​STEELGorillas founder Candice Cuoco has had a knack for building and creating ever since she grew up working on cars and rebuilding motorcycles with her dad. So when her dad came to her with a problem, she jumped at the chance to help.

He worked high on the steel of California’s bridges, sanding and painting in hazardous conditions where debris could be life threatening– blocking his vision and contaminating his air. Wearing a respirator only solved half the problem, and the only cheap paper head-socks that were available hardly helped. They got in the way and restricted his movement. Contaminants seeped in, forcing him to stop working to replace them. They were hard to get on, worse to take off, and hot and miserable in between. The guys on the bridge often found them more trouble than they were worth, leaving them without protection altogether.

Candice sat with her dad to design a solution from the ground up. The result is the STEELGorillas reusable dust-free hoodie — the first product of its kind on the market. The non-porous fabric prevents contaminants from seeping in, and gaskets around the mask and respirator openings block out debris. A full-length zipper makes it easy to get on and off. The unique design allows air to circulate. It has stretch sides for easy movement, and an elastic hem for a secure fit. And it is reusable — washable and quick-drying — easy to have ready for the next shift.

STEELGorillas has made a huge difference for her dad on the bridge, and can do the same for anyone working in a contaminant-filled environment. Whether you’re sanding or painting, maintaining bridges or building cars, we have a product that will work for you. Protection you need and protection you’ll want to use.