Unifi supplies yarns & fibres to make PPE for COVID-19

Unifi, a leading innovator in recycled and synthetic yarns, is supplying yarns and fibres to more than 100 companies that are producing the masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment needed by first responders, medical personnel, and military. The company recognises the hard work that its customers are doing in supplying critical products.

Unifi’s fibre is an essential ingredient in the production of hundreds of critical components and products including masks, gowns, sewing thread for gowns, sterile wipes, drapes, and elastics for masks and face shields.

Unifi customer, Contempora Fabrics, based in Lumberton N.C., normally supplies fabric for baseball uniforms this time of year, but this season’s fabric is shifting to the production of medical masks and gowns. The factory using Contempora’s fabric is located in Pennsylvania and is owned by sports gear producer, Fanatics. The repurposed fabric is 100 per cent polyester sourced from Unifi’s operations in Yadkinville, the company said in a press release.

Another Unifi customer, Phenix Engineered Textiles, based in South Carolina, supplies elastic trapping for face masks. Unifi supplies the fibre to Phenix Engineered Textiles, and the yellow yarn for the familiar yellow straps is dyed in Unifi’s dyehouse in Reidsville, N.C.

“We’re honoured that our fabric is able to help the medical staff, first responders, and military personnel who are putting their lives on the line every day to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. Only in the American textile industry will you find the ingenuity to solve a mask shortage with baseball uniform fabric. Thanks to Fanatics for their innovative vision, we’re just happy to be a part of the solution,” Ron Roach, president of Contempora Fabrics said.

“We’ve had to ramp up production to keep up with the demand. Unifi is a vital part of our business, and it would be difficult to keep pace with heightened demand without such a reliable partner. US manufacturers are often overlooked, but this local supply chain is precisely why we haven’t missed a beat,” Rod Grandy, CEO of Phenix Engineered Textiles said.

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