A leader in premium workwear, Helly Hansen makes professional-grade gear designed to meet the needs and specifications of working professionals. Since its founding in Norway in 1877, the brand has focused on innovation, drawing on the insight and experience of professionals to create high-quality, durable, and performance-driven gear that can withstand even the toughest of environments. In Winter 2022, Helly Hansen introduced their latest innovation within the hi-vis category, delivering maximum visibility, protection, and comfort with the new UC-ME collection.
Helly Hansen and its team of designers and developers worked on the new UC-ME concept for two years, with the aim of launching a diverse collection of brand-new styles, ranging from more traditional polycotton products to highly technical garments featuring HELLY TECH® waterproof/breathable technology. The result is a complete range of hi-vis products that can meet the needs of a variety of working professionals, no matter what environment they work in.
To deliver maximum visibility and safety, each UC-ME product uses innovative VizLite® Dual Technology, enabling the garments to be visible even in pitch-dark conditions. The lightweight VizLite® Dual Technology phosphorescent tape contains photoluminescent crystals, which absorb UV energy, and microscopic glass beads that act as light reflectors, ensuring the wearer can be seen in low or zero-light environments. The phosphorescent tape can be charged within ten minutes of exposure to natural or artificial light, and by absorbing UV energy, there are no cables or batteries needed, making the products durable and long-lasting.
In addition to providing visibility and safety, each UC-ME style within the polycotton range features a lightweight, yet durable, 2-way stretch fabric, offering optimal comfort for long days on the job. The fabric can be washed at 60˚C and is optimized for harsh working conditions. The new polycotton products include a UC-ME Jacket (£80), UC-ME Construction Pant (£75), UC-ME Work Pant (£70) and UC-ME Cargo Pants (£60).
The UC-ME collection also includes a variety of weather-protective styles, including insulated winter-specific products, each constructed with the brand’s trusted HELLY TECH® technology. All of these styles guarantee 10,000mm in waterproof/breathability, delivering professional grade protection and comfort even in extremely wet environments and high activity levels, and with a focus on being more responsible, they’re made with a PFC-free durable water-repellent treatment. The winter products are also designed with the environment in mind, using PrimaLoft® Black Eco insulation, which is made from 100% recycled polyester. The insulation also provides an optimised warmth-to-weight ratio, providing added warmth during colder days without feeling weighed down. The weatherproof UC-ME styles include a UC-ME Winter Jacket (£110), UC-ME Winter Pant (£80) and UC-ME Winter Suit (£190) as well as a UC-ME Insulator (£90), UC-ME Shell Jacket (£100) and UC-ME Shell Pant (£65).
“With the UC-ME concept, we wanted to focus not only on bringing innovation to the forefront but also on offering a complete range of styles that our consumers can rely on no matter what conditions they work in,” said Andreas Pohl-Larsen, Product Director, Helly Hansen Workwear. “We worked on this concept for 2 years, looking at new ways to deliver visibility and safety while also improving comfort, and we’re proud to offer this next level of hi-vis innovation."
