The below chart outlines some of the basic qualitites of FR Fabrics used in making arc flash and fire resistant clothing. We hope that this chart will provide valuable information about popular Fire Resistant materials such as Nomex IIIA, Indura Ultra Soft, and Protera and will help you determine the appropriate arc flash clothing type that would work best for your particular application.
Please check out our FR Clothing Requirements page for hints in selecting the proper level of Arc Flash PPE for a specific task. That page provides guidelines on selecting FR Clothing types for specific jobs and the different ways that fire resistant clothing is rated. Once you know what type of arc flash clothing or arc flash kit you need to get, please visit our internet store Legion Safety Products for a wide selection of FR Clothing. And if you do not find the exact fire resistant garment that you would like to get, please don’t hesitate to call us.
The Initial Cost on the below FR Fabric Guideline is the comparison of cost of a FR garment made of a specific material compared to the same made from another material. The Life Cost includes the cost of maintaining the garment combined with the Initial Cost. Thus, an FR Coverall made from expensive material that lasts for a long time and is easy to maintain (launder, etc) can have a “low” Life Cost.
The information provided in this chart is based on the literature from Workrite Uniforms, which provides extensive information about arc flash clothing and standards governing requirements of fire resistant clothing on job sites.
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Fabric
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Description and Content
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Typical Applications
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Common Colors
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Initial Price
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Life Cost
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Estimated Wear Life
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Comments
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| Nomex IIIA | Inherently flame-resistant fiber blend of 93% Nomex, 5% Kevlar and 2% antistatic fiber. Nomex IIIA fiber is made by DuPont. | Flash fire and electric arc; Fire service station wear; Auto racing; Military | Khaki, Light Blue, Navy, Orange, Red, Royal, Spruce, Yellow | High | Low | 3-5 years | Not suitable for molten metal, dedicated welding or chemical barrier protection applications. |
| Comfort Blend | Inherently flame-resistant fiber blend of 65% Nomex IIIA and 35% Lenzing FR. Comfort Blend is made by TenCate™, Inc. Part of the Nomex Comfortwear collection. | Flash fire and electric arc | Denim, Gray, Khaki, Light Blue | High | Moderately Low | 2-4 years | Improved comfort performance compared to Nomex. Very good protection. Not suitable for molten metal, dedicated welding nor chemical barrier protection applications. |
| CXP of Nomex | Inherently flame-resistant fiber blend of 93% Nomex, 5% Kevlar and 2% antistatic fiber. CXP is made by Milliken & Company. | Flash fire and electric arc | Khaki, Midnight Navy | High | Low | 3-5 years | Improved comfort and durability over other FR products. Not suitable for molten metal, dedicated welding nor chemical barrier protection applications. |
| Amplitude | Flame-retardant treated 88% cotton and 12% nylon blend. Ammonia-free FR treatment process with engineered comfort stretch. Amplitude fabric is made by Milliken & Company. | Electric arc | Khaki, Medium Blue, Navy | Moderate | Moderately Low | 2-3 years | Engineered stretch to improve comfort and increase ease of movement. |
| Advance | Inherently flame-resistant blend of 40% Nomex and 60% Kevlar. Advance is made by TenCate™ Protection Fabrics. | Welding | Navy | Very High | Low | 3-5 years | For molten metal applications. |
| Indura | Flame-retardant treated 100% cotton. The FR performance is guaranteed for the life of the garment, assuming recommended laudering and use procedures are followed. Indura fabric is made by Westex, Inc. | Electric arc Welding, steel and ferrous metals |
Denim, Khaki, Medium Blue, Medium Gray, Navy, Orange, Royal | Low | Moderately High | 1-1.5 years | Fabrics feel very similar to 100% cotton, and are heavier than inherently FR fabrics. |
| Inudra Ultra Soft | Flame-retardant treated 88% cotton and 12% nylon blend. The FR performance is guaranteed for the life of the garment, assuming recommended laudering and use procedures are followed. Indura Ultra Soft fabric is made by Westex, Inc. | Electric arc; Welding, steel and ferrous metals; Military | Brown Duck, Chambray, Charcoal Gray, Denim, Khaki, Medium Blue, Navy, Red, Royal, Silver Gray |
Moderately Low | Moderately Low | 2-3 years | Soft feel or “hand;” enhanced durability compared to 100% cotton FR-treated products. |
| PRO-CFR Knit | A durable, flame-retardant treated 100% cotton interlock knit for increased comfort and protection. Pro-CFR Knit is made by SSM Industries, Inc. | Electric arc; Fire service station wear | Navy, Khaki | Moderate | Moderate | 1-1.5 years | Meets NFPA 70E HRC 2 with 11 cal/cm2 arc rating. Pro-CFR is the lightest weight single-layer fabric to achieve this high of a rating and still boast an extremely soft hand. Excellent selection for tee shirts and Henleys. |
| PBI Gold | Inherently flame-resistant fiber blend of 40% polybenzimidizole and 60% Kevlar. PBI fiber is made by PBI Performance Products, Inc.; Kevlar fiber is made by DuPont. | Flash fire and electric arc | Natural (brownish-yellow) | High | High | 2-4 years | Available in its one natural color only; color darkens in UV light. |
| Firewear | Blend of 55% fibrous flame-retardant fiber and 45% combed pima cotton fiber. Firewear fabric is made by Springfield LLC. | Electric arc; Fire service station wear | Gray, Navy | Moderately High | Moderately High | 1-2 years | Not recommended for flash-fire protection. |
| Dupont Protera | Inherently flame-resistant fiber blend of 65% modacrylic, 23% Nomex, 10% Kevlar and 2% antistatic fiber. Protera is made by DuPont. | Electric arc | Khaki , Medium Blue, Navy | Moderate | Moderate | 3-4 years | Meets NFPA 70E HRC 2 with improved comfort and durability. Not suitable for molten metal, dedicated welding nor chemical barrier protection applications. |