Since its commercialization in 2006 with the Spyder GS race suit made for the USA and Canadian ski teams and worn in the Turin winter Olympics, d3o™ has been used as a soft and flexible protective solution by brands across the world in numerous sports including ski and snowboard, soccer, and mountain biking, and most recently in a completely new application to protect the new Apple 3G iPhone with the iBand.

Since the launch of the Spyder race suit, d3o’s phone line has been hot and its inbox overflowing with new product ideas for the material - ranging from the innovative to the ridiculous! Many have made it through to the market, including award winning base layers, ski jackets and pants, woolen beanies with d3o protection inside, knee and elbow pads, ballet point shoes and gloves, to name a few. 

Unique Polymer

For those who aren’t already familiar with the material, d3o is a polymer elastomeric foam, constructed from a long chain polymer with offshoots. At slow speeds the molecules inside d3o move freely past each other making the material soft and flexible, whereas at high speeds the off-shoots find themselves unable to move past each other and react to this by locking together, and so spread the force over a much larger area than conventional materials. The whole process is instant; over as soon as the impact ceases, and repeatable meaning a few bumps along the way won’t make the protectors void. In practical terms, using d3o as the protective material in apparel means the wearer has a material that is soft, flexible, and able to conform to their body comfortably, as well as providing excellent shock absorption.

Design Pathway

The first design pathway for inventor and now CEO of d3o, Richard Palmer, was flexible protective solutions for the sports market, and this has been the company’s focus for the past two years. The next step the UK based shock absorption specialists have decided to take on with d3o is the motorcycle market with the launch of d3o stealth. Adding to their collection of standard components, d3o has developed a range to meet the European CE standards, which tests protectors at 50 joules to ensure they offer the rider a good level of protection.

Traditionally, protectors that meet this standard are bulky, rigid, and uncomfortable, locking wearer into one position and significantly restricting the freedom of movement for the rest of the time.

Components Range

d3o’s range of CE approved components are some of the thinnest conforming to the standard, measuring 8mm at their thickest point in the center and tapering towards the edges to allow seamless integration into the garment. The components can be easily slipped into existing products in pockets, or can be integrated into a liner with pre-curved pockets for maximum invisibility. The unique keyhole design of d3o also means that the protection moves with the wearer when they move, closing together when curved to provide increased protection.

Within the range are components specifically designed for the shoulder, elbow, knee and hip, providing the protective parts necessary for full jackets and trousers. The thin and flexible nature of the material also allows almost invisible protection for motorcycle base layers to be worn under traditional jackets and pants for an extra level of protection. Utilizing some of d3o’s other standard parts such as sheet, knuckles, palms and fingers means gloves are another possible application for the motorcycle industry.

Market Opportunities

d3o predicts that one of the biggest areas in the motorcycle market that could benefit from the use of the material is urban riding where there is currently a gap in materials available for riders who want to wear protection while on their bike or scooter, but also want to wear the same jacket to work and in the evenings, making style and comfort highly important. d3o’s flexibility, which allows greater comfort and fit, could also be a welcome relief for the touring rider who spends long weekends on the bike, meaning comfort and protection are paramount.