Protective materials and protective garments make using the materials are disclosed. The protective materials include metallic mesh layers sandwiched between inner and outer layers of fabric. The mesh is joined at one or both ends to pieces of elastic material that are also sandwiched between the layers of fabric and are joined to them. The metallic meshes are woven from stainless steel fiber having a diameter of less than 0.20 mm and have a largest space between fibers of less than 0.20 mm. The meshes may be regular cut or bias cut or a combination thereof. Multiple meshes may be overlaid such that their respective warp-fiber directions are oriented at an angle of 22.5 +/−5 degrees with respect to each other. The protective material may be used protective clothing such as, but not limited to, gloves, knee and elbow guards as described in detail in the specification.

A flexible unit cell is disclosed. The flexible unit cell is a single unit that can be repeated and interconnected to create a flexible design such as a covering for an object or person. The flexible unit includes a rigid portion and a flexible connection portion. Flexible units connect via the flexible connection portion to form a flexible design that can move and flex based on the connection of the flexible connection portions between flexible units. Further, the rigid portions of the flexible units may not be connected, allow such movement. The flexible unit is designed such that a flexible design made using such flexible units maintains a degree of rigidity so it can keep a shape of a surface of an object, but also maintains enough flexibility to conform to the surface even if the object bends or moves. Further disclosed are processes for manufacturing such flexible unit cells.

The present invention relates to a heat-storing and retaining fleece using a polyester yarn containing composite metal oxide particles. The heat-storing and retaining fleece of the present invention exhibits an excellent far-infrared emission property, an excellent heat-storing and retaining property, excellent spinning processability, and excellent dyeability.

A pocket may be attached to a front surface of a hunting vest. The pocket may have a pocket flap that, when released by a zipper, rotates about a lower edge of the pocket flap attached to the front surface of the hunting vest. The pocket flap may rotate between a substantially vertical position when the pocket is closed and a substantially horizontal position when the pocket is open. When the pocket is open and the pocket flap is in the horizontal position, one or more game calls stored in a corresponding one or more game call pouches may be accessed by the hunter with a single hand. Each game call pouch may have a first aperture for inserting and removing the game call and a second different aperture allowing the hunter to pull a striker against the game call to produce a desired sound. A sound passing aperture, opposite the game call pouch, may allow sound from the game call to exit the pocket. A sound passing mesh may cover each sound passing aperture to keep the game call(s) and striker(s) in the pocket, while keeping leaves and dirt out of the pocket.

A cushioning apparatus is provided including a gel-like body including a strap retaining channel sized and shaped to engage with a clothing strap of a garment therein and to fit between the clothing strap and a wearer of the garment. The gel-like body may include a bottom portion of a first material and a top portion attached the bottom portion, the bottom portion of a second material different from the first material. A clothing strap cushioning system is also provided including a garment having at least one clothing strap configured to be worn on a portion of a wearer's body and a cushioning member removably attached to a portion of the clothing strap, and including a retaining channel sized and shaped to hold the clothing strap therein and to fit between the clothing strap and a wearer of the garment.

A backpack shoulder strap protector includes laminated padded shoulder coverings that are in direct contact with the skin. The padded coverings are held together and in place by elastic material around the waist, also elastic material that is attached between the pads keeping them in place. The primary function is to prevent abrasion and damage of the skin due to the weight and movement of the backpack straps while walking that have clothing or other items under the straps.

A firefighter protective garment includes an external material and at least one abrasion resistant hem assembly. The external material has an inner surface and the at least one abrasion resistant hem assembly includes a strip of reinforcing material affixed along an edge of the firefighter protective garment to the inner surface of the external material by a fastener. The fastener is embedded within the external material.

A communications node includes an apparel item in the form of a harness that includes a primary portion. A halo element extends from the primary portion and is configured to be worn about the neck. A fastener that demountably couples the primary portion to the halo element. An antenna element positioned within the apparel item. An A/V hub is affixed to the halo portion and configured to receive audio/video input. A communications device and battery are positioned within the apparel item. A control circuit is positioned within the apparel item and communicatively coupled to the antenna element, the A/V hub, the communications device, and the battery. The A/V hub includes a microphone. The control circuit is configured to establish a self-organizing wide area network with a plurality of computing devices that connect directly, dynamically, and non-hierarchically to the WAN.

A fabric construct consists of a woven fabric of weft and warp yarns, and the fabric has an area defined by plurality of zones consisting of at least one zone of a first zone type, optionally, at least one zone of a second zone type; and at least one zone of a third zone type. The third zone is a transition zone disposed adjacent the first and/or second zones. All the zones are formed in a unitary woven construct, with adjacent zones seamlessly joined together. The transition zone includes a plurality of bands of sets of weft and/or warp yarns that collectively provide a progressive transition for an attribute of the first zone type through at least the transition zone and to the second zone type, if present. The fabric construct may be used in various end products and is particularly suited for use in apparel applications.

A fabric construct consists of a woven fabric of weft and warp yarns, and the fabric has an area defined by plurality of zones consisting of at least one zone of a first zone type, optionally, at least one zone of a second zone type; and at least one zone of a third zone type. The third zone is a transition zone disposed adjacent the first and/or second zones. All the zones are formed in a unitary woven construct, with adjacent zones seamlessly joined together. The transition zone includes a plurality of bands of sets of weft and/or warp yarns that collectively provide a progressive transition for an attribute of the first zone type through at least the transition zone and to the second zone type, if present. The fabric construct may be used in various end products and is particularly suited for use in apparel applications.