Innovative Heat & Flame Retardant Fabric for Fire Fighters and Emergency Professionals.
For 7 generations, Hainsworth have been continuously driven to understand the needs of our customers and to create market leading innovations.
Amanda McLaren – Managing Director
Protecting firefighters for over 150 years
Hainsworth’s heritage is inseparable from the history of the UK Fire Service. Our parent business, AW Hainsworth & Sons, originally started as a manufacturer of protective woollen fabric for the military, and this iconic scarlet cloth is still worn by the Queen’s Guards to this day. When the London Fire Brigade was established by Eyre Massey Shaw in the late 1800s, Hainsworth was the natural supplier for its uniform fabric. London’s firefighters were kitted out in our wool melton fabric, at the time considered the apex of technology for its inherent flame retardant properties. Find out more about the history of Hainsworth Protective Fabrics.
Pioneering fabric technology
In the 1970s we introduced protective fabrics woven with man-made flame retardant fibres to the market for the first time. We continued to develop flame retardant fabrics that delivered even more protection than before, working closely with firefighters to meet the changing requirements of their role. Now, Hainsworth cloth is worn by firefighters around the world. The cutting-edge work of our product development teams have seen Hainsworth Protective Fabrics be awarded with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise and a DuPont European Innovation Award. Learn more about our products.
Unparalleled fibre knowledge
We have an unrivalled knowledge of the unique qualities of different fibres and how they can be woven together to maximise their benefits, built up over our long history as textile manufacturers. In 2000 we invented the first intelligent flame retardant textile in which the fibres were separated out to enhance their protective qualities. We call this approach to textile development Fibre Positioning Technology – the unique placement of fibres to deliver fabric greater than the sum of its parts. We continue to use Fibre Positioning Technology when inventing new fabrics to this day. Find out more about Fibre Positioning Technology by watching the video below:
Your safety is our top priority
Standards are vital to ensure that all PPE meets minimum safety requirements and effectively protects the wearer. Hainsworth was involved in the formation of some of the world’s earliest standards bodies, and our people continue to sit on BSI, CEN and ISO committees alongside fellow experts to this day.
As manufacturers, it is our responsibility to ensure that our fabrics perform to the highest possible level and meet all requirements for the end user. We are committed to listening to the voice of the firefighter to understand their needs and the demands of their job, and help to ensure this feedback is reflected in the development of new PPE standards.
A list of the standards our fabrics comply to can be found here.
State-of-the-art lab facilities
Our UKAS-accredited on-site laboratory allows us to rigorously test our fabrics at all stages of the manufacturing process, ensuring that they meet the vital specifications required for their end use. Our highly experienced laboratory team can carry out a range of tests for evaluating specific textile properties, including tensile strength, rub tests and colour fastness. Watch videos of our lab in action.
Trusted by wearers across the world
Hainsworth Protective Fabrics are currently worn by firefighters across the world. Our flame retardant textiles help to protect firefighters in countries including: the United Kingdom, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Chile, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, China, France, Switzerland, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, and the United States of America.
Our fabrics are designed and developed with the specific needs of the end user in mind, and we take the time to listen to emergency services personnel when creating new products. We have developed textiles for use in a wide range of firefighting scenarios, including structural firefighting, wildland firefighting, urban search and rescue, water rescue, electric arc, and road traffic collisions.
As well as delivering textiles for firefighters, we have also developed fabrics specifically for use by police (riot coveralls) and military.
Want to know more? Read testimonials from the working firefighters that we help to keep safe.
Our partners
Hainsworth Protective Fabrics only work with garment manufacturers that share our core values and are dedicated to providing the best in quality and protection. We partner with several of the world’s leading PPE suppliers and work in collaboration with them to drive product innovation and continue to ensure the safety of the end user. Find our list of partner suppliers here.
Meet us
Hainsworth Protective Fabrics can be found at industry conferences, trade shows and exhibitions across the world, all year round. See where you can catch us next.
Our products
Find out more about each of our state-of-the-art protective fabrics below.