KWI Patrnership

At Up In Smoke Welding Apparel, we pride ourselves on designing high-quality gear and working with high-quality people and organizations. When you start welding, we know that it can be challenging, and if you're not careful, your learning experience can leave you with burns and scars.

That's why we are proud to work with the Kentucky Welding Institute (KWI), which shares the same belief that high-quality safety gear can perform, look good and be rewarding to the next generation of welders.

We are proud to provide KWI students with our specialized and innovative gear while learning the trade. We do this to help reduce any worry about the students getting burned or sustaining serious injuries. Here's what Bobby Pease, Kentucky Welding Institute Director of Education, had to say about our partnership:

"Kentucky Welding Institute achieved several goals with a recent partnership with Up In Smoke Welding Apparel. KWI needed a quality garment that would protect students from the heat and sparks of a very intense 8 hour welding day.

KWI is run more like a job than a school, so the garment would have to withstand the grit and grind of a full day of cutting, grinding, welding and working rain or shine. In addition, serving a young demographic challenged KWI to find a brand with notable recognition in the industry. Furthermore, we were seeking to launch a new incentive program for excelling students, so we needed a tiered product that allowed students to purchase at a reasonable price and be rewarded with top-shelf products.

All three of these goals were met with one solid company, Up In Smoke. Working with Mac to iron out the details was efficient and effective. KWI now offers all students the UIS Zestos for their daily protection. Students are excited to see the brand roll in because they all know the quality associated with Up In Smoke. In addition, KWI rewards students for perfect attendance, weld skill, and work ethic.

Up In Smoke Welding Apparel is part of the program, too, so students are rewarded with top of the line gear like the UIS Thorax and the UIS Novus. KWI had never dealt internationally for products before, but Mac made it easy, and the service was second to none. Our only regret is that we didn't launch this partnership sooner."

-Bobby Pease, Kentucky Welding Institute Director of Education

Louie Lemberes, Kentuck Welding Institute 2020 graduate/Perfect Attendance winner, also provided this quote on his experience with our products:

"Towards the end of my training with Kentucky Welding Institute, they began a student incentive program that rewarded us for attendance, skill, and work ethic. I was fortunate enough to get through their entire 24-week program without a single absence.

For my reward, I was able to pick between an Up In Smoke Thorax or Novus for free. I had already purchased a Thorax for myself, so I was glad to earn the Novus and add to my Up In Smoke collection. Both feel durable, hold up to the heat and sparks and have unmatched craftsmanship. I love especially love the CarbonX sleeves on the Novus when throwing heavy sparks."

-Louie Lemberes, Kentucky Welding Institute 2020 graduate/Perfect Attendance

Up In Smoke Welding Apparel is pleased to continue supporting new welders while they're learning by keeping them safe in our gear.