Winners demonstrate how Nomex® and Kevlar® fabrics and fibres can advance sustainability, multi-hazard protection, and firefighter safety.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) recently announced the winners of its 2025 Innovation Awards for Thermal and Mechanical Protection, recognizing some of the most exciting developments in the personal protective equipment (PPE) and Emergency Response industries. This year marks the first global edition of the awards — open to new products made using either Nomex® or Kevlar® fabrics or fibers. The expanded scope of the awards, recently held at the A+A show in Düsseldorf, Germany, acknowledges the growing demand for multi-hazard protection in light of evolving risks.
Reducing the environmental footprint of PPE, advancing recyclability and helping protect workers against unprecedented electrical hazards were among the common themes from this year’s entries. Firefighter safety also took center stage, with multiple entries addressing the growing awareness of the particulate hazards firefighters are increasingly exposed to, including emerging risks from electric vehicle fires.
“DuPont is proud to recognize the winners of our Innovation Awards that bring together Nomex® and Kevlar® innovations from all regions for the first time,” said Stephanie Vrakas, Global Market Leader at DuPont Personal Protection. “These award recipients have developed innovative solutions for the Industrial PPE and Emergency Response industries through all-in-one, multi-hazard solutions that protect workers and firefighters more effectively while advancing sustainability.”
The awards’ judges evaluated each entry based on key aspects such as product performance, innovative design, quality of manufacturing, and environmental responsibility among others. Participants from all continents submitted entries across four categories: Nomex® for Industrial PPE, Kevlar® for Industrial PPE, Nomex® Fabrics, and Nomex® & Kevlar® for Emergency Response.
Combining multi-hazard protection with sustainability was a source of inspiration for two of the winning products in the first category, Nomex® for Industrial PPE. Phenix protective clothing from French company, Groupe Mulliez-Flory, is made using Nomex® Comfort fabric with EcoForce™ finish. It protects workers across the oil and gas, chemical, and electrical sectors against multiple hazards while enhancing durability and sustainability. Spain’s Iturri SA has developed post-consumer Nomex® Recycled garments for the oil and gas industry, using a fabric with 30 percent recycled materials. Another winner in the Nomex® for Industrial PPE category was the Weldforce Welding Suit from Turkish company, İşmont Tekstil, which combines flame and heat resistance with enhanced mobility for demanding tasks. The fourth and final winner was the 40 Cal LAN Series Arc Flash Suit from USA-based SureWerx. This ultra-lightweight suit provides optimal worker comfort while meeting the highest arc flash protection requirements for workers across renewables, electrification, and other sectors.
Three of the winners in the second category, Kevlar® for Industrial PPE, were protective gloves that provide both performance and comfort. Swedish company, Ejendals, developed the TEGERA® welding gloves, combining heat and cut protection with optimal fit, comfort, and fingertip control. The Kevlar® SoftShield 379 Level A9 Liner, designed by Escorts Advanced Textiles in Pakistan, combines the highest cut protection level (A9) with the softest Kevlar®-based fabric with steel reinforcement. The ultra-light G-Tek® Paradox™ 21 Gauge (09-K3511) Cut Resistant Gloves, from American manufacturer, PIP Global Safety, deliver outstanding dexterity, tactile sensitivity, and heat resistance. The fourth and final winner in the category was the Anti-laceration, Flame-Resistant, and Antistatic sleeve developed by France’s S.E.R.B. Regain Perform. This versatile PPE is ideal for law enforcement and security personnel as well as glass industry workers.
Firefighter protection was one of the driving forces behind most of the winners in the remaining two categories. Rambo Outershell Fabric for firefighter suits developed by Chinese company Ibena Shanghai features Nomex® spun yarn interwoven with Kevlar® filament, delivering tensile strength that’s 30 percent higher than conventional fabrics. Nomex® Xtreme Max, developed by Kipas Mensucat Isletmeleri A.S., from Türkiye, provides firefighter suits with high mechanical performance. UK-based PGI Safety Ltd developed the BarriAire Carbon Laminate Nano Flex Particulate Hood with enhanced performance. Nomex® Nano Flex LAM AIR hoods from France’s Alpex Protection Particulates feature an innovative air cushion between the different layers that increases breathability and thermal protection.
Another French winner was the 7158 Navy protective fire-resistant knit from Sofileta. This fabric can protect workers against electric arc hazards as well as chemical liquids according to the EN13034 standard. Elastic Premium fabric for all types of protective garments, designed by German company, Theodolf Fritsche GmbH, uses a unique elastic yarn that is much more durable than Elasthan.
For more information about the DuPont Innovation Awards, visit: https://www.dupont.com/personal-protection/nomex-kevlar-awards.html
