A family-owned Victorian business is the first Australian manufacturer to pivot and produce thousands of medical grade surgical gowns for frontline workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clets Linen & Co Pty Ltd, which normally specialises in linen and garments for hospitality and other industries, will provide 3,750 disposable isolation gowns to the National Medical Stockpile in its first production run.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said Clets Linen's willingness to adapt to the challenges brought by COVID-19 demonstrates the agility and capability of Australia's Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industry.
"This is a big win for Australian manufacturing and contributes to building sovereign capability in the supply chains most affected by COVID-19," Minister Andrews said.
"In addition to securing supplies of medical grade isolation gowns to the Stockpile, the Federal Government has been working hand in glove with the TCF industry and the states and territories to establish a domestic manufacturing footprint.
"By Clets Linen pivoting from its traditional manufacturing capability to produce much needed disposable isolation gowns, the new domestic supply chain will support skilled TCF workers beyond the short term."
Clets Linen Managing Director Lisa Pachos said, "It's great that we can unite as one to assist our frontliners in this time of need. It will be good to get manufacturing back into Australia to get us to stand on our own two feet."
Clets Linen is a family owned Australian manufacturing business which has been operating since 1994 from its factory in Heidelberg, Victoria.
Disposable isolation gowns are made from non-woven polypropylene fabric and constructed using specialised materials and processes, including ultrasonic welding machinery and highly skilled operators.
This contract is the result of ongoing discussions between the Federal Government, the TCF industry and industry groups.
