Our Process
Tri-Star Glove customizes high-performance safety apparel to meet industry needs by listening to end-users who face a wide range of threats each day such as cuts and punctures, weld splatter, molten metal splash, and arc flash. Developing innovative safety apparel is what we do on a daily basis. You can trust in our industry expertise to keep your team members safe.
Step 1: Understand the Threat
Based on our decades of experience working with multiple industries, including automotive manufacturers and their Tier 1s, glass manufacturing, foundries, metal fabrication/welding, heavy industrial, and many more, we work with our customers to understand the threat(s) to the team members. This may involve a visit or video conference with the end-users to understand the application, the specific tasks(s), and the working environment.
Since we only sell through Safety Distribution, this can come about one of three ways:
- The end-user has reached out to us directly and will involve their preferred safety distributor when they deem appropriate.
- The Safety Distributor has asked us to make a joint visit/call to the end-user.
- The Safety Distributor has asked us to visit or contact the end-user on their behalf.
Step 2: Match the Right Materials to the Threat
All of our high-performance fabrics and yarns are made in the USA or Canada by trusted manufacturers we’ve worked with for many years. Most of our raw materials are inherent flame-resistant (IFR), which means the protective properties are inherent to the fiber, and won’t burn, melt or drip over the life of the garment or glove. While we stock our most popular garments and gloves, we also keep a large inventory of raw materials to make customized safety apparel that’s specific to your company and your process.
Understanding the specific threat(s) to the team members will give us the basis to create a working sample that is customized to provide protection against that threat. The fabrics we have provide protection from:
- Weld splatter
- Grinding sparks
- Cuts and punctures
- Arc flash
- Burns
- Thermal transfer
- Molten metal splash
Step 3: Customize the Design & Fit
Upon selection of the appropriate high-performance materials, we turn to the specifics of the design, focusing on its form and fit and customizing it for the application. For example, if an end user is looking for a type of garment, such as a coat to protect from molten metal splash and cold weather, we can add a warm IFR fleece liner to any of our IFR fabrics designed to shed molten metal splash and create a barn coat that will keep them warm and safe while working outside.
With ambient temperatures increasing every year, many manufacturing facilities are not air-conditioned and the need for keeping your team members cool is imperative. That means the design of the garment is as equally important as the protective fabrics we choose. Let’s take foundries for example. Anyone can make an aluminum tent, but if the team member can’t survive the working temperatures, it doesn’t matter how protective the aluminized garment is. In this case, if there is no threat from behind, we would make the back of the garment using a non-aluminized fabric that still sheds molten metal, add vents, and ultimately reduce the overall weight of the garment, while making it more comfortable to wear.
Below are a few of the other customized solutions we have designed that will keep your team members cool and safe at the same time.
- We can incorporate a high arch cutout in the back of our cape sleeves.
- The back of any of our jackets can be made using IFR mesh or even polyester mesh if there is no heat involved in the process.
- The front and/or back of our cape sleeves can be made using IFR mesh or polyester.
Step 4: Put a Sample to the Test
Once the design and appropriate raw materials have been agreed to by the end user, we manufacture a sample for trial. This sample allows the end user to:
- Prove it provides the necessary protection to the team member.
- Prove the design, fit, and functionality meet expectations.
- Provide the ability for a wear trial that will prove launderability and ultimately the longevity of the garment.
- Give a thumbs-up to the garment.
- Ask us to make tweaks.
- Ask us to go back to the drawing board (it does happen!).
Safety Apparel Made in the USA
Contact Tri-Star Glove at (812) 227-3602 to learn more about the safety apparel products that are manufactured at our Indiana facility. These products include aprons, base layers, pants and chaps, sleeves, and more. We ship across the United States and Canada.
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