This article was originally published in the eBook, Officer down! A tactical guide to ambush prevention and response.
There’s more to soft body armor than stopping power. Sure, lightweight body armor can save lives in violent confrontations. But if you’re responsible for purchasing soft body armor, you have other issues to think about — like materials sourcing, health impacts and environmental sustainability.
There’s little doubt about the value of soft body armor. It’s proven combat-ready for soldiers, police and security teams worldwide thanks to the remarkable strength-to-weight ratio of fibers made from synthetic polymers like ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). For instance, Dyneema, a top manufacturer of UHMWPE materials for ballistic protection, boasts its fibers are 15 times stronger than an equal weight of quality steel. The latest generation of Dyneema is 44% lighter and thinner than generic polyethylene. The results are comfort, flexibility and safety when users need them most.
Agencies buying soft body armor need to think beyond the immediate benefits, however. Working through the three questions below will help cover all your bases and build a deeper understanding of the nuances of procuring soft body armor.
Do you know where all the materials are manufactured?
From the Pentagon to local police departments, “Buy American” rules (ex. Berry Amendment, Kissell Amendment, etc.) are baked into procurement policies. Some rules require everything within a product to be made on American shores. These rules have broad implications for soft body armor, which can be broadly thought of in two categories — ballistic materials and protective products. Ballistic materials include polymers and fibers woven into sheets that can repulse bullets and other sharp objects. Protection products include vests, helmets and other items that employ ballistic materials.
Dyneema’s line of ballistic materials illustrates the multifaceted nature of the manufacturing process. UHMWPE starts with a gas called ethylene, which Dyneema’s production line converts into powdered polyethylene, a popular variety of plastic. Heated polyethylene fibers get pressed through tiny holes to create bundles of filaments that get wound onto spools. This process aligns the molecular chains of the polyethylene, creating extra-strong fibers that can fend off gunshots when processed into unidirectional (UD) sheets.
The process of making UDs starts with fibers being laid out in parallel and impregnated with resin. Dried layers of the patterned fiber are then cut and dried in sheets and laminated in a criss-cross pattern to create Dyneema UD, the lightest bullet-resistant material on Earth.
Dyneema’s factory in Greenville, North Carolina, controls every phase of the materials manufactured for its U.S. market. Of the 400 employees who work there, 10% are veterans. Dyneema’s nearby US Technical Service Center helps product manufacturers design next-generation armor protection.
If you buy protection products made with Dyneema inside, you can be certain of full “Buy American” compliance. However, you’ll still have to confirm the sourcing of other ballistic materials in products from armor manufacturers, but you won’t have to worry about the protective Dyneema UD sheets.
What if your agency isn’t covered by “Buy American” rules? You still have issues to think about:
- Demand for soft body protection is rising worldwide, potentially stressing supply chains and motivating some manufacturers to cut corners. Foreign-made products could become unavailable if global supply chains get disrupted.
- Many fiber and sheet manufacturers source from vendors in China that don’t have the consistency, quality control or regulatory oversight of products made in the U.S.
- Buying products sourced from U.S. adversaries could attract negative publicity from voters and interest groups.
Compliance audits can require documentation of everything that goes into the products you buy from suppliers. Passing an audit requires assurance that you know as much as you can about the internal components of the products you buy. Moreover, a top provider like Dyneema makes an explicit promise that everything rolling out of its factory started out there — not on some distant shore where you have no transparency about the company, its workforce practices and its quality controls.
Are wearers protected from potentially hazardous chemicals?
Soft body armor that can stop a .45-caliber round may still have vulnerabilities. Over time, exposure to heat, water and bodily oils can weaken synthetic fibers, posing risks that would be exposed only when the protection was needed most. Moisture is especially troublesome because it degrades the performance of certain ballistic fibers.
To manage these kinds of risks, many para-aramid-based solutions require a surface treatment, typically using polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), to repel liquids such as water and oils. Because Dyneema inherently resists water, oils and moisture, and does not require surface treatments, it enables ballistic protection without intentionally added PFAS.
Does the manufacturer use Earth-friendly methods?
Soft body armor can have a smaller environmental footprint, from sourcing to manufacturing to recycling or disposal. Dyneema’s practices illustrate how forward-thinking manufacturers are helping public sector customers meet their sustainability goals.
“Bio” fibers: Soft body armor often uses ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) to gain superior strength and a long lifespan. Some protection products are available with bio-based Dyneema fiber, which delivers the same performance as conventional Dyneema but has a 90% lower carbon footprint than generic HMPE.
End-of-life: Are your soft body armor products recyclable, or will they end up in landfills? Bio-based Dyneema fiber is made from 100% renewable feedstock. Dyneema and its manufacturing customers collaborate to build products that last longer and can be recycled rather than thrown away when they wear out.
Power: Dyneema also uses up 100% renewable electricity in its manufacturing plants.
Partnerships: Teaming up with like-minded textile manufacturers helps Dyneema encourage sustainability throughout its industry and supply chain.
What to look for from soft body armor materials suppliers
The best vendors of soft body armor materials deliver:
- Transparency on materials, quality control and manufacturing. This includes full traceability from raw materials to end products, and information sheets and certificates of analysis for every sheet roll.
- Compliance with country-of-origin regulations.
- Widespread adoption among police forces and military branches.
- Quality and durability without hazardous chemicals like PFAS.
- Forward-thinking policies promoting recycling and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Reduced exposure to supply chain risks related to political or economic disruptions.
- Certification to ISO 9001:2015.
- In-depth quality control audits for end users and equipment-manufacturing partners.
Seeing the big picture on soft body armor
One lightweight body armor vest might save one life in an ambush or shootout. A well-thought-out purchase program, by contrast, can improve many lives throughout law enforcement and the community you serve.
This is the challenge facing purchasing officials in police departments, correctional facilities and other agencies that protect the public. Choosing a vendor that takes a holistic approach to protection can help agencies improve safety while promoting the well-being of everybody in their jurisdiction.
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