Standard explainer · EN ISO 11393
Chainsaw clothing doesn't armour you — it sacrifices itself. Layers of long fibres pull out and jam the drive sprocket, stopping the chain in a fraction of a second, once, after which the garment is scrap. Everything about the standard follows from that one mechanism.
The mechanism
Cut-resistant fabric can't stop a chainsaw; nothing wearable can. Chainsaw protection under EN ISO 11393 (successor to the old EN 381 series) works by clogging: on contact, the outer shell gives way instantly and releases long, tough fibres that wrap the sprocket and stall the chain — typically before it reaches flesh. Two consequences define the buying: the garment is single-sacrifice (any saw contact, however small it looks, retires it), and the protection is rated by the chain speed it can stall, expressed as classes.
The ratings
| Marking | Means | Practical read |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Tested at 20 m/s chain speed | The common ground-work baseline |
| Class 2 | 24 m/s | Higher-powered saws |
| Class 3 | 28 m/s | The most powerful saws; heavy, hot garments |
| Type A trousers | Front-of-leg protection | Ground work by trained operators — the forestry default |
| Type C trousers | All-round leg protection | Arborists and aerial work, where the saw can reach anywhere |
The system
The care rule
The protective fibres only clog a saw if they can pull free — contamination is the enemy. Oil, sap and dried mud glue the layers together; incorrect washing mats them. Follow the garment's label exactly (typically a moderate wash, no softener, no tumble), never patch or sew through the protective zones (stitching pins the fibres), and retire the garment after any saw contact or when the shell is torn through. Our forestry kit guide covers the full head-to-toe system and the sector page the working context.
Questions
Coverage. Type A protects the front of the legs (plus small wrap zones) and is the standard for trained ground-based forestry work. Type C protects all round the leg and is specified for arborists, aerial work and situations where the saw can approach from any angle — at a real cost in weight and heat.
No. The protection works by sacrificing fibres to clog the chain — one contact, even one that looks superficial, means the garment has done its job or lost its integrity, and it must be replaced. Repairs through the protective layers are also prohibited: stitching pins the fibres that need to pull free.
Match the class to the chain speed of the saws you actually run — Class 1 (20 m/s) covers most ground work with standard saws; higher-powered equipment pushes into Class 2 or 3. Employers' risk assessments and training schemes (and any site or utility client rules) set the floor.
Everything decoded here is stocked as certified garments and PPE, embroidered where it makes sense.