Founded in 1999, fourth element has grown its government and industrial division to become one of the most successful suppliers of protective underwater and extreme environment terrestrial clothing to militaries, emergency services and offshore industries around the world.
From its head office in Cornwall, UK, the company is now a globally recognised brand in this sector with customers on every continent. In 2017, fourth element expanded its headquarters into a 25,000 sq/ ft warehouse and office facility, to accommodate further growth and enable development of new products, stock holding and personnel.
Constantly evolving, our research and development programme has grown year on year, working closely with our clients and partners around the world, developing ground-breaking solutions to aid performance in demanding environments.
Whether that requires fire retardancy, thermal protection, fast wicking, full submersion or magnetic free products for the special forces, we have the capability to create bespoke solutions tailor made for your specific requirements, whether that is simply branding or complex re-engineering.
“Fourth Element’s passion is ocean conservation and exploration: all of our fabrics are sourced responsibly, again with thanks to our research and development team we have been successful in sourcing yarns derived from fishing nets and other post consumer products and repurposing the material to create our Thermocline™ range – the first dual purpose, neutral buoyancy wetsuit and/or baselayer system on the market.
“We are proud to support marine charities: we work with three charities dedicated to the rehabilitation of wounded servicemen and women through scuba diving. Deptherapy is a UK charity which has developed techniques for managing PTSD through the immersive experience of scuba diving and helped many seriously injured veterans to achieve a better quality of life. We also support The Wounded Heroes Foundation and SUDS (Servicemembers Undertaking Disabled Sports) in the USA through partnerships with dive centres, including modifying and developing our products to enable better thermal protection for veterans learning to dive.”
Paul Strike – CEO and Co-founder
PAST.
Shaped by a passion for the ocean.
Fourth element has been helping divers exceed their potential for over 20 years. Our kit has been worn across the globe in some of the harshest environments. With a pioneering use of recycled and sustainable fabrics, fourth element have always been about ocean conservation and exploration.
Find out more about the expeditions and charities fourth element have helped.
PRESENT.
Driven by innovation.
With an award winning product development team, and building on our knowledge of creating high performance technical clothing, fourth element are applying this knowledge to clothing for the government and industrial sector – keeping everyone from military personnel to search and rescue teams safe and performing at their best where ever they work. With sustainability at the heart of everything we do, we’re constantly innovating and developing to ensure fourth element products are the best available, while minimising our impact on the planet.
FUTURE.
In pursuit of a sustainable future.
Building on our successes and learning from extensive real world testing, fourth element will continue to develop innovative, high performance fabrics and products to keep you and your team safe.
We are
Being OceanPositive whilst producing high performance equipment is at the heart of everything we do as a business.
From the garments we produce to the packaging they are in, and the projects that we support along the way, everything we do leads to ensuring a more sustainable business that considers the ocean in all that we do.
PRODUCTS
Our product development is driven by a mission to make high performance products that have minimal impact on the environment. From bringing the first recycled dive fin to the market to using 100% natural or recycled yarns in our garments, the question is always how, not if, it’s possible to do things better.
PACKAGING
All our products are packaged using either paper, cardboard, cassava starch based or Hydropol™; a biodegradable, non toxic and water-soluble material. By removing single-use plastic packaging we are striving to do our part to help reduce the pollution of our water ways and oceans.
OUR PEOPLE
Our global team and network of team divers and ambassadors includes some of the best custodians the ocean has ever seen. From running coral reef restoration projects to ghost fishing net removal, they play a vital part in the conservation of our oceans.
PRACTISES
From using solar energy to power our HQ to working with our local zero waste refilling service for office essentials, we realise it’s the little things we do everyday that make a big impact over time. We now recycle 99% of our warehouse and office waste with only 1% going to landfill.
PRODUCTS
Our product development is driven by a mission to make high performance products that have minimal impact on the environment. From bringing the first recycled dive fin to the market to using 100% natural or recycled yarns in our garments, the question is always how, not if, it’s possible to do things better.
PACKAGING
All our products are packaged using either paper, cardboard, cassava starch based or Hydropol™; a biodegradable, non toxic and water-soluble material. By removing single-use plastic packaging we are striving to do our part to help reduce the pollution of our water ways and oceans.
OUR PEOPLE
Our global team and network of team divers and ambassadors includes some of the best custodians the ocean has ever seen. From running coral reef restoration projects to ghost fishing net removal, they play a vital part in the conservation of our oceans.
PRACTISES
From using solar energy to power our HQ to working with our local zero waste refilling service for office essentials, we realise it’s the little things we do everyday that make a big impact over time. We now recycle 99% of our warehouse and office waste with only 1% going to landfill.
Clients we protect
MILITARY SERVICES
British Navy, US Navy, French MOD (Marines), Egyptian Navy, Belgian Navy, Danish Navy, Norwegian Navy, Draeger, Slovenia Navy
FIRE AND RESCUE
NI Fire & Rescue Service, Fire Department New York (FDNY), Long Beach Fire Department
MARITIME
Canadian Coastguard, Irish Coastguard, Maritime Coastguard Agency, Rotterdam Customs
POLICE
FBI, NYPD, Netherlands Special Police, Thames Valley Police, Hertfordshire Police, Strathclyde Police, Hampshire Police, Metropolitan Police, West Midlands Police
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
British Antarctic Survey, Fugro Seacore Ltd, ShelterBox, NOAA, USA National Parks Service