A bulletproof vest consists of a panel, sheet of advanced plastics polymers that is composed of many layers of either Kevlar or Spectra Shield. The panel provides protection but not so much comfort. It is placed inside of a fabric shell that is usually made from a polyester/cotton blend or nylon. A bulletproof vest may also have nylon padding for extra protection.
For bulletproof vests that are meant to be worn in dangerous situations, built-in pouches are provided to hold plates made from metal or ceramic. These vests can also provide protection in car accidents or stabbing. Different devices are used to strap the vests on. Sometimes the sides are connected with elastic webbing. Bulletproof vests are secured with straps of either cloth or elastic, with metallic buckles. Some bulletproof vests are custom-made to meet the customer’s specific needs or size.
On the other hand, most vests meet standard protection regulations and standard clothing industry sizes. Bulletproof vests undergo many tests similar to that of normal clothing. However, bulletproof vests, unlike regular clothing, must undergo strong and extreme protection testing as required by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Some bulletproof vests protect against lead bullets at low velocity, and some protect against full metal bullets at high velocity. Vests are classified numerically from the lowest to highest protection: I, II-A, II, III-A, III, IV, thereafter, the vests that were custom made.
Each of this classification specifies which type of bullet at what velocity will not penetrate the vest. The size label on a vest is also important. It includes size, model, style, and care instructions like other regular clothing. Other information like a serial number and a note indicating it meets NIJ approval standards. The vest also includes the protection rating, lot number, date of issue, an indication of which of the sides should face out.
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