Timeline

For over 150 years innovation has been a key factor in allowing us to be a leader in delivering the best protective fabric possible.

Tom Hainsworth – 7th generation of the Hainsworth family

Hainsworth Protective Fabrics – Delivering Innovation to Fire Services Globally for over 150 Years.

1900

Supplying wool melton to London Fire Brigade

First motorised fire department organised in Springfield, Massachusetts

San Francisco earthquake fire burned 25,000 buildings and left 30,000 people dead

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in New York killed 148 workers and led to improved safety standards

Forest fires in Ontario, Canada destroyed nearly 800 square miles of forest and the towns of Matheson, Cochrane and Nushka Station killing 223

1916

Texas City Fire – 2300 tons of ammonium nitrate fertiliser exploded on freighter

The Royal Flying Corps formed in the UK with a distinctive blue uniform supplied by Hainsworth

Tokyo City Fire killed toll of 142,000 and left 570,000 homes destroyed

Black Friday Bushfires destroyed Victoria, Australia

1939

Fire destroyed much of the Hainsworth Mill

Hainsworth bought William Lupton and Co from the Great Grandparents of Kate Middleton

Judith Livers becomes the first female career firefighter in the world for Arlington County, Virginia Fire Department

Hainsworth introduce NOMEX® Type 450 to the UK MoD

1975

NFPA 1971 was first published

Hainsworth introduced NOMEX® III for fire-fighters turnout gear

Prince Charles wore Hainsworth cloth on his wedding to Lady Diana Spencer

Kings Cross tube fire leads to reform in PPE standards in the UK

EU Directive 89/656/EEC published

Hainsworth develop NOMEX® Delta T (Tough) with DuPont

1989

AFAC was founded

EN469:1995 Protective clothing for Firefighting published

Hainsworth supply NOMEX Z200 to London FB

Hainsworth develop & patent TI-technology

2000

NFPA 1971 was revised to include a THL requirement

Hainsworth introduce Hainsworth® TITAN

Hainsworth introduced Hainsworth® REPEL+

Hainsworth won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation for TI-TechnologyTM

Hainsworth introduced Hainsworth® ATLAS

7/7 bombings in London. EN469:2005 Protective clothing for Firefighters revised to include a requirement for WVR

2005

NFPA 1971 revised to include a more breathable THL requirement

Black Saturday bushfires in South-Eastern Victoria

Hainsworth showcased at Interschutz in Leipzig

The Royal Wedding, Princes William and Harry wore Hainsworth cloth.

Hainsworth introduced ECO-DRY technology

2012

Hainsworth Protective Fabrics and TITAN 1260 and ECO-DRY Shield launch

Grenfell Fire Tragedy in 2017. The official report of the disaster described the LFB’s TITAN PPE Kit’s performance as ‘exemplary’

Hainsworth introduced AGILE technology

2025