Insect Repellent Clothing

ExOfficio - Clothes for a Big Planet (120x60)

ExOfficio: Clothing for the Adventurous Spirit

Insect Repellent Clothing featuring BUZZ OFF - In the News

August 15, 2006: INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS TAKE BIT OUT OF PESKY BUG PROBLEM (The Olympian, WA, by Chester Allen)

I've had mosquitoes, deerflies, horseflies and no-see-ums jab right through my shirt in the past, but a new breed of outdoor clothing is putting the hurt on the bugs. I've just returned from a week of fishing rivers and streams in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park, which is one buggy place...Read More

July 1, 2004: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: GET READY FOR INSECT REPELLENT CLOTHING (Fibre2Fashion).

After stain-proof shirts and crease-resistant pants its now turn for insect-repellent clothing. A leading chain store Orvis dealing in a high-end sporting stores, has started selling shirts, pants, hats and socks treated with the same chemical used in bug spray to ward off pesky mosquitos and disease-carrying ticks. Sold under the name Buzz Off, the clothing is expected to stave off of Lyme Disease cases....Read More

June 16, 2004: TALBOTS KIDS CREATES A BUZZ WITH INSECT-REPELLENT CLOTHING FOR CHILDREN (Press Release)

HINGHAM, Mass. (June 16, 2004) - The buzz at Talbots Kids is a new line of insect-repellent clothing flying into select locations this summer. Starting in July, 35 Talbots Kids stores will carry a selection of insect-repellent apparel from Ex Officio, a leader in performance-engineered clothing for outdoor and travel. Registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following extensive testing by military field forces, BUZZ OFFTM Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel provides immediate, long-lasting protection from mosquitoes, ticks and other potentially life-threatening insects. This apparel also provides a 30+ UV protection from the sun. Talbots Kids will carry a BUZZ OFF tee shirt in iris, a long-sleeve shirt with a rollup sleeve in a cactus-green check, khaki pants and a sun-bucket hat in avocado - all providing invisible and odorless insect protection. These clothes are great for parents hesitant to use traditional insect sprays on their children....Read More

July 30, 2003 - INSECT-REPELLENT APPAREL REGISTERED BY EPA BUZZ OFF™ Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel Repels Mosquitoes and Ticks

GREENSBORO, N.C., July 30, 2003 -- For the first time ever, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered insect-repellent apparel as a defense in the battle against mosquitoes, ticks and other insects. BUZZ OFF™ Insect Shield Insect Repellant Apparel, produced using a patent-pending process, received the agency’s approval in July. BUZZ OFF™ clothing will soon be available to consumers nationwide.... Read More

Innovative products take bite out of pesky bug problem 15th August 2006

I've had mosquitoes, deerflies, horseflies and no-see-ums jab right through my shirt in the past, but a new breed of outdoor clothing is putting the hurt on the bugs.

I've just returned from a week of fishing rivers and streams in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park, which is one buggy place.

In past years, I've gritted my teeth and slathered on eye- watering amounts of DEET bug sprays. Those sprays work, but they melt the plastic on my fly lines. That makes me wonder what that stuff is doing to ME. Bug spray also makes me feel like I've rolled in a toxic waste dump.

So, I bought two shirts, two bandanas and a hat treated with Buzz Off. I also bought a few Bug Bam! Insect repellent wristbands. And then I crept out to brave the Yellowstone bugs.

I did spray on modest doses of DEET the first couple of days -- I was pretty nervous about those deerflies -- but I noticed bugs landing on my shirt and immediately flying off. So, I just put on a Buzz Off shirt, a Bug Bam! wristband on my wrist -- and another Bug Bam! wristband on the back of my cap -- and went off to fish Soda Butte Creek. I didn't get bitten once. I forgot about the biting bugs and lost myself casting to big Yellowstone cutthroat trout rising in glass-clear water. I even caught a few of them. It was a breezy day, but it's usually windy at Soda Butte and the rest of the Lamar Valley. I've had windy days out there where six or seven bugs munched the tiny spot on the back of my neck that didn't get any DEET. I watched deerflies and horseflies veer away from my immediate area when I was eating a sandwich. That moment made spending $70 for a fishing shirt seem like the bargain of the year.

