There are four levels of isolation gowns.  For the 101 on gowns, take a moment to read our blog post.  Levels 1 and 2 amount to little more than security theater.  They are comprised of nonwoven which breathes like a screen door.

Level 3 is for serious procedures / situations which could result in blood splatter.  Haemorrhaging is feared the most.  

Most imports are a retrofit of nonwoven polypropylene extrusion coated with polyethylene to achieve a moisture barrier ( instant #7 not recyclable ).  Extrusion coating resins are weak.  A test protocall evolved to test the resistance to fluids.  It amounts to paying a lab $ 5,000 to drip water on the film for an indulgence.  

The FDA compliance certification looks official, right ?   The resin could be 100% ” repro ” ( think dregs reprocessed + floorsweep ) and still comply.  Our resins are FDA and Kosher compliant for prolonged and direct food contact.  We have not submitted our gowns for testing.  In 2020 alone, we made enough film to make 25 million gowns.  We were never asked to test.  Suffice to say we make film for many  medical devices and drapes which require a moisture barrier. 

Our level III gowns are compliant with AATCC 42 (Level 3), and AATCC 127 (Level 2 and Level 3)

If you insist on this test and documentation we can’t help you.  An EUA will have to suffice.  

The changes personnel wanted were simple for us:

1.  lower gloss   A glossy gown while functional is percieved as “wearing a garbage bag all day”.  Low gloss is preferred in the OR as we learned back when Jimmy Carter was president.  
2. softer and quieter  Again, attributes desirable in the OR.
3. Most level 3 gowns are open back to wick out perspiration and vent body heat.   Open back style opens the door to contamination from the ambient.  We put some slits in the armpit and back areas to vent heat and moisture.  These also make easy doffing.   Watch this video to learn about our level 3 gowns.