Stephan Marret, Technical Support Manager « We are committed to offering products that are best suited to users' needs and safety. Coverperf attests to this and proves it. »

Stephan Marret, Technical Support Manager at Coverguard, has been working for five years on the development of Coverperf: a label that guarantees users of our PPE a level of performance that exceeds current standards. Our certification criteria are demanding and based on tests carried out by independent laboratories. Coverguard thus offers products that are more durable, more effective, and more comfortable, while standing out from the competition.

What criteria are our products tested against with Coverperf? 

We have identified nine Coverperf labels: breathability, waterproofing, cushioning, abrasion resistance, skin compatibility, thermal protection, lightness, grip, and washability.

 These labels are cross-family, meaning they can be applied to different types of products, with different thresholds. For example, abrasion or waterproofness can be tested on gloves, clothing, shoes, etc. A product can therefore have several labels..

What prompted Coverguard to adopt this internal label?

Today, many products on the PPE market look very similar. While other products merely meet minimum standards, Coverguard goes above and beyond. This allows us to highlight the technology and unique features of our products. Coverperf offers arguments to stand out from the competition by providing real added value. This label is a valuable lever for companies wishing to combine safety, comfort, and profitability.

For example, we have developed a safety shoe for uneven terrain, the X-Claw, which offers much better cushioning than some sneakers sold on the market. Thanks to the “cushioned” Coverperf, it reduces musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the knees, neck, and joints. We are committed to offering products that are best suited to the needs and safety of the user, and that are as high-performance and comfortable as possible. Coverperf, through its various labels, attests to and proves this.

“ We use independent laboratories to avoid any bias in our tests. ”

Is Coverperf just a performance label?

No, we consider it to be a mark of sustainability. A product with the Coverperf label lasts longer, reducing recurring expenses related to replacements and frequent purchases of PPE. This allows companies to optimize their safety budget while providing their teams with the best equipment. We are convinced that today, there is one word that should be banned: constraint! Our Coverperf products are designed to guarantee optimal comfort, with criteria such as cushioning, breathability, and lightness, reducing the risk of pain for users. A comfortable product is a product that can be worn all day long, thus ensuring greater protection.

The tests are carried out by independent laboratories. How does the collaboration work?

Indeed, the aim is to avoid any bias in the results. If Coverguard carried out the tests in-house, this could call into question the objectivity of Coverperf.

 We work with these laboratories to establish our performance scale and determine the threshold at which a product obtains our label. For example, for a shoe to obtain the Coverperf “cushioning” label, the sole must absorb more than 25% of the impact force. This is well above the standard. To test a glove's resistance to abrasion, sandpaper is rubbed against the material and the number of cycles required to pierce the glove is determined. To obtain the Coverperf label, this number must be more than twice the maximum level determined by the EN388 standard.

What about the label for skin compatibility?

For hypoallergenic testing, we work with independent laboratories that do not test on animals, but on volunteers. The tests are supervised by doctors on samples of 10 to 30 people and aim to verify whether the materials used in our gloves or clothing can cause skin reactions.

For other criteria, such as lightness, we establish a benchmark and compare our PPE with other products on the market. This allows us to position ourselves against the competition in terms of the weight of our footwear in particular and to claim that we offer the lightest products on the market.

“ Coverperf is still in its infancy. ”

This will provide valuable information for the design of future products!

Yes, thanks to the tests carried out as part of Coverperf, we are building up a technical database that is useful for developing new products. This means that when we design specific PPE, we require our specifications to meet the performance levels of our labels. This is the case for gloves, which must achieve Coverperf “abrasion” certification, and safety shoes, which must obtain Coverperf “cushioning” certification. We also use this information to work on new labels.

Coverguard has implemented a highly committed CSR policy. Is a Coverperf label for product environmental performance a possibility?

We asked ourselves what criteria we could use to establish such a label. In the end, we decided to use the Afnor “Engagé RSE” (Committed to CSR) label. We now have products that are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified, meaning they are made from at least 50% recycled materials. The RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) label applies to products containing at least 5% recycled materials. Choosing Coverguard PPE means contributing to the protection of the environment while ensuring more effective equipment.

 Coverperf is still in its infancy. We are constantly seeking new performance challenges to offer products that are ever more innovative, sustainable, and adapted to the challenges of tomorrow.