The test involves using a rotating circular blade under controlled conditions to determine the force required to cut through the fabric. Our fabrics range from ANSI A6 to A9 for cut resistance.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

Make It Comfortable

Currently, one big trend in stab-resistant fabrics is comfort.

Jayaraman says while stab-proof fabrics need to be functional, they also need to be lightweight and comfortable. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;You don&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8217;t want to be wearing something that prevents you from doing what you&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8217;re supposed to be doing,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; he explains. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;For instance, every time a meat [cutter is] working, [he] wants [his] gloves to protect [his] hands, but at the same time, [he] wants [his] dexterity to be preserved. And most importantly, if [he’s] going to be wearing it on [his] body, he does not want it to irritate the skin.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

Lamb says there has been a focus on producing cut-resistant, lighter, and more flexible fabrics without compromising protection. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;This improves the wearer&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8217;s comfort and range of motion, making the fabrics suitable for more applications,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; she continues. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;After years of R&D, we are imminently preparing to launch a new, lightweight, cut-resistant fabric which has achieved the maximum cut-resistance level (ANSI A9), weighing only 253 g/m². We are also preparing to launch an ANSI A6 fabric weighing only 174 g/m², which is ideal for sports applications.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

Make It Sustainable

And just like the rest of the textile industry, sustainability is a key trend in the cut-resistant fabric marketplace.

&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;The challenge with recycling engineered yarns integrated into protective gloves and apparel is that the complexity of the yarns makes separating out the various components to be recycled extremely difficult,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; Key explains. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Additionally, the vast majority of protective gloves are coated to enhance the user’s grip, and these materials are also difficult to separate from the final glove product. Much of the focus is integrating sustainable materials at the front-end of the process, or by making the manufacturing process itself more sustainable and energy efficient. Our stab-resistant Kevlar fabric is much easier to recycle as it is made from a single component of Kevlar and can easily be reclaimed.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

A Cut Above the Rest

Image courtesy of DuPont

Looking towards the future of the knife-resistant fabric industry, Lamb believes it&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8217;s plausible that cut-resistant fabrics could see increased use across new sectors. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;While industries with clear safety hazards and regulations are the popular target audience, we may see increased use of cut-resistant fabrics across many sectors in the future where their benefits have not been harnessed yet,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; she adds.

Key predicts we will continue to see a push for thinner, lightweight gloves and a continued push for sustainable materials used in the manufacturing of the fabric. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;The big trends most likely will continue to be around comfort and sustainability,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; he continues. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;We also expect to continue to see multi-hazard protection as an increasing focus, as workers need protection against a variety of hazards in a single solution.&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

And Jayaraman says 3D printing will play a major role, as well as looking towards nature for new ideas. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Which animals have very hard skin or hard surface, and can we emulate them by using printing or additive manufacturing,&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221; he explains. &/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8220;Can we create some materials that have those characteristics of hardness that you need, and then be able to make them using some of the polymeric materials?&/aatcc-news_aactccnews_10a/8221;

No matter what the future holds, there will always be a need for cut-resistant fabrics.

Kevlar Xtreme Cut E-7. Image courtesy of DuPont.

ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥ the Author

 is a journalist, editor, and freelance writer with more than 25-years’ experience. A former associate editor for Nonwovens Industry, her byline can be found in a variety of consumer and trade publications, with past and current clients including Medical News Today, IAAPA’s Funworld Magazine, Rinksider Magazine, International Bowling Industry magazine, and HomeTalk.com, as well as ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Review and ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥News.