Ironclad Signs Licensing Agreement with Tuff Chix and Paige Hemmis of ABC's 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'
Company to Create an Exclusive Line of Work Wear for Women
LOS ANGELES, April 30 // -- Ironclad Performance Wear Corporation (ICPW.OB), a leader in high-performance gloves and apparel, and Tuff Chix, Inc., today announced a licensing agreement to manufacture a line of task-specific gloves and tool belts designed by Ironclad exclusively for Paige Hemmis. Ms. Hemmis, who stars on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and is the author of "The Tuff Chix(TM) Guide to Easy Home Improvement," is dedicated to providing much-needed accessories and apparel for the over one-million registered women in construction, as well as millions of female "do-it-yourselfers" who cannot find technical work wear that fits or helps them perform their job.
Based on Ironclad's existing Women's Evolution(R) glove, the Tuff Chix glove line is engineered to the same standards of safety, durability and functionality found in all of Ironclad's gloves, and is designed specifically to fit the contours of a woman's hand. The gloves come in Paige's signature pink, as well as black, with the first glove style, the Tuff Chix(TM) Landscaper, now available at select Ironclad retailers and on the Ironclad Website. The Company will also be designing and manufacturing Tuff Chix pink tool belts for women, which are expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2007.
The Paige Hemmis glove line will debut at the Ironclad booth at the upcoming National Hardware Show taking place May 8 - 10, in Orlando, Florida. At the show, Ironclad will also be releasing its full line of performance work wear for the first time. Augmenting the initial line of performance apparel initially launched in the fourth quarter of 2005, the new line includes performance pants, shorts, base layers, outer wear, and "i-Viz" reflective shirts, all designed to improve the wearer's ability to safely, efficiently and comfortably perform specific job functions.
"For years I struggled to find a glove that fit my small hands and I knew there had to be other women, like me, having the same problem," said Paige Hemmis. "Since I began working on 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition', I have been searching for the right company to create this line of women's work gloves, which then led me to Ironclad based upon their excellent reputation and superior products. They understand how important this line is and the impact it will have on women worldwide. Not only are these gloves tough enough to put my name on, but the entire Ironclad team shares my vision for women's performance wear."
"We are thrilled to be working with Paige on her own line of products. She has advanced the development, marketing and accessibility of the home improvement industry beyond the typically male-targeted demographic by providing expert advice and information to women working on everything from basic repairs around the home to complex carpentry," said Ed Jaeger, President and CEO of Ironclad Performance Wear. "Her choice of Ironclad to design and construct her branded work gloves and tool belts speaks to our technical expertise and the strength of the Ironclad brand."
About Ironclad Performance Wear Corporation
Ironclad, which created the performance work glove category in 1998, continues to lead the construction and industrial markets in innovation, technology, design, advanced material science and durability. Ironclad designs, manufactures and sells a comprehensive line of task-specific gloves and performance fabric apparel available at hardware stores, lumber yards, home centers, industrial suppliers, and sporting goods retailers nationwide, and in Australia, Canada, and Japan.
For more information on Ironclad, please visit www.ironclad.com .
About Paige Hemmis and Tuff Chix
Tuff Chix, Inc. was created in 2004 by Paige Hemmis, celebrity/carpenter/author/home improvement expert. The Los Angeles-based company works with top-notch manufacturers to design products for women who work in construction and "do-it-yourselfers" inspired by and tested on the job by Paige Hemmis. Ms. Hemmis stars on ABC's Emmy-winning "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and is the author of The Tuff Chix Guide To Easy Home Improvement. The Tuff Chix line includes work gloves, boots and tool belts and will soon introduce hardware inspired apparel and accessories.
For more information on Tuff Chix, please visit www.tuffchix.com .
CONTACTS:
Ironclad:
Ed Jaeger, CEO
(310) 643-7800 X106
Integrated Corporate Relations:
John Mills / Anne Rakunas
(310) 954-1100
Tuff Chix, Inc.:
Angela Moore, Vice President
(310) 429-8868
angela@tuffchix.com
Source: Ironclad Performance Wear Corporation
Web site: www.ironclad.com/