Clothes treated with Buzz Off usually are expensive. I did find a nice pullover shirt on sale at Bass Pro Shops for $25, but most shirts range from $60 to $85. This seems like a lot of money to pay for a shirt -- especially when the Permethrin treatment that repels the bugs wears off after 25 washings. But not having to worry about bugs eating me alive made the cost worthwhile. As I understand it, Permethrin is a natural, non-toxic chemical that repels bugs.

So, I bit on the Buzz Off, and I'm glad I did. If you're worried about the cost, try buying a long-sleeve Buzz Off shirt and a Buzz Off hat before you head to buggy country. You can wash them -- or at least rinse them out -- every couple of days or so. I don't plan to wear my Buzz Off clothes around town. I'm going to save them for trips to the Cascades, Yellowstone and other buggy spots. But this new stuff works like nothing else I've tried during 38 years outdoors with fanged, flying insects. I just spent eight days in Yellowstone, and I didn't get one mosquito or fly bite.

I know what I want for Christmas this year.

United States Of America : Get ready for insect repellent clothing 1st July 2004

After stain-proof shirts and crease-resistant pants its now turn for insect-repellent clothing.

A leading chain store Orvis dealing in a high-end sporting stores, has started selling shirts, pants, hats and socks treated with the same chemical used in bug spray to ward off pesky mosquitos and disease-carrying ticks.

Sold under the name Buzz Off, the clothing is expected to stave off of Lyme Disease cases, said David Weld, director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation.

Weld expects the number of reported cases this summer to exceed 25,000, up from the 23,763 cases reported in 2002. The actual number of people infected with the disease is probably five-to-ten times greater, since a majority of cases go unreported, he said.

Buzz Off clothing is treated with permethrin, a synthetic version of a natural insect repellant, said Abby Ward, a company spokeswoman, adding that the insecticide should remain active for up to 25 washings.

The Buzz Off clothes typically sell for $10 more than non-treated apparel, Ward continued. A long sleeve repellant shirt costs $69, pants go for $84 and hats for $24, she said.

But do Buzz Off clothes really keep bugs at bay?

Walzer, the editor, said she wore a Buzz Off shirt while gardening near her home in Guilford, on the coast of Connecticut, a usually buggy enclave given its proximity to the water.

"There are times in the summer when it's so buggy it's uncomfortable to be outside," Walzer said. When she wore the Buzz Off shirt, she continued, "the bugs didn't bother me at all."

Based in Manchester, Vt., Orvis sells clothing through its catalog since 1856, with 28 stores operating around the country. Apart from the current range of insect-repellent clothing the company offers outdoor gear, including fly fishing rods, vests and waders, besides traditional items like brief cases, bedspreads and shoes.

TALBOTS KIDS CREATES A BUZZ WITH INSECT-REPELLENT CLOTHING FOR CHILDREN

Proceeds to Benefit Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Camps for Kids

Ex Officio and BUZZ OFF are donating all after-tax profits from this children's clothing to the Hole in the Wall Camps. Founded by Paul Newman, these magical nonprofit residential summer camps help children with serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions rediscover the joys of childhood and experience the feeling that, for them, there are no limits. Additionally, Talbots Kids is contributing a dollar for every BUZZ OFF item sold in its Kids stores to The Hole in the Wall Camps.

TALBOTS KIDS - Talbots Kids is a leading specialty retailer of classic, high quality clothing for boys and girls with sizes ranging from newborn to 20. The BUZZ OFF items will be offered in sizes extra small (5/6) to extra large (16) at 35 Talbots Kids stores nationwide. A list of these locations is attached.

