Why aren’t Kevlar Clothes More Common?

Kevlar is a packed polymer fiber that possesses a great deal of tensile strength. This resistance to shredding and deformation makes it the preferred material for protective vests and gear. Plus, it is a lightweight material with fire resistance.

But have you ever wondered why we do not have a lot of clothes made of Kevlar? It would be fantastic to have your favorite clothes that make use of high tensile strength material not wearing and tearing.

You could own those clothes for years and save yourself some quid in the long run, hypothetically of course. If it is so fantastic, why don't we have such clothes that could literally last a lifetime? Why have no clothing stores ever thought to sell these, not even the exclusive ones?

Well, we will cover all these questions in this guide.

Use of Kevlar in Clothing

Kevlar has been manipulated over time and its threads have been woven into a fabric, resulting in bulletproof vests. There are mixes of composite materials and Kevlar on the market. In fact, Kevlar is used in certain shoes, sports equipment, vehicles, musical instruments, and ski boards for durability and lightness. However, when it comes to clothes there are some considerations for their use.

Clearly, Kevlar clothes are not more common. While not found in your local branch of Walmart and Waitrose, there are places where you can buy clothing that is Kevlar fitted. What you will find are mostly vests and gear that fit in with normal clothing, because it is the best place for it.

Firstly, you will need needles that can sew Kevlar clothes together and scissors to make your cuts. It is easy when making a sheet or threads of it, but a full garment? That will be looking for a needle in a haystack.

Although good for protection and lightweight, Kevlar causes a lot of heat for its wearers. It needs a lot of heat to make it melt, and your body cannot do that. Your cotton clothes let you breathe and perspire freely. Kevlar? Not so much.

Kevlar clothing tends to be expensive. There is little reason for a garment factory to begin the process of manufacturing clothes that very few people can afford, and that even fewer people will be interested in purchasing.

Then, of course, if you want to wear Kevlar clothes, you should know that the material is not waterproof. Washing will cause it to lose its properties over time. It would not be the same as when you first purchased it. You would be back to your old clothes and wonder why you thought it was such a fantastic idea in the first place.

It is also worth of note that Kevlar does not go well with sunlight. The end result would be the same as if you decided to wash your Kevlar outfit. If you cannot wear your clothes in the daytime, then you could probably be a mercenary of darkness.

Is Kevlar legal for civilians? Yes, but only if you have no criminal record. Otherwise everywhere would be a potential battlefield with Kevlar ownership on display.

Can we have Kevlar clothing? We can, but at this point, it is not worth it to manufacture such clothes.

For any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at toby@gdcalm.com.