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Future Armour Armstrong, A. and Muirhead, A. Submitted in the repository Curve in January 2014 Original citation: Armstrong, A. and Muirhead, A. (2010). Future Armour. (Personal protective equipment). Coventry: Coventry University Copyright and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Several images have also been included and these are protected by a creative commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivs 3.0 Unported License. CURVE is the Institutional Repository for Coventry University http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open

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Future Armour Ltd. Armstrong and Muirhead are setting up Future Armour Ltd a University Spin Out company. Taking on the challenge to establish a recognizable, strong premium workwear brand in the UK, using the latest smart fabrics, cutting edge manufacturing processes and creative pattern cutting, to improve usability, protective characteristics and desirability, thus significantly contributing to preventing injuries and saving lives. Armstrong led the research on sourcing and testing the latest smart fabrics, coatings and trims their assessment in relation to current H&S standards. She investigated the sustainability of materials and manufacturing processes and impact of end user activity (washing and drying). Armstrong met with Sally Cowan Ltd and attended Bread and Butter at Berlin Fashion Week, Premiere Vision, Paris (the worlds premiere textile fair) and KTN Materials - Advances in Protective Clothing conference to inform the project. Muirhead, led work on end user needs in terms of ergonomics, the assessment of current H&S regulations, and ensuring all products met those standards. She devised the innovative pattern cutting and manufacturing methods and sourced manufacturers with appropriate production skills and equipment. Armstrong and Muirhead have been contacted by Clifford P. Lockyer CEO of Redbacks Leaf Spring Technology and Ross Boulding City Link, a national logistics company who have shown serious interest in Future Armour and are now working with Armstrong and Muirhead on individual PPE projects. Armstrong and Muirhead are now in the first stages of product development and will launch the brand at the Health and Safety Facilities Show at the NEC in Birmingham in October 2013. Going forward Armstrong and Muirhead have met with experts in the military, fire service and ballistics all of whom are experiencing the same issues with PPE as the construction industry identifying a potential broader application for the brand in a global market.

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Future Armour Ltd.

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1 st toile fitting This image has been removed as it contains an identifiable person

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Existing ATS trouser

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Existing knee pads