Our founder, is an NRA member and instructor and has been so for many years.
One day while visiting a gun shop he saw body armor for sale and thought it would be great to add a vest to his defensive repertoire.
Before his next trip to the gun store he did research and found out that body armor (it is completely defensive in nature) can be owned by any non-felon and he wanted some.
He was then shocked to find out that the gun shop that displayed it WOULD NOT sell him body armor because he was neither military nor law enforcement in spite of his NRA certifications, numerous purchases, concealed permit (vetted gun owner) and having taught classes on gun safety for years.
He went to another shop, same feedback.
After doing additional research with the manufacturers he found out that the police departments in many of the cities across America combined to coerce the armor manufacturers that their departments would NOT be buying their vests from companies who sold armor to civilians. These manufacturers in turn ensured that their distribution channels, including gun shops, also would not sell to civilians. Under many definitions this would be restraint of trade and protected under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, but unless a manufacturer brought suit, at the peril of their business, it will not be enforced.
With that he set out the learn all about the manufacture, standards, and limitations of body armor.
He identified that there are many classes of protection that stop bullets of various sizes, velocities, inertia etc. and that there are standards set by the National Institute of Justice, or NIJ. The body armor standard that meets the most common threats, hand-guns up to 44 magnum, is referred to as level IIIA, and can be accomplished using soft armor and multiple layers of aramid fibers like Kevlar®
Citizen Armor was born, to serve the lawful civilian market.
With further research and success he identified other materials that can be used alone or with other types of fibers to create armor with additional features such as thinner, lighter, water resistant, and fire/smoke damage proof. This becomes important as aramid fibers degrade with a 5 year life once they are exposed to oxygen or light and unweave when wet, rendering them useless. These new materials, once certified by the NIJ, meet a higher life expectancy but their rating is the maximum evaluated by the NIJ, 7 years. Other composites have been formulated and with specific layering we have determined which will produce the most superior outcome, always based on use, needs, care, etc. while adhering to the NIJ ballistic standards.
At Citizen Armor, our business is about protecting those who are vulnerable, which is all of us. To help evangelize our cause we are seeking influencers for freedom, liberty, conservative values, and the 2nd amendment to spread the word that premium, American Made, civilian body armor is available for all law abiding citizens (non-felons).