In the early 2000s, Pierre-Henry Servajean invented what many consider to be the most resistant fabric in the world, Armalith.
Thanks to this technology, this 52-year-old Bordelais has created tear-proof jeans over time.
This product intended primarily for motorcyclists in order to protect them could very quickly interest new audiences such as board sports practitioners or craftsmen.
It was in 2000. Pierre-Henry Servajean, a “Sunday biker” as he defines himself, goes for a short ride on the handlebars of his two-wheeler.
“I was a bit of a 'con' and I fell.
All my equipment – helmet, jacket, gloves, high shoes… – did the job instantly except my jeans.
I ripped it up and had a nice pizza when it was only a small fall over two three meters”.
This will be a real trigger for this Bordeaux fabric enthusiast.
For more than 20 years now, he has been trying to develop ultra-resistant "classic" jeans to improve the safety of motorcyclists.
This bet, he is winning today with his Bolid'ster.
But the road was long and winding.
“Initially, I looked to see if a product of this type existed but I couldn't find it,” he explains.
Of course, there are Kevlar jeans, but that's impossible.
I wanted something more ''safe'' while keeping the comfort and look of conventional jeans.
For example, not having to change pants when getting off the bike to go for a ride”.
Quickly, he found his happiness at EADS (now Airbus Group) with a polyethylene fiber which was used to manufacture anti-meteorite nets for satellites.
A fiber fifteen times more resistant than steel gram for gram (Kevlar is only six times).
Pierre-Henry Servajean then tried to associate it with a fabric and in 2003,
he invents Armalith, considered by many to be the strongest fabric in the world.
Two years later, he filed a patent.
Withstands a 50 meter slide on tarmac
At the time, everything seemed to be going like clockwork.
The Harley Davidson brand even asks him to use its technology despite the price of its fabric (40 euros per meter against an average of 4 euros per meter for classic jeans).
Unfortunately, he was swept away in 2008 by the subprime economic crisis and lost everything overnight.
It was only in 2011 that the project came back to life thanks to a victory in an innovation competition.
A Spanish weaver turns to him and he can finally carry out a major market study with the idea, this time, of developing his own brand of jeans.
Pierre-Henry Servajean will then work for several years before developing this ultra-resistant product (to abrasion, tearing, cutting, UV), but also comfortable, stretchy and light.
His first price jeans, at 179 euros, today resist a fall from a motorcycle over ten meters.
The ranges above hold 14, 20, 32 and 54 meters (550 euros).
For comparison, classic jeans tear after one to two meters of sliding on tar and Kevlar after 12 meters.
“I arrived at quite normal jeans despite their particularity.
Jeans that you can wear every day.
Its stretch is exceptional, it can be washed 1,000 times without losing elasticity, whereas on classic jeans ten washes are enough.
And in addition, everything is done in a short circuit because for me the made in France is very important", insists the fifty-year-old from Bordeaux who wants at all costs to have the lowest carbon footprint possible (manufacture at low temperature such as washing and not ironing).
A product that could interest sportsmen and craftsmen
Today, these jeans are primarily aimed at bikers (80% of sales).
Vincent Vivez has been wearing it for some time:
“For me, it's a revolution in the world of two-wheelers.
On the one hand, because we really feel that we are dressed with a product that has staying power.
It's a kind of natural protection and what's more, it's very pleasant to wear, it's even better than classic jeans”.
And don't talk to him about the price because already "it depends on what you compare it to and then if it can save me from having my legs burned or transplants, I'm ready to pay the price".
The next step for Pierre-Henry Servajean is to turn to other audiences.
Skateboarders, for example, like Amélie Castaing.
A downhill specialist, she's like a fish in her jeans: “It's perfect for me because we slide a lot on the tarmac and frankly, in competition, we are forced to wear leather but I preferred to have the Bolid'ster.
It's lighter, more practical and in recent years has become very flexible like classic jeans.
Over time, its inventor also hopes to attract practitioners of other sliding or extreme sports and why not one day workers and craftsmen...
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