Please tell us about your background.
Founded in 1920, Switlik Survival Products is an industry-leading manufacturer of the highest quality life vests, life rafts, anti-exposure suits, and other heat-sealed inflatables for the public safety, aviation, military and marine markets. Switlik products are consistently at the forefront in design, performance and quality of manufacture. We are proud of our long-standing reputation for quality, performance and innovation, having put our family name on our products for 100 years.
What inspired you to sell in the technical textile industry?
High-quality textiles are invaluable to all Switlik products, so much so that they are a vital part of our company mission: to design, manufacture and sell technical textile product solutions that always meet our customer’s performance needs and exceed their value expectations.
We have a rich history in the textile products that we’ve manufactured over the last 100 years, with our product range evolving significantly over the course of our company’s lifespan. In the early years, we manufactured items such as messenger bags, mail bags, shelter tents, knapsacks, and many other items of this kind. In 1925, and into the 1930s, Switlik began manufacturing parachutes and became the largest manufacturer of parachutes in the country, outfitting the expeditions and world record attempts of Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post and Admiral Richard Byrd, as well as assisting the US government in producing parachutes for World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Today, the product line has evolved into a range of cutting-edge safety and survival equipment, as well as textile products. We specialize in manufacturing the highest quality textile product solutions which range from man overboard modules, life rafts, commercial airline life vests, constant wear life vests, military life preservers, and anti-exposure suits and garments.
How did you come up with the idea for Dry Suits?
We did not come up with the idea for dry suits, but over the years we’ve had substantial partnerships with various branches of the U.S. military, mainly the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and Army. These partnerships remain, and we continue to outfit their crews with high quality and innovative dry suits.
Why did you choose YKK® PROSEAL® and AQUASEAL® zippers for use in the dry suit? What unique advantages do they provide?
YKK’s strongest feature is its proven track record of maintaining watertight integrity. As the primary manufacturer of anti-exposure dry suits for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army, Switlik relies on the high-quality waterproof seal that YKK zippers have consistently provided.
From your perspective, what potential do you see for YKK® zippers or other YKK® fastening products in customers’ dry suit applications?
From our perspective both PROSEAL® and AQUASEAL® zippers provide airtight and watertight protection in even the harshest underwater environments. The AQUASEAL® zipper offers an easier opening and closing experience, while the PROSEAL® zipper is more robust for more challenging environments. These zippers are suitable for diving, immersion, chemical, and emergency suits, ensuring protection from hazardous materials.
Tell us about the Switlik new custom dry suit feature.
Switlik recently launched a brand new Custom Dry Suit Configurator to bring unprecedented product flexibility to the dry suit market. This new program allows for end users to completely customize their dry suits, with the ability to choose different fabrics (FR or non-FR), colors, pockets, hoods, collars, zippers, seals, and many other components. No matter the mission or activity, each end user can build the suit to perfectly match their needs.
Visit the Switlik website to learn more: https://switlik.com/collections/customdrysuits
