Trends are not so important when it comes to the manufacturers of flame resistant apparel. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that the companies are always looking forward to experiments that can blend style and safety.
Santa Ana-based Benchmark FR is one such seller of flame and arc flash resistant clothing. Taking a more fashionable approach, the company has come up with options that are functional and push the corners of innovation, at the same time.
The company has launched a casual-looking Hawaiian shirt line that has all the properties of their existent flame resistant collection. The shirts shield wearers against industrial flash fires and electric arcs which are known to reach hazardous temperatures that can go up to 14,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The design of the shirt consists of a single layer, full sleeve shirt that boasts of NFPA 2112 compliance and Arc Level/HRC 2 rating. In addition to this, the lightweight shirt has a moisture wicking property thereby placing quality and comfort at the highest rank.
John O’Sullivan, Founder, Benchmark FR, explained, “While it looks like you’re wearing a long sleeve t-shirt under a Hawaiian shirt, it’s a single layer. Long sleeves are required for the outermost layer, but we didn’t want to make a fully printed men’s long sleeve shirt that could be mistaken for a blouse.”
Interestingly enough, the idea behind launching this product was a social media post of a similar shirt that was shared as a joke. However, due to several people asking how they can purchase this product, the company finally decided to put their heads to work and create this ‘Aloha’ and cover a gap for fashionable functional apparel in the market.
