Global Protective Gear is now manufacturing AAMI level 1 and level 2 isolation gowns by using an alternative textile to help solve its shortage. With the surge in demand for gowns during the current coronavirus pandemic, the traditional supply chain has not been able to keep up and so the primary raw material used – nonwoven fabric is in short supply.

Global Protective Gear has taken a lightweight 100 per cent polyester and then applied a polyurethane coating which results in a waterproof equivalent. Now the company is supplying 1 million isolation gowns per week to hospitals and medical facilities around the globe for low risk situations.    

"We were not going to let a nonwoven shortage get in the way of providing a workable isolation gown in this time of extreme need," said Gregory Lilien, CEO.

Since the new product is based on an actual fabric, the gowns can actually be washed and reused 5-10x. While some users will be required to dispose after each use, in some lower risk situations the gowns can be washed and reused multiple times helping minimise costs further. The current market price for an isolation gown is a staggering $7-15 per pc. In certain lower risk situations, the Global Protective Gear gown can be reused multiple times bringing the cost below $1 per use. This is a step in the right direction to help ease the current choke on the medical product supply chain.

Global Protective Gear is also currently building a new facility to begin production of AAMI Level 3 and 4 gowns for June 2020.