Kozane® Strongwear – Innovative Textiles for Mental Health

Kozane® Strongwear is an unique, innovative range of Anti-Ligature, Seclusion Garments, Bedding and Bite Resistant Arm Guards, made exclusively from our tear resistant Kozane® Invicta high-performance fabric, especially designed for this application. Kozane®’s design team also found the solution for fully tear resistant seams – the unique stitching technology uses reinforced seams with high strength thread, increasing tensile and tear resistance. Designed to provide comfort and most importantly to minimise the risk of self-harm, Kozane® Strongwear was created in partnership with the violence reduction team from a major NHS mental health hospital. It includes several trialled and tested anti-ligature garments and bedding for seclusion situations. Our range also includes bite and scratch resistant garments for professionals dealing with patients or service users exhibiting challenging behaviour, allowing carers to do what they do best, even in the most challenging environments.

For Patients and Service Users – Anti-ligature Tear-resistant Clothing and Bedding

For vulnerable and often segregated individuals classified as being at risk of self-harm, whether in a secure hospital or custodial environment, specialist seclusion anti-ligature garments and bedding can help prevent self-harm or suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy recommends specialised products to ensure the risk of suicide is kept at a minimum within mental health settings.

In partnership with the violence reduction team from a major NHS mental health hospital, Kozane® designed several anti-ligature garments and bedding for seclusion situations. We manufactured the Kozane® Strongwear range exclusively from our Kozane® Invicta fabric, fully tear resistant – seams included (the stitching has reinforced seams with high strength thread, increasing tensile and tear resistance), and designed it to provide comfort and most importantly to minimise the risk of self-harm.

“Whilst staff will make every attempt to support an individual’s behaviour using the principles of Positive Behaviour Support and least Restrictive Practice, it is acknowledged that occasions may occur where due to the level of distress or presentation of a patient’s behaviour, staff will be required to restrict a patient’s access to their typical day time clothing providing them with special tear-proof clothing (TPC) as an alternative.” – Source Safe Use of Tear Proof Clothing Procedure, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

The anti-ligature seclusion blankets, bed sheets and clothing ensure a high level of protection and have a high tensile strength which makes it extremely difficult to rip or tear, produced with additional stitching for greater enhanced safety. They provide warmth and comfort and most importantly, minimise the risk of self-harm.

The garment range includes t-shirts, shorts, and gowns, made exclusively from our strongest fabric – Kozane® Invicta, fully tear-resistant, featuring reinforced seams, increasing tensile and tear strength, designed to provide comfort while minimising the risk of self-harm.

Our tear resistant blankets and bed sheets use a heavier version of our tear resistant Kozane® Invicta fabric, and when combined with strong seams they create comfortable but durable bedding, built to withstand extreme force. The reinforced seams use a high strength thread, increasing tensile and tear strength.

All items are specified for high-risk environments as they do not have pockets and contain no elastics, drawstrings, or labels. These features prevent concealment of unauthorised items, as well as weak points or ligature risks. They are also suitable for prisoner clothing issue, police custody suites for detainee clothing, immigration/border force authorities and the homeless for destitute clothing, as well as forensic hospitals and mental health settings.

“Tear proof clothing are items of clothing, normally referred to as ‘Anti-Ligature’ or ‘strong’ clothing, that a patient may utilise when experience high levels of distress and the risk to life is imminent and replaces the patients ‘everyday’ clothing to act as deterrent for future behaviours.” – Source Safe Use of Tear Proof Clothing Procedure, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

For Professionals – Discreet Protection Against Bites, Pinches, and Scratches

We have also identified the unique need for bite, scratch, abrasion, and pinch resistant clothing, especially in the nursing, mental health care and special educational needs sectors. This is because people who work with and around challenging behaviour are more likely to suffer injuries like bites and scratches and as a result should be able to feel safe and protected in their workplace. Such injuries can become infected and contaminated with pathogens, because of the number of bacteria and viruses in a human mouth. Transmissions of viruses, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV are as well a real possibility.

Research indicates that 9.8% of individuals with intellectual disabilities exhibit physical aggression which results in healthcare staff, medical professionals and even loved ones can be at risk of injuries and trauma from challenging behaviour. Many individuals who exhibit challenging behaviours do not mean to cause harm intentionally and are trying to communicate and control their environment. Studies aimed at analysing violence towards carers working with individuals demonstrating challenging behaviour, state that 54% of support workers come to physical harm at least once a year and a further 24% of parents with children who have severe challenging behaviours suffer from serious injuries due to their child’s behaviour.

Our aim is to help safeguard mental health care professionals, special educational needs teachers, psychiatric social workers, care workers and other professionals dealing with challenging behaviour, allowing carers to do what they do best, even in the most challenging environments.

It is a recognised fact that working within these sectors comes with a certain risk, but with the appropriate protection, these environments would be a much safer place to work, especially if there have been reports of previous incidents of challenging behaviour and injuries following any biting, scratching, or pinching. This type of protective ‘workwear’ can make a real difference to the personal safety of those men and women, and their subsequent well-being, physically and mentally. Our bite resistant arm guards effectively help prevent teeth from breaking the skin or fingernails digging into the wearer’s skin, reducing the risk of injury, subsequent infection and the trauma linked to challenging behaviour.