Makarand Kale, a manufacturer of sports goods and a sports teacher, has developed a bulletproof material using herbs, which is much lighter when compared to the conventional available materials.

The herbal bulletproof jacket is made up of 80 percent herbal ingredients consisting of proteins, silk and cotton and twenty percent chemical constituents.

Cotton cloth pieces and chemical preparations are layered alternatively. The combination of the material distributes the impact strength of high-speed bullet. Webbing of cotton cloth has a significant impact in context of energy absorption. The fabrication follows mixing, dilution, grinding, blending, impregnation and drying to get the final product.

Herbal Composition of various grains is used, from which the proteins are derived. A chemical solution of resin and a hardener is used to provide strength and solidity to the material. In the end, two stainless steel plates are attached to the plate for cover protection. The cost of production of one such jacket comes to be less than ten thousand rupees.

The bulletproof jacket is light weight and has good resistance against bullets, apart from having stability against temperature fluctuations. It can be moulded in any shape and size. It has good shock absorption properties and also provides good resistance to chemicals and abrasive substances.

This bulletproof material can be used to make jackets, body of bulletproof cars, shields of shoulders, helmet, and fireproof devices.

There are no such herbal products available in the market to make bullet proof jackets. GIAN-West through the L.D. College of engineering, Ahmedabad conducted a test to find the hardiness, compression and impact of the jacket. The results were satisfactory. Similarly, tensile strength at break and compressive strength were tested at Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology, Ahmedabad. Based on the results, further testing is being planned at DRDO and talks are on for the same