Stellarton work clothing manufacturer doesn't stop at making just protective outerwear. It also makes the stuff for underneath.

A new line of safety clothing offered by WearWell Garments is making a splash across the country.

Geliget is a Mi'kmaq word meaning 'to watch over or protect' - and that's exactly what the line of Geliget Gear clothing does for people who work under dangerous circumstances.

Every day, people risk their lives in dangerous jobs where a "flash fire" could occur. Although the human body is a walking insulator - every blood vessel, every nerve ending conducts electricity - it isn't designed to withstand the direct contact and the intense heat and pressure of an arc flash, reaching as much as 35,000 degrees in a millisecond.

That's where Geliget Gear comes in. the new line of everyday clothing can save lives by offering the needed protection to people who work in dangerous fields, explains Stirling MacLean, president of WearWell Garments in Stellarton.

"A lot of companies make one or two pieces," said MacLean. "But so many people need to wear it, we're offering a complete daily wear line, everything from underwear to outerwear."

That's something no other company is doing. It's been proven that layering this type of clothing provides maximum protection, added Cynthia Outred, marketing manager for WearWell.

"If you wear just one layer, the outside won't burn, but the heat can be enough at times to melt the shirt you're wearing underneath," she said.

The market for this type of protective clothing is a growing one, and the industry has already begun using WearWell's clothing as the standard. Made in Canada, WearWell's product offers the adde4d assurance of meeting all of this country's requirements.

"We're well on our way," said MacLean. "Education is a big focus on these projects, and once that falls into place, things go quickly."

Although the Geliget Gear is a growing interest for the company, it's only a small part of WearWell's focus. Long-term customers still represent the majority of the company’s sales and that’s where its main focus remains.

"Our long-term customers are what allow us to continue to thrive," said MacLean. "Our long-term employees do an awesome job every day."

Despite the current economic climate, WearWell is still doing positively, added MacLean.

"We deal in a lot of different markets," said MacLean. "We're not pigeon-holed into any one sector, we supply to the healthcare, manufacturing and in-store retailers, just to name a few. The whole world would have to collapse around me not to have business."

Because WearWell's clothing is produced in Canada, orders can be turned around within three weeks and often within days if they items in stock.

Source: The News, Stellarton Nova Scotia, April 2009