H&V develops a new material for nonsurgical medical gowns

East Walpole, MA 

Looking to help meet the critical need for personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, global manufacturer Hollingsworth & Vose (H&V) has, on a rapidly accelerated timeline, developed a new material for nonsurgical medical gowns. Using standard construction methods, this new material can be converted into medical gowns for healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities. 

The material meets stringent testing including the AATCC 42 impact penetration and AATCC 127 hydrostatic pressure tests. Its origin stems from a COVID-19 related task force that H&V convened at the start of the pandemic to see how the company could expand production and help meet the shortage of medical grade PPE. 

H&V works across industries, including in medical, automotive, energy, power generation, and air quality. “H&V had already been manufacturing critical materials used in the fight against COVID-19, including filtration media for N95 respirators, ventilator filtration media and the materials used in surgical hoods, so it made sense for us to see how else we might be able to meet the needs of healthcare workers on the frontlines,” said Jeff Crane, segment leader at H&V. 

The company is manufacturing the material in its manufacturing facility in Easton, N.Y.