Henri-Lloyd partners with Oliver Heer Ocean Racing

British sailing brand Henri-Lloyd has announced a three-year technical clothing partnership with Oliver Heer Ocean Racing, supporting the Swiss sailor as he competes on the IMOCA circuit culminating with the Vendee Globe in 2024.

The partnership will see Henri-Lloyd work closely with Heer and his team to develop high-performance products designed and produced with sustainability at the heart. All the onshore and on-water products selected by Oliver Heer Ocean Racing will be produced in line with Henri-Lloyd’s responsible production commitment, where 100 per cent of products are manufactured with organic, recycled, or zero waste materials.

The team will be wearing products designed to support Heer across multiple conditions. The M//PRO collection is developed to perform at the highest level – it’s a versatile product allowing the ability to be agile alongside durable waterproofness and breathability. The M//PRO products are complimented with the Henri-Lloyd base and mid layers providing a complete breathing system.

Key products in the layering range include the MAV tech tee – a multiuse t-shirt that is quick drying and provides UV protection, and the MAV HL mid crew, a stretchy and comfortable technical sweatshirt that is moisture wicking; both are manufactured with 100 per cent recycled polyester.

“This partnership sees Henri-Lloyd return to its heritage, producing the best high-performance waterproof clothing, designed to protect in the most challenging offshore conditions,” says Graham Allen, Henri-Lloyd CEO. “The team’s values align with our own focus for the future, where we believe that performance doesn’t need to be compromised by a commitment to sustainability. We’re excited to work with Oliver and his team and develop products that reflect our joint values and ambitions.”

“We are very excited that we have the support of Henri-Lloyd over the next three years,” says skipper Heer. “Henri-Lloyd are the natural clothing partner choice for our Vendee Globe campaign as they have the technical expertise, engineering capability, and shared sustainable values to help us succeed.

“As sailors, winning is 90 per cent preparation. It is vital that I have clothing that allows me to concentrate on testing my mind and body to the extreme in the harshest of environments. I am looking forward to testing their products for future development and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve in our shared mission of raising awareness of important environmental issues and sustainability goals.”

It’s reported that Oliver Heer Ocean Racing is the first team committed to achieving a carbon-neutral Vendée Globe campaign. Working alongside ClimatePartner, a solution provider for climate action, the team will calculate and reduce emissions generated in the campaign and compensate unabated emissions through internationally recognised carbon offset projects. The team will use the boat as a platform to develop, test, and promote the latest technologies – they will carry a SubCtech OceanPack Race sensor provided by the Swiss Polar Institute as part of a robust and innovative data collection campaign during both the training and racing phases of the Vendée Globe campaign between 2023 and 2025.

Heer’s next challenge will be the legendary Route Du Rhum, a 3,543 nm race across the Atlantic from St Malo in France to Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe, starting on Sunday 6 November 2022.