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Russell Athletic produces shoulder pads from carbon fibre

06 Sep '14

2 min read

Russell Brands will use excess carbon fibre that airplane producer Boeing disposes off from its usage in production of its 787 Dreamliner to make Russell Athletic protective athletic gear.

Russell Brands will incorporate the carbon fiber into Russell Athletic's new CarbonTek football shoulder pad system.

The CarbonTek with patent pending OS Technology shoulder pad system has the sports industry's first-ever exoskeleton made of aerospace-grade carbon fiber, which is thinner, stronger and is approximately 10 percent lighter compared to competitors.

The high-performance fiber also offers an increased range of motion and secure fit for the athlete's body.

Boeing and Russell Athletic see significant benefits in using aerospace-grade carbon fiber because the carbon filaments provide a high strength-to-weight ratio and greater durability.

Boeing, which markets surplus factory materials to meet the company's environmental and business goals, sees more opportunities to repurpose carbon fiber as it increases the use of composites in its commercial airplanes.

Currently, composite materials, which are made from carbon fibres, make up 50 percent of the primary structure of the 787, including the fuselage and wing.

Julie Felgar, MD of Environmental Strategy at Boeing says, "Our collaboration with Russell Athletic ‎is a fabulous opportunity to utilize the strength and lightweight characteristics of carbon fiber to support elite athletes on the field."

"We are thrilled to partner with Boeing and discover new ways to utilize carbon fiber used on the 787 to make innovative, game-changing products for the sports industry," Robby Davis, GM at Russell Athletic informs.

He adds, "It's an exciting opportunity for both companies to leverage the value of carbon fiber used in high-performance gear while helping to meet environmental goals."

Several elite collegiate players from Division I universities will be wearing the CarbonTek throughout the upcoming football season, as well as Russell Athletic's three pro football ambassadors; Pierre Garcon, Mark Ingram and Colt McCoy. (AR)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India