Henri-Lloyd partners with British explorer Jim McNeill and the Ocean Warrior Project

by Henri-Lloyd 16 Mar 2023 13:26 GMT

Iconic performance brand Henri-Lloyd announces an exciting new partnership with British explorer Jim McNeill, who will represent the brand as a Global Ambassador through his role leading the Ocean Warrior Project.

Jim McNeill is one of the world's most experienced and respected explorers and has clocked up over 38 years of expeditioning in the world's most remote and harshest environments.

His life's mission is to put a better finger on the "pulse of the planet" and to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things, in 2001 Jim conceived the 'Ice Warrior' Project and over two decades he has led 450 people across seven major expeditions, with their findings cited in many scientific papers and leading publications.

Launched as part of the not-for-profit, Global Warrior Project in 2023, Ocean Warrior is aiming to take 18 people on each of 8 legs of a 10,000 nautical mile, exploration to build a better understanding of the ocean's tipping points through citizen science. The purpose is to collect critical 'ground truthing' scientific measurements to help deliver 'the holy grail of oceanography' and understand how much carbon is stored in our oceans, and how this is impacting on acidification, pollution, and species.

Henri-Lloyd will support The Ocean Warrior Project with protective and performance clothing during the expedition which starts from Svalbard, Norway in June 2023. The route will see the team head down to Plymouth, around Britain and north again to Iceland, South Greenland, West Greenland, Baffin Island, and finally to Resolute Bay, Canada, returning in October 2023, as they experience extreme temperatures below freezing, harsh winds and life at sea onboard Europe's largest wooden Schooner, SV Linden.

Participants require no previous experience of sailing tall ships, but these aspiring explorers will need to show initiative, resilience, tenacity as well as an interest in the role as a citizen scientist. The project is looking for people from all backgrounds, as well as seeking up to 10 inner city would-be explorers drawn from unprivileged backgrounds, the 10 will be funded by the project, removing financial barriers to participation.

Henri-Lloyd's founder Henri Strzelecki had a dream to protect those that dared to break the boundaries of exploration and adventure. He designed products that would protect in any condition, as well as allow people the freedom to perform without restrictions. This passion for protection led the way in a history of design firsts, from the introduction of the groundbreaking use of Bri-Nylon, the first non-corrosive zipper, the hand taping of seams as an alternative to varnishing, and the standard use of Velcro closures that remain industry standards to this day.

"Jim and The Ocean Warrior Project represent an opportunity for Henri-Lloyd to revisit our heritage, to step once again into the world of exploration, adventure, and support today's modern pioneers. This partnership embodies values of purpose and sustainability that are at the core of our aims and objectives for the future Henri-Lloyd. We are excited to work with Jim on this unique project to support real people achieving incredible things alongside providing vital data that will help us all understand more about the oceans that support our planet," Graham Allen, CEO Henri-Lloyd.

Jim McNeill, Explorer, and Henri-Lloyd Global Ambassador: "My aim is to scientifically gauge and report on the condition of our Oceans which are crucial to life itself and share the experience of real exploration with individuals from all backgrounds. The #Resolute Expedition will cover a wide range of conditions, including temperatures down to -50 with wind chill, especially when dealing with ice on the deck. The Irminger Sea, on the southeast coast of Greenland is notoriously rough, and some of our crew will be novice sailors so the degree of protection and performance which Henri-Lloyd affords our crew is crucial. As a brand they bring over six decades of innovation and design, they were the original protective waterproof brand, developing ground-breaking solutions to protect the first ocean pioneers. Their commitment to responsible production means we know that the team will be protected to the highest standards in all conditions, wearing products made with a conscience for the planet and oceans we are working to protect."