The Canadian based company, Lincoln Fabrics, will pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit with the U.S. government over its use of a controversial fiber, Zylon, linked to defective bulletproof vests.

In November 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the company and its Alabama based subsidiary, alleging they knowingly wove a defective Zylon fiber into fabric that was used in bulletproof vests for American law enforcement agencies.

Lincoln Fabrics decided to settle, but  “we don’t admit any wrongdoing whatsoever,” said president Dave Howes Friday night. “We absolutely reject every allegation. … But when it comes down to it, we’re a small company and this is the U.S. Department of Justice. It hurts, but at some point you just have to cut bait, settle and move on.”

  

What

Where

Search Jobs

The Department of Justice issued a release Friday saying the settlement is part of a larger, ongoing investigation into the use of Zylon in body armor. It also stated Lincoln Fabrics will cooperate with this investigation as part of the settlement.