What is SuperFabric®?

SuperFabric® is a technical process developed by Higher Dimension Materials, Inc, where they take a base fabric such as nylon, polyester, etc. and overlay it with tiny, hard plates (“guard plates”) in a specific arrangement. The gaps between guard plates allow complete flexibility and are small enough to resist sharp objects from penetrating. It was originally developed for the medical industry to be used in gloves that could resist penetration by surgical knives or hypodermic needles, but is now used in a wide variety of applications such as industrial safety, military, fire-resistant/protective apparels and fabric for transportation vehicles (including seat covers for Ferrari and Land Rover).

We’ve begun seeing it in motorcycle jackets and gloves and it is a welcome technology. These small “armor plates” (the materials used are proprietary to the manufacturer, but they appear to be some sort of polymer) are adhered to ballistic nylon and other fabrics traditionally used in motorcycle apparel. They are very flexible and add a high degree of abrasion resistance. Unlike the external armor pieces we’ve seen like titanium plates that require stitching to the outer fabrics and are vulnerable to the stitching tearing during a crash, these small “armor plates” are part of the fabric itself, greatly adding to the durability of that fabric, even under extreme circumstances.

This jacket has panels of Superfabric® overlaying the shoulders, adding a great degree of abrasion resistance to this critical area without adding to the overall weight of the jacket or taking away from the flexibility you need. They were even able to create a stylized pattern in the armor.

These gloves have a panel of Superfabric® overlaying the heel of the hand and wrapping around the side, probably the area that you need protection the most.