Press release:
WILMINGTON, Del., June 3, 2015 – DuPont Protection Technologies (DuPont) today announced that it continues its year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of DuPont™ Kevlar® with the sponsorship of ESPN’s X Games Austin 2015, June 4-7, and the release of a new two-minute R&D film featuring Kevlar® as a critical component in Big Wave surfboards.
DuPont™ Kevlar® has long been the advanced material behind apparel, accessories and equipment for countless summer sports, including biking, canoeing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, motorcycling, sailing, skateboarding, surfing and tennis; now, athletes, designers and engineers continue to Dare Bigger™ and innovate with Kevlar® to help transform a new generation of sports gear from Big Wave surfing to BMX to CrossFit®.
Surfing legend, surfboard shaper and founder of the Big Wave World Tour, a global big wave (>30 ft.) surfing tournament, Gary Linden partnered with professional big wave surfer Nic Lamb to design a unique line of surfboards engineered with DuPont™ Kevlar®. The R&D film features Linden and Lamb as they Dare Bigger™ and push the sport to new heights. “My goal was to make a surfboard that wouldn’t break as easily. A broken board turns everything into a possible worst-case scenario,” said Linden. “My surfboard is my survival vehicle.”
The Dare Bigger™ brand platform for Kevlar®, launched in 2014 at ESPN’s X Games Austin, represents inspiration for anyone who relies on the safety, durability and performance of the Kevlar® brand fiber. Kevlar® was invented by DuPont after DuPont scientist Stephanie Kwolek made her discovery of the first liquid crystal polymer in 1965. DuPont will feature several new consumer products engineered with Kevlar® at X Games in Austin including adidas football cleats, Walls workwear, Draggin motorcycle jeans and Reebok CrossFit® apparel and footwear.
“As the world’s leader in action sports, X Games is the perfect place to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kevlar®,” said Eric Johnson, executive vice president of global multimedia sales at ESPN. “The size and scope of X Games provide a great platform for the apparel, as athletes showcase how the gear provides solutions to their performance challenges in front of a very passionate X Games crowd – both on site and on television.”
The breadth and versatility of the Kevlar® technology platform helps enable customers to design products that make a difference when performance and safety are crucial. It is lightweight, extraordinarily strong and flame resistant. Best known for its use in ballistic and stab-resistant body armor, Kevlar® has helped to save the lives of thousands of people around the world. The use of Kevlar® has been extended to everything from fire fighter and industrial protective clothing to vehicles, fiber optic cables, mining belts, commercial aircraft and city roads. Kevlar® fiber also is used in many consumer products such as mobile phones and tires, in addition to sporting apparel, accessories and equipment.
This month, DuPont and Reebok International partnered to launch the first head-to-toe line of Reebok CrossFit® apparel and footwear with DuPont™ Kevlar®. Reebok athlete Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, who holds the “Fittest Woman on Earth” title following her win at the 2014 Reebok CrossFit® Games last July, will make an appearance at the DuPont booth in Austin to promote the new line.
“While we are in the midst of celebrating 50 years of DuPont™ Kevlar®, this tougher-than-steel technology is being incorporated into cutting-edge, high-performance sporting equipment every day,” said Marc Doyle, president, DuPont Protection Technologies. “Engineers and designers across many industrial and consumer markets are finding the science behind DuPont™ Kevlar® helps them innovate to meet ever increasing performance challenges.”
The DuPont booth in Austin will feature appearances by professional athletes, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet and Chad Kagy, who is tied for the third most decorated BMX athlete at X Games, and a Kevlar® Up contest where contestants can take a selfie with gear that helps enable firefighters and law enforcement heroes, industrial workers, and athletes to Dare Bigger™. Winners will be selected each day for prizes that include consumer products made with DuPont™ Kevlar®.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary, the DuPont™ Kevlar® Facebook and Twitter sites will highlight Dare Bigger™ moments throughout 2015. Visit the Dare Bigger™ microsite, or click here to submit a Dare Bigger™ moment, innovation or story.
DuPont Protection Technologies is a leader in technologies and products that protect people, the environment and critical assets worldwide. For additional information, please visit DuPont Protection Technologies.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit https://www.dupont.com.
