How Former Milliken & Polartec Executive Steve Layton Built Norse Safety Into One of the Fastest-Growing FR Brands in America

In an industry long dominated by legacy suppliers and incremental advances, few expected a start-up founded in 2022 to redefine the trajectory of flame-resistant (FR) workwear this much. Yet, in just three years, Norse Safety LLC has emerged as one of the most disruptive new entrants in the industrial garment sector — and its momentum traces directly back to the experience, technical depth, and entrepreneurial resolve of its president, Steve Layton.

Steve, a former senior leader within Milliken & Company’s Westex flame-resistant business and later President of Polartec, joined Norse in late 2022 to bring a unique and intimate understanding of both the FR textile landscape, and the outdoor sports apparel market. After more than a decade inside two of the sector’s most influential performance fabric brands, Steve looked to Norse to build something distinctly his own: a product-led FR apparel company engineered from the yarn up, positioned to challenge entrenched norms around comfort, mobility, and textile innovation.

“Our goal from day one was to create proprietary material technology that genuinely performs in the field — to exceed a spec sheet, not to simply create another apparel label” stated founder Jane Layton. “Once Steve came on board, these goals became a reality.”

Steve’s path led him perfectly to this moment. With decade of leadership roles in the flame resistant and consumer technical textile space, Steve became an expert on product performance and built a network throughout all areas of the value chain. His experience and connections made the scaling of a start-up brand possible.

Those who worked with Steve observed a consistent theme: he approached textile engineering the way a strategist approaches a market, mapping not only what a product is but what it could be. That philosophy found full expression in Norsewear.

Norse Safety was a start-up that behaved like a technical fabrics company rather than a garment supplier. When Steve joined his wife’s business in 2022, the market was in for a surprise. Within months, lineworkers, utility crews, welders, and industrial operators began spreading the word: Norse garments felt different — lighter, cooler, more mobile, and engineered with a level of textile intention that was uncommon in the FR category.

“Our approach is simple,” Steve said. “We started with the science. We built the product architecture first and the brand second.” At the core of that architecture is what Norse calls the Norse Performance Troika — a textile and design framework Steve developed after years of technical work in the FR sector; Form, Fiber, Fit.

Norse evaluates every fabric construction from the foundation upward. Its lightweight knits and fleece garments prioritize breathability, moisture management, and thermoregulation. “Every stitch, every seam has a purpose,” Steve said. “Performance starts at the foundation.”

Norse collaborates with technical textile leaders, such as Polartec®, to bring the very best in comfort and performance to the market.  Strategic mixing of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers allows the garment to actively manage heat, sweat, and comfort. “When you’re sweating through the job, your gear should be working too,” Steve said. “It’s not an accident that we consistently receive user feedback that Norse has the most comfortable garments in the market.”

Unlike many outdoor-inspired brands, Norse designs for industrial athletes — broad shoulders, strong builds, tall frames, and constant movement. Garments are built to move with the wearer, not against them. “Form, Fiber, Fit — that is our design philosophy,” Steve said. “and it’s this behind the scenes work that enables our products to be comfortable.”

By late 2023, Norse’s customer base had grown far beyond what the founders had projected. Social media communities of lineworkers began showcasing Norse garments in action. Repeat orders surged. Utility teams requested Norsewear for training events, climbing competitions, and award ceremonies. Highlighting the multifunctionality and purpose of the garments. The brand took off not because of marketing spend, but because wearers endorsed it to one another.

Today, Steve attributes much of that momentum to a combination of the company’s relentless pursuit of engineering the best product in the market, and their key partnerships with their primary fabric supplier, Polartec, and Tyndale, the leading distributor of FR clothing in the utility sector. “This journey is made possible by our great partners, who have provided grace, guidance, and support a start-up like ours needed,” said Steve. “We aren’t where we are today without the support we get from our business partners.”

Industry observers note that Norse Safety has carved out a unique niche: a founder-led family business with a technical brand that pairs deep fabric expertise with the speed and customer responsiveness of a start-up. This hybrid position — rare in the FR sector — has enabled Norse to scale quickly while maintaining the proprietary edge that distinguishes its products.

Norse Safety continues to expand its product offering and is preparing to expand their women’s line and outerwear offerings — a move driven by customer demand and grounded in the same material-science-first approach that shaped the company’s early success. “We’re just getting started,” Steve said.