By Sorrel Hoskin

If you're a woman into martial arts, fencing or paintball - chances are you're abreast of Max Rutherford's designs. The New Plymouth man's chest protectors have been safeguarding the world's sportswomen for the past 20 years.
 
But just how does a former international motor racing mechanic end up designing women's protective underwear?

From bolts to breasts

Max Rutherford's calling was to the world of motor racing. As a teenager he was passionate about cars, racing ¾ midgets at the Waiwhakaiho Speedway. He left New Plymouth Boys' High School at age 15 to take up an apprenticeship with the Ford garage. "I wanted to be a motor mechanic. My schoolmaster told me I was crazy. I was top of the school for tech drawing and he said I should go to university. But I wanted to see the world."

Seven years later and Max was on his way to the top. In 1965 he headed to London and gained a job with a racing team, eventually working as chief mechanic to world champion racers Denny Hulme, Jack Brabham and the ultimate - Jackie Stewart.

From bolts to bras: Max Rutherford at Quality Performers in New Plymouth. Image: The Daily News

Max returned to New Plymouth with his Irish wife Christina in 1970. It's here that the mechanic's story intertwines with that of the chest protector.

The original chest protector was invented by Taranaki Base Hospital orthotics specialist Ces Richies and business partner Wynn Martin. The pair had been approached by nuns from Sacred Heart College who were concerned about their girls' chests being hurt whilst playing soccer. Cess was more used to making splints and artificial limbs than breast protection - but he got to work and cooked up the Richmar chest protector in his home oven.

While it wasn't a raging success for soccer, the protector did have the side effect of increasing the competitiveness of the girls due to increased confidence.

The product was patented and motorcycle helmet manufacturers Egmont Leather and Canvas exported it. Then Max and Christina stepped in. The New Plymouth couple (along with five other shareholders at the time) had opened the Hire Centre in 1970. The Hire Centre was a first for the town, and took advantage of the 'think big' projects popping up in the region. "It was super successful. We had it made," says Max.

"Then Rob Muldoon came along and said that anyone exporting would get tax relief on their other business. We bought Egmont Leather and Canvas which was exporting the chest protectors."

The company had six other businesses on the go at the same time "it was crazy." Not long after that the dollar rose and the business crashed, but Quality Performers rose from the ashes - now owned by Max and Christina.

Toward perfection

Max is a man in a woman's world. While he also designs chest protection for men - it's the women's gear he's known for. His mates reckon he has the best job, fitting bras on women. "I'm the envy of every man in the world," he says with a chuckle. "But it's not like that at all I don't go around feeling women's breasts! It's just business."

Max has always been a perfectionist, the mind that helped fine tune Formula One engines moved on to perfecting chest protection. For a man small in stature - he's big on ideas.

The original protector (renamed the Econo Guard) was hot, bulky and uncomfortable - so Max set about making it better.

Being a 'one-man-band' he had to take a crash course in plastics and design. He discovered that women wanted something a little more feminine looking - with just as much protection, that didn't restrict movement, and didn't heat up too much.

"We started getting enquiries from martial arts people about the guard," says Max. "We did some research and improved it, made it a better, more user friendly product. On aesthetic and practicality grounds we tried to do away with the elastic straps (that hold the protector in place). What we came up with was a crop top, from a design suggestion by my wife Christina, with an inner pocket where the guard can be slipped out."

The Maxi (his name is Max after all) is made of low density polyethylene, the same material that Tupperware kitchen containers are made from, which is strong and supple.

He enlisted help - bringing in university researchers and "women on the ground" who gave him feedback about the protector.

The resulting product proved a hit with women - especially fencers - who had in the past put up with uncomfortable metal inserts in their uniform. The protection gave them new confidence. "It just really took off from there."

A world first

That was in 1993. Today Quality Performers produce three chest protector designs for women: the Econo Guard, the Maxi and the Cool Guard, and a single Master Guard for men.

Max has spent many years developing the Cool Guard - a garment that is just that - cooler than the others.

"I wanted a bra that looked different from the Maxi. I got a student to design this - it's practical but feminine." The Cool Guard was sent to England for evaluation.

"They said it would make a great jogging bra, overcoming embarrassment, and pain from shoulder straps, and why didn't I market it as that? I rethought the whole thing, to develop a sports bra and have protection as a bonus."

Cool Guard features a crop top made of special material, into which cups can be inserted. In early 2005 Max introduced a foamed polyurethane cup that is softer than the plastic - providing protection plus added comfort and is gentler on the body -  it's a product that's unique - and has really taken off.

"It's meant I can make a pretty outlandish statement and claim it as a world first," he says proudly.

A little company making it big

Walk through the little suburb of Strandon today and you'll probably miss the premises of the little company that's making it big in chest protection - it's tucked away behind the shops, with a discrete little sign.

Inside a machinist puts last minute additions onto an order for the United States, these days the bra bits are made in China - with the final fit-out back in the New Plymouth factory. On a shelf sit three plastic women's torsos each wearing chest protection samples and products are stacked in neat piles around the room - but there's little else to reveal this is an award winning company abreast of the world market.

Customers seldom come calling to the little factory - most of Quality Performers business is done via fax or e-mail.

Quality Performers chest protectors are now sold in 28 countries around the world and the company is regarded as market leader. The firm employs five staff members and sends up to 35,000 chest protectors overseas each year. 95 per cent of the business is now women's chest protection and business is growing at around 24 percent a year.

Max Rutherford's designs are used by women around the world. Image: The Daily News

Martial arts women combatants (taekwondo, karate, judo, jujitsu and kickboxing) make up 70 per cent of Quality Performers products with 20 per cent going to fencers and 10 per cent to women boxers and war games fanatics. The chest protectors have been worn by top class sports women in the Olympics - which saw word-of-mouth sales skyrocket.

It's a case of keeping ahead of the competition - who are quick to copy the designs.

"Despite all the Asian copies, I still lead the market because we offer a better product and service," says Max proudly.

Quality Peformers has relied on their website (www.qp-sport.co.nz) for marketing and impressed consumers have done the rest. "People buy them, like them and tell other people and word gets around. I always keep improving them to remain ahead of the competition, it's a quality product and we always provide superb service. I haven't had to do any serious marketing - I hate cold calling."

Being on the other side of the world to their market hasn't been a big problem for Quality Performers. It believes in a quick turn around on orders. "We could get an e-mail this morning from London. The order would be in Auckland tonight and on the plane to London within 24 hours. That's why we've been so successful."

Bowing out of the bra market

But now it's time for Max to bow out. He's tired.

"Last year for the first time in my life I thought 'hell, do I need to carry on like this?' A lot of my friends were dying. I went to a funeral and looked at the wooden box and thought 'hell I'm going to end up like that if I don't get out of this.'"

The 63-year-old has sold the business to locals Richard Shearer and Rebecca Scott and is easing himself into retirement by working as a consultant for the business.

In retirement he'll be returning to his roots: a vintage car needs working on and there's a ¾ midget crying out for restoration.

"I've been a workaholic for 45 years - it's time to take it easy."