Got a question about D3O? Take a look at the list of frequently asked questions below. You can click on the relevant question to reveal the answer.
D3O is a design and technology company that makes the world’s best impact protection products. It develops unique, high-performance impact protection technologies that are used by global brands in sports, electronics, motorcycle, defence and industrial workwear.
D3O uses unique patented and proprietary technologies to make rate-sensitive, soft, flexible materials with high shock absorbing properties that are used in impact protection products.
Based on non-Newtonian principles, in its raw form, the material’s molecules flow freely, allowing it to be soft and flexible, but on impact, lock together to dissipate impact energy and reduce transmitted force.
No. D3O offers a whole host of different material formulations, each engineered for specific markets and applications. Visit our Materials page to find out more.
D3O has an in-house team of chemists and designers, who customise the material for bespoke protection. D3O works with industry experts and technical research partners, as well as major global government bodies to ensure every product is fit for purpose.
D3O offers full 360-degree solutions for partners, idea generation, CAD concepts, prototyping, testing, sampling to production. Visit our D3O Lab page to find out more.
D3O® materials are split into five groups:
Our business development team will guide you through our range of materials and recommend the best D3O solution for your product application. You can get in touch with them by filling in our Contact Us form.
Orange is the colour of the D3O brand and therefore the majority of D3O® products are only available in orange.
However, in certain markets or applications where alternative colours are necessary, such as electronics, defence or industrial, some products are available in other colours.
D3O sells both, but only to approved partner brands. Partners are able to purchase finished standard components or parts as well as sheets and licenced raw/unprocessed materials. D3O also sells custom developments to partner brands.
D3O® materials can be co-moulded with other materials using secondary manufacturing steps. For example, Formable Foam (FF) materials can go through compression moulding processes, and Formable Elastomers (FE) are moulded through injection and extrusion techniques.
Since the pressures and temperatures associated with different secondary processing procedures vary greatly, we recommend that each process needs to be assessed on an individual basis.
Yes, they are reach compliant.
Most D3O® materials show little to no degradation under conditions associated with typical applications but we recommend testing for each application. However, small discolouration of the orange may be observed.
D3O® materials do not take on much water. To learn more about D3O® materials please go to the materials section of this website.
D3O offers thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. Thermoplastics, unlike thermosets, can be reshaped by melting. For further information on processing recommendations, please speak to your D3O Account Manager.
D3O offers a range of grades, some of which do not react and some of which may swell. Please see relevant material data sheets in the Resources section of this website for more information.
D3O® materials have not been developed or tested for biocompatibility. Please contact the company for further information relating to this.
Simply fill out the enquiry form on the D3O Contact Us page. Upon completion of the form, you will receive an automated email response asking you to reply to a series of questions. This is to help the team better understand your interest and requirements. Following your response, a member of the D3O team will be in touch with you soon.
If you are an individual wanting to use D3O® impact protection solutions please note that we do not sell to the end-user. To understand which approved partner brands you can buy D3O® products from, please go to the relevant market page(s) below:
• Sports
• Motorcycle
• Electronics
• Industrial
• Defence
You must go to an approved partner brand’s website to find out where to buy their finished product solutions.
D3O is a business-to-business company, supplying approved partner brands across the world with D3O® shock absorbing solutions for integration into their product ranges.
The partner brands D3O supplies then sell finished products to retail. D3O does not directly supply to distributors for brands.
No. D3O is a business-to-business company, supplying partners across the world with D3O® solutions for integration into their product ranges.
The partner brands D3O supply then sell finished products to retail. D3O does not directly supply to distributors for brands.
D3O® products and materials are exclusively licensed to approved brand partners. D3O is unable to provide samples or goo demo packs to non-approved partners.
If you wish to resolve an issue relating to any D3O products or materials, please contact your assigned D3O business contact.
D3O is a B2B company that supplies its technologies to approved partner brands. If you have a problem with a branded product integrated with D3O® technologies, you must contact the brand directly via their website or contact number.
The life expectancy will depend on the conditions the material endures and how it is looked after during use and storage.
D3O® protectors are designed to withstand multiple impacts. However, the re-use-ability of the protectors will depend on the severity of the impact. After any significant impact the protectors should be inspected by the end-user.
All D3O® materials are engineered to withstand multiple impacts. However, in the cases of extreme forces, the ability to recover fully may be compromised.
Similarly, the application and environment will affect their ability to withstand multiple impacts.
D3O® reacts to the unique impact environment: for example, it provides a different level of impact protection at high speeds to low speeds.
D3O® foamed protectors are inherently soft and comfortable to wear under your clothes. Because of their high-performance levels, they can be lower profile and less bulky, so more people prefer to wear it.
D3O delivers the most flexible, comfortable and discreet protection on the market and consistently outperforms traditional foam-based protection.
No. To date, D3O has focused on soft armour and materials suitable for blunt trauma impacts. These materials in isolation are not bullet or stab-proof.
Washing: As a general rule, it is recommended that D3O® protectors are removed carefully from the garment and are wipe-clean only, using a damp cloth. End-users should check the garment/label for further information about the care guidelines for a final product solution.
Storage: D3O® products should be stored at room temperature, in a ventilated dry place, and out of direct sunlight. It is strongly advised that you do not store D3O® products under heavy objects or in extreme temperatures. Never fold your D3O® product.
For more details on caring for D3O®; products or materials, please read the D3O Consumer Care Instructions. D3O recommend that you also look at any relevant individual product data sheets as care instructions may vary depending on the application.
Handling and packaging: Care should be taken to ensure the shape of D3O® products is retained at all times. D3O® products should not be folded, bent, squashed, stretched, twisted or distorted other than during the integration of the products into a pocket.
For more information on how to handle and package D3O® products upon receipt, during integration and for the packaging of an integrated product, please refer to our handling and packaging instructions.
D3O has small-scale rapid prototyping facilities on-site which enable iterative innovation. D3O has in-house capability for physical and mechanical property analysis as well as performance testing.
D3O also works with independent test laboratories such as SATRA Technology, INSPEC, and British Standards Institute to verify and certify products. D3O is a gold member at SATRA technology.
Visit the D3O Lab section of this website to find out more.
The business management system within D3O is certified to ISO 9001 2015, to ensure sustained customer satisfaction during product realisation, delivering services and providing support functions that meet customer’s needs and expectations.
In order to ensure that D3O® products are manufactured to the highest quality, D3O has a team of Engineers and QC Inspectors in the UK, US and Asia, which work directly with our suppliers on a daily basis.
D3O ensures that suppliers complete sufficient checks throughout the manufacturing process, to ensure all physical properties and visual standard of the parts are acceptable.
This is controlled through steps detailed in the D3O Process Control Plan, a document created to detail all of the quality control stages in the manufacturing process, from the arrival of raw material to the outbound inspection of D3O® components.
As part of the process, in addition to the in-process manufacturing checks, samples are selected at random on a weekly basis for further performance analysis in the D3O Testing Laboratory.
D3O always considers the environmental impact of its operations in all areas of the business and continually reviews its processes. The D3O Lab uses a green energy geothermal and cooling system.
D3O supplies materials that are manufactured from sustainable plant-based raw materials, as opposed to oil-based raw materials, where possible. D3O is moving to a C2C (cradle to cradle) approach, where products can be granulated into new products at the products’ end of life.
To minimise the carbon footprint of our manufacturing operations, D3O’s product designs are refined to reduce the amount of material in its products and its logistics have been optimised to ensure things are running as efficiently as possible.
D3O complies with European Regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals). This ensures that materials and products provide a high level of protection of human health and the environment from the use of chemicals.