From the Sector

Parkdale Mills Collaborates with FDA, Gates Foundation and Others to Supply Swabs for Coronavirus Tests

Parkdale Mills subsidiary U.S. Cotton has joined in an effort with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the Gates Foundation, UnitedHealth Group and Quantigen to ramp up production of spun synthetic swabs to help the country’s frontline health care workers administering tests for the COVID-19 disease.

U.S. Cotton has developed a fully synthetic, polyester-based Q-tip-type swab that can be used in coronavirus diagnostic testing.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just announced that these synthetic swabs – with a design similar to Q-tips – could be used to test patients for the coronavirus.
U.S. Cotton, based in Cleveland, Ohio, plans to leverage its large-scale manufacturing capacity to rapidly increase production of large quantities of the polyester swabs, which are in short supply for testing kits across the country.

The FDA has determined that spun synthetic swabs can be used in COVID-19 testing based on the results from a clinical investigation stemming from its collaboration with UnitedHealth Group, the Gates Foundation and Quantigen.  

This is the second major COVID-19 relief project that Parkdale has helped. Earlier Parkdale constructed a supply chain that includes Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, and many other U.S. companies in the production of PPE masks needed by frontline medical staff treating the virus.

Tests conducted by independent laboratories have now confirmed that a treatment with Sanitized® T 99-19 and Sanitized® T 11-15 reduces the viral load on PES textiles by up to 99 %.

Swiss company SANITIZED AG celebrates validation from impartial labs that Sanitized®T 99-19 and Sanitized®T 11-15 are also effective against viruses (in accordance with ISO 18184:2019).
Tests were performed using a feline coronavirus with structures and mechanisms reminiscent of SARS-Cov2.

Patented technology featuring an ammonium silicate compound is employed in Sanitized®T 99-19 and Sanitized®T 11-15 utilizes tried and tested silver technology. These additives are the perfect tool for an antiviral and antibacterial treatment of face masks, protective professional medical clothing, bed linens, or mattresses.
The formulation of both products remains completely untouched, thus ensuring that it will continue to offer outstanding protection against bacteria.

Before a final product’s antiviral properties can be publicly promoted, viral tests must be performed in specialized laboratories. Compliance with local legal regulations is essential here. SANITIZED AG explicitly points out that this is standard procedure and has composed a preliminary Guide for Treating PPE

SANITIZED AG has been supporting the work of hygienists in hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing and care facilities for many years with its antimicrobial - and now also antiviral - additives used to enhance the
functionality of textiles and polymers. The reduction of bacteria and viruses is a feasible way to help stem the spread of infections including MRSA.

The U.S. textile and nonwoven associations NCTO, IFAL and INDA issued a joint statement today urging federal, state and local governments to deem textile and nonwoven manufacturing facilities as “essential” when drafting “Shelter in Place” orders in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The associations recognize the serious challenges of the elected officials, health administrators and others are facing when issuing orders to protect communities across the country and show understanding for the necessity to enforce quarantine orders.

The members of these associations are part of the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical nonwoven/textile supplies, including surgical gowns, face masks, antibacterial wipes, lab coats, blood pressure cuffs, cotton swabs and hazmat suits. These items are vital to the government’s effort to ramp up emergency production of these critical supplies.
If workers who produce these goods are not granted an “essential” exemption from “Shelter in Place” and other quarantine orders to go to their manufacturing and distribution facilities, it will cause major disruptions in the availability of these goods, states the association. This will create hardship to healthcare providers and consumers across the country who depend on steady and stable supplies of these critical items, says the NCTO.