The TenCate Defense & Tactical business unit of Union City, Ga.-based TenCate Protective
Fabrics North America — a manufacturer of inherently flame resistant (FR) fabrics, and a division
of the Netherlands-based Royal Ten Cate — has received an order for TenCate Defender
™ M FR fabrics to be used in Inclement Weather Combat Shirts (IWCS) for the U.S. Marine
Corps. The fabric was ordered by Venore, Tenn.-based Short Bark Industries Inc., an apparel company
that was awarded a military contract for 180,000 IWCS over an 18-month period. Short Bark has
already begun production of the garments, which will be provided to troops deployed abroad.
The IWCS features several different TenCate Defender M fabrics — which are made using a
proprietary blend of fibers including Lenzing
® FR fiber from Austria-based Lenzing AG
(See “TenCate Expands the TenCate Defender™ M Family of Products,” www.
TextileWorld.com, Feb. 16, 2010)
— including two different knitted fabrics and a new stretch woven technology. The garment
also contains a TenCate Defender M laminate fabric, and is the first military garment to feature
this laminate.
“The flame resistant IWCS was designed to provide increased protection from wind and rain
while offering breathable water repellency for cold weather climates,” said Nick Pence, military
market manager, TenCate Defense & Tactical.
Defender M fabrics come in a variety of styles and have been used in many U.S. Army and
Marine Corps garments
(See
“TenCate Receives Additional US Military Orders,” www.
TextileWorld.com, Oct. 23, 2007).
April 6, 2010
