Stone Island’s Kevlar parka is as durable as it is rare

Stone Island’s latest garment isn’t just durable against the elements, it’s damn near bulletproof. The latest creation from the brand’s Prototype Research Series is constructed with Kevlar, a synthetic plastic known to be stronger than steel and protective against bullets and knives. Stone Island makes no such life-saving promises with its Kevlar jacket, but its durability should be unlike anything else in your wardrobe.

Take a closer look — The Short Fishtail Parka appears in a similar shape to a windbreaker or rain jacket, complete with a hood. While it looks like a fresh Stone Island must-have on the outside, the brand utilizes Kevlar fabrics for a tough, high-strength finish that also offers thermal stability on the inside.

Using “stretch broken” technology and Kevlar’s precise filaments, the fabric’s inner yarn is extremely fine and covered in cotton. The outer material is then constructed using a dévoré printing technique, which disintegrates the cotton yarn to create an all-over pattern. The result is a yellow, technical lace with added texture thanks to a final resin treatment.

Kimono-style sleeves feature openings in the underarms, and oversized pockets at the front give that convenient hit of storage. There’s also a second internal hood made of polyester felt that can be removed if needed and refastened with frontal Velcro. Stone Island Textile Research’s white badge finishes off the left sleeve and each coat is numbered between 01 to 100.

Lab rats — While some brands base their new technical offerings on factors like different silhouettes or the introduction of a sustainable fabric, Stone Island’s Prototype Research Series team pushes the envelope in an entirely different way. In the past, the crew has developed liquid reflective lasering techniques, manual flocking on Nylon Metal Grid-Ovd, and copper nanotechnology (adding to the brand’s usual lineup of running sneakers and high-tech apparel). Fabrics and treatments from the PRS are conceptualized with the rigor of a true science lab to create garments that haven’t yet been industrialized.

If the sixth installment of the Stone Island Prototype Research Series is right up your alley, know that getting your hands on a project like this won’t be easy. It’s limited to a 100-piece run with sales starting Tuesday exclusively via Stone Island’s website. By using Kevlar, one of the strongest synthetic plastics in existence, the brand almost guarantees the jacket will withstand anything nature throws your way.