Ligature-resistant clothing is designed to reduce the risk of self-harm in behavioral health, psychiatric, and secure care environments. These garments are used in hospitals, mental health units, crisis stabilization centers, and correctional facilities where patient safety is a priority.
Traditional anti-ligature or seclusion clothing has typically been created with one goal in mind: risk reduction. While this objective is essential, older designs have often focused only on removing ligature points without considering comfort, dignity, or the emotional impact on the person wearing the garment.
In recent years, clinicians and safety professionals have begun to recognize that clothing itself can influence behavior. Materials that feel harsh, restrictive, or unfamiliar can increase distress, agitation, and resistance, particularly in individuals who are already vulnerable.
STRONGTEX ligature-resistant clothing was developed to move beyond the traditional approach by combining safety, durability, and therapeutic design in one system.
In behavioral health settings, clothing is never neutral. What a patient wears can affect both physical comfort and emotional state, especially during periods of crisis, seclusion, or close observation.
Many traditional seclusion garments are made from coarse fabrics, rigid materials, or heavily institutional designs. These features may reduce ligature risk, but they can also create sensory irritation. Rough textures, excessive heat retention, noise from stiff fabric, or unfamiliar construction can all increase anxiety and restlessness.
For individuals with sensory sensitivity, trauma history, autism, or acute mental health distress, these sensations can make a difficult situation worse. Instead of helping to calm the environment, uncomfortable clothing can become another source of agitation.
Modern ligature-resistant clothing must therefore do more than prevent self-harm. It should also support a calmer, more cooperative environment.
STRONGTEX was designed with this principle in mind.
Effective ligature-resistant clothing needs to meet several requirements at the same time.
It must be strong enough to prevent tearing, manipulation, or conversion into ligatures. It must withstand repeated washing at healthcare disinfection temperatures. It must maintain consistent performance over time. And just as importantly, it must remain comfortable enough for extended wear.
Older garments often achieved strength by using stiff or abrasive materials. This reduced risk but increased discomfort. In real clinical environments, that trade-off can create new problems.
STRONGTEX was developed to provide high strength without the harsh feel commonly associated with traditional anti-ligature clothing. The goal was not only to protect, but also to support cooperation and reduce escalation.
At the core of STRONGTEX ligature-resistant clothing is a specially developed technical fabric designed for high-risk healthcare and behavioral health use.
The material is highly resistant to tearing and damage, helping prevent garments from being broken down into strips or cords that could be used as ligatures. The fabric structure also resists unravelling, reducing the risk of loose threads forming under stress.
Durability in real-world use is equally important. STRONGTEX garments are designed to withstand repeated thermal wash cycles required for infection control, maintaining their integrity and performance over time.
Additional protective properties, including inherent flame-resistant performance, are built directly into the fabric rather than applied as a surface coating. This ensures consistent protection even after repeated laundering.
The result is ligature-resistant clothing that remains reliable, predictable, and safe without becoming rigid or uncomfortable.
Comfort is not just a preference in behavioral health environments. It is a safety factor.
Garments that feel more like everyday clothing can help reduce the sense of punishment or isolation that patients sometimes associate with seclusion wear. Softer interiors, smoother finishes, and familiar shapes can make a significant difference in how a person reacts during a crisis.
When clothing feels less restrictive and more natural, patients are often more willing to cooperate with staff, accept care, and remain calm during observation or treatment.
STRONGTEX garments are designed to look and feel closer to normal apparel while still meeting the safety requirements expected from ligature-resistant clothing. This balance helps support both protection and dignity.
The visual appearance of ligature-resistant clothing can also influence emotional response.
STRONGTEX garments are supplied in lavender, a color widely associated with calmness, reduced anxiety, and lower stress levels. In environments that can otherwise feel clinical or restrictive, color can help create a more supportive atmosphere.
When combined with softer textures and familiar garment design, the use of calming colors can contribute to a more therapeutic environment, particularly during extended periods of observation or seclusion.
This same approach applies to related safety products such as ligature-resistant blankets, which are designed to provide warmth and reassurance without introducing additional risk.
STRONGTEX ligature-resistant clothing is used in a wide range of high-risk environments, including:
In each of these environments, staff must balance safety with humane care. Removing ligature risks is essential, but so is maintaining trust, reducing agitation, and supporting recovery.
Ligature-resistant clothing should not replace observation, clinical judgment, or therapeutic care. Instead, it should work alongside them by removing unnecessary triggers linked to discomfort, sensory overload, or loss of dignity.
STRONGTEX represents a shift in how ligature-resistant clothing is viewed.
Rather than treating garments as a last-resort safety measure, STRONGTEX is designed as part of a wider therapeutic environment. By combining advanced fabric engineering with human-centered design, it helps create clothing that protects without increasing distress.
Modern anti-ligature clothing should not only prevent harm. It should support calm behavior, improve cooperation, and allow care teams to work more effectively.
By moving beyond traditional seclusion wear, STRONGTEX shows that safety and compassion can work together, not against each other.
Jim Still is the Director of Business Development at PPSS Group and was closely involved in the development of STRONGTEX®, a specialist fabric designed for ligature-resistant and high-risk protective clothing. A former Royal Marine Commando with operational experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, Jim later worked in the private security sector, building extensive knowledge in risk management and personal protection. Since joining PPSS Group in 2016, he has focused on creating safety solutions for professionals working in behavioral health, psychiatric care, education, and secure environments, ensuring that protection, comfort, and durability are combined in real-world applications.