BUZZ OFF - BUZZ OFF Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel is the only insect-repellent clothing to be registered by the EPA. Through an innovative patent-pending process, a man-made version of a natural insect repellent found in certain chrysanthemums is tightly bound to the fabric fibers of each garment. BUZZ OFF apparel, which repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges, reduces the need for repellent lotions and sprays. Unlike insect repellents that are applied to the skin, the repellent in BUZZ OFF does not have to be applied repeatedly; it does not wash off into shower or stream; and it's not sprayed into the air we breathe. It's an intelligent solution for personal insect protection. BUZZ OFF Insect Shield, LLC, is headquartered in Greensboro, N.C.

BUZZ OFF, Insect ShieldTM and BUZZ OFF Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel are trademarks of BUZZ OFF Insect Shield, LLC.

INSECT-REPELLENT APPAREL REGISTERED BY EPA BUZZ OFF™ Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel Repels Mosquitoes and Ticks

“This is an exciting breakthrough in personal insect protection,” says Haynes Griffin, chairman and CEO of BUZZ OFF Insect Shield, LLC, the company that developed the new technology. “BUZZ OFF clothing will be a tremendous benefit to anyone seeking relief from biting insects. This clothing provides a new defense against the nuisance of insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, which may carry diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease.”

The BUZZ OFF process tightly binds the active ingredient to the garment, creating an invisible and odorless protection for the wearer. The only way the consumer can tell that the clothing is insect repellent is that it keeps bugs from biting.

“The BUZZ OFF EPA registration is the most significant development in insect protection in over 50 years,” says entomologist and parasitologist Dr. Jim Ahrens. “It is a whole new way of protecting people against mosquitoes, ticks and other insects that are annoying at best, but also potentially life-threatening. Because the repellent is built into the apparel rather than applied directly to the skin, BUZZ OFF provides a convenient vehicle to protect us from the insects that plague and pester us.”

The active ingredient used in the BUZZ OFF process is permethrin, a man-made version of a repellent that occurs naturally in chrysanthemums. Permethrin is not effective when applied directly to the skin, because it deactivates and dissipates quickly.

“One of the secrets of the BUZZ OFF process is its ability to bind this effective repellent to everyday clothing,” explains Richard Lane, company president and inventor of the BUZZ OFF Insect Shield process. “This creates an insect-repellent garment that is both effective and long lasting.”

The invention of BUZZ OFF apparel comes at a time when U.S. health professionals and consumers are increasingly concerned about insect-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease. Consumers are also cautious about over-using traditional insect repellents, especially those that contain DEET.

The idea for developing insect-repellent clothing was driven by a need to find a protection system that was effective, long lasting and that eliminated the need for repeated application to the skin. After years of research and testing, the company found BUZZ OFF apparel to be highly effective in repelling mosquitoes and ticks. It is similarly effective in repelling ants, flies, chiggers and midges.

"Initially, we expect BUZZ OFF apparel to be popular among outdoor enthusiasts,” says Lane. “However, insect protection is just as important in our neighborhoods and playgrounds, so we expect BUZZ OFF apparel to move quickly from the backwoods to the backyard.”

To introduce BUZZ OFF apparel, the company has partnered with The Orvis Company of Manchester, Vermont and with Ex Officio of Seattle, Washington, both leaders in durable and dependable outdoor clothing.

“We are tremendously excited to be partnering with these highly respected companies for the launch of BUZZ OFF apparel,” says CEO Haynes Griffin. “Both manufacturers have a long and well-recognized tradition of innovation and quality.”

The Orvis and ExOfficio BUZZ OFF lines will include pants, shorts, shirts and socks for both men and women. A limited number of garments will be offered this fall, with BUZZ OFF apparel more widely available by Spring 2004. In addition, Ex Officio will soon announce a line of BUZZ OFF clothing for children.

BUZZ OFF Insect Shield, LLC, introduced the first insect-repellent apparel registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The innovative BUZZ OFF™ patent-pending technology provides effective and convenient protection against mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges.

BUZZ OFF Insect Shield, LLC, was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.