Editorial: Zylon: A Superfibre on Trial

The US-based company Second Chance Body Armor is one of a number of manufacturers who have thrived in recent years from continued support for the personal ownership of guns in the USA, and from an increased need for protection from them.

The company claims to be ?the leading manufacturer of body armour? and that its products ?have helped over 950 law enforcement officers survive life-threatening incidents in the course of duty?. However, the company started to experience problems in 2003 when doubts were cast over the effectiveness of its soft, concealable body armour, which employs Zylon fibre from the Japanese company Toyobo.

In September 2003 Second Chance withdrew its vests made from the fibre from the market?so far some 80,000 have been returned. By mid-2004 at least a half dozen US states were suing Second Chance for allegedly knowing that Zylon?s effectiveness degraded over time, and for failing to take products containing it immediately off the market.

In October 2004 Second Chance filed for protection from its creditors under Chapter 11 of the US bankruptcy code. In doing so, it placed the blame squarely at the feet of Zylon.

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