MAS Silueta, a part of South Asia’s largest apparel tech company MAS Holdings, together with Australia’s Zena Sport has developed the Zena Z1 protective vest for the Australian athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. This product aligns with MAS’ commitment to inclusivity and empowerment, protecting athletes especially in sports such as goalball, which increases the possibility of accidental contact. Research carried out by the University of Deakin’s Centre for Sports Research indicates that Zena Z1 absorbs up to 70% of impact energy, indicating significant protection to female athletes against rib and breast injuries, a common occurrence in many sports.

The product enables a high level of protection and faster post-game recovery without compromising on comfort and mobility, while also maintaining its ergonomic appeal. Being ultra-lightweight, the protective vest can be worn for long periods, while its excellent fit due to contouring and flexibility also ensure that it stays in place.

This combination of factors has led to the growing popularity of Zena Z1. The product is already used for more than 20 sports, including Australian Football, Rugby, Goalball, Skiing, Handball, Basketball and several combat sports.

In developing the protective vest, Silueta, a part of MAS Holdings, collaborated closely with the founders of Zena Sport, Brad and Donna Johnson, who recognised the need for an advanced protective vest for female athletes competing in the AFL. Having understood the significant physical implications of impact sports due to their personal involvement with the AFL, Brad and Donna Johnson realised that female adolescents faced many rib and breast injuries that go unreported, despite their impact at a critical stage of physical development.

The Zena Z1 protective wear, manufactured by MAS Holdings using two patented technologies, plays a critical role in minimizing this impact.

The product also enjoys a favorable ‘environmental footprint’. The Reaction Injection Molding Technology used by MAS has less energy consumption than other comparable techniques, helping to reduce the product’s carbon footprint, while the patented rim technology helps reduce landfill waste, compared with traditional technologies.