Heathcoat Fabrics designs and produces military-grade textiles used across a variety of critical end-use applications.

Our defence fabrics are tailored to meet exact military and law enforcement specifications and include ballistic protection, backpack comfort fabrics, load-bearing, parachute, chemical and fire protection, as well as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) solutions.

Through our continued investment in the latest manufacturing technology and industry-leading capabilities, we ensure our fabrics push performance beyond established parameters.

Riot Police during a student strike in Santiago, Chile.
Heathcoat Fabrics is an industry-leader in the manufacture of textiles for military applications.
The company has extensive experience supplying military and law enforcement companies.
The company’s solutions are designed for optimal reliability.
A Merlin Mk3A helicopter of 845 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) working from the flight deck of FS Mistral (French amphibious assault ship) in the Far East during Jeanne D’Arc 17. Two Merlin Mk3A helicopters and personnel 845 Naval Air Squadron were embarked on FS Mistral as part of the French Jeanne D’Arc 17 (JDA 17) task group in the Far East. 845 NAS, part of Commando Helicopter Force are based at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset are embarked on the French Ship to provide aviation support for duration of the deployment. Around 60 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel exercised with their counterparts from other nations during the five-month annual French naval deployment to the Indian Ocean and Far East, including the first ever four-part maritime exercise involving France, Japan, the UK and US. The two-staged exercise named Forager Deux and Arc 17 took place in the sea and in the skies near to Japan, Guam, and Tinian, with the purpose of enhancing joint operating between the UK and international partners and deepening Defence cooperation. In addition to UK maritime personnel, the exercise also included two Royal Navy Merlin Mk3 helicopters from the UK’s Commando Helicopter Force, which as part of a week-long practice assault moved 330 French, Japanese and American troops to and from Tinian.

Textile solutions for military applications

Heathcoat Fabrics is a key manufacturer of military and first responder textile solutions where reliability, durability and performance are paramount.

The key to our success is problem solving. Our proficient team of experienced textile engineers, chemists and design specialists work together with our dedicated in-house research and development team to exceed expectations.

Body armour, load carriage and tactical vest solutions

Fabrics are designed to be lightweight, strong and comfortable, providing optimum protection and comfort with minimal heat stress.

Partnered with Honeywell’s class-beating Spectra fibre, we have used our unique capabilities to create an advanced, super-light ballistic and fragmentation protection fabric, dramatically reducing the weight burden of traditional ballistic protection systems.

Ballistic and tactical vest systems also benefit from our high-tensile mesh and our own branded 3D Spacetec fabric for compression comfort and breathability with anti-odour and anti-bacterial treatments. These are also widely used on rucksacks and load carrying ammunition belts, as well as narrow camo printed webbings.

Technology for CBRN protection

Our specialist development team continue to innovate and expand the range of advanced fabrics for extremely hostile environments. We are currently developing material for CBRN protection and offer the capability to impregnate a wide range of woven, non-woven and knitted fabric with activated carbon formulations specifically engineered for the adsorption of chemical warfare agents.

Dedicated fabric processing technologies enable the processing of highly air permeable, extremely flexible and durable textile compounds and clothing systems.

Flame and particulate protection for defence operations

We have developed new generation of lightweight, comfortable, durable and breathable outershell fabrics, specifically designed for first response fire crews, wildfire and airforce fire fighters. The reduction in weight provides optimal unisex wear physiology with improved levels of flame protection.

Using our engineered protected aramid blends, Heathcoat outershell fabrics provide a higher percentage of strength retention after UV exposure than traditional aramid fibre solutions.

Our technical range of fully CE-marked clothing offers ultimate next to skin protection. The range includes balaclavas and fire hoods (with particulate protection), and EN13911-certified styles for firefighters.

We are now producing a range of face coverings in various styles and colour options with ISO18184:2019 tested anti-viral properties. Personalisation options are also available..

Battle dress proven in demanding military environments

Our fabrics are ideal for where flame retardance and heat protection are of paramount importance, such as for fighter pilots, air and tank crew. We create optimum protection combat gear fabrics using advanced fibres such as Kevlar, Nomex, and Pbi.

Using our extensive research and development capability, we have created Praetor-FR, a world-first ultra-durable Disruptive Print Material (DPM) woven with 100% aramid fibres, offering the ultimate in battle dress heat and flame protection.

Parachute fabrics for military mission requirements

From carrying chutes, ejector systems and UAVs, to all current space missions, our DecelAir parachute fabrics are the ideal choice.

We have been producing parachute fabrics for over 80 years and now offer our own Advanced Yarns for superior heat and UV resistance, producing canopies that are lightweight, strong and durable. For system manufacturers, we also offer rotproof pack fabrics and 3D Spacetec options for harnesses and backpacks.

Our engineering expertise has helped us produce new products, including the lightest reserve chute fabric currently available for drone and paragliding rescue chutes.

Key to survival and vehicle component systems

Unique and incredibly tough, Heathcoat Fabrics provides solutions for seating and suspension systems of tanks and helicopters. For when fabric performance is key to survival, special forces rely on our fabrics for FR tent liners, hammocks, and shelter sheets.