FAQs
Products
What products do you have available?
Washable Pedestrian Mask, sold in packs of 5, and in bulk
Washable Children’s Pedestrian Mask, sold in packs of 5, and in bulk
Disposable Isolation Mask, Sold in packs of 100
Disposable Barrier Isolation Gown, pack of 100
Shelter Tent or Mobile Care Unit
Are your products FDA certified?
No. Our products have been manufactured and distributed during the COVID-19 Pandemic, when FDA cleared Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was not readily available. Our products are not designed for use in medical settings when protective devices that have received FDA clearance are available and should not be considered an appropriate substitute for FDA cleared medical devices, when such devices are available for use. Our products are not recommended for use in a surgical setting or where the wearer may be exposed to hazardous bodily fluids. No claims are made as to our products’ ability to prevent or reduce exposure, whether through dermal contact or respiration, to microbes, viruses, pathogens, or other agents that may cause harm to the wearer following contact or exposure.
Our products are sold or made available for use only after the potential wearer has read the above statement. By using our products, the wearer acknowledges that they have received the above notice.
Carolina Textile District makes no claim or warranties, real or implied, as to the effectiveness of our products in the prevention of infection of any type. Everyone is urged to follow CDC guidelines during this crisis. Please consult www.cdc.org for information and updates.For a full list and detailed explanation of personal protective equipment click here.
What are the specific fabrics and specs you are using?
Please visit our e-commerce site for full details about the fabrics, materials and other components we are using in the construction of the equipment and garments.
What is your production capacity and timeline?
We can produce 30,000 masks and 10,000 gowns in a week.
How did you develop these products?
All products have been created in partnership with healthcare providers including a team of local doctors and our local textile partners.
Are you charging or donating the products?
We are charging as little as possible to cover the costs of raw materials and the labor to produce the item. We are using donations to help cover overhead and additional costs incurred for managing the project and the distribution site. To see the full list of prices including full price transparency visit our e-commerce site.
About the Manufacturers
What is the Carolina Textile District?
The Carolina Textile District (CTD) is a member governed and driven network of values aligned textile manufacturers in North and South Carolina and beyond. The CTD, which is an enterprise of The Industrial Commons, hosts workshops and provides contacts and resources that help both new and established companies grow and thrive, and is invested in creating a new and dynamic textile industry that values the worker, the environment, and the community.
How many manufacturers are you working with?
There are 14 members in the Carolina Textile District. Nearly 300 manufacturers filled out the COVID-19 Response Form on our website offering support, sewing capacity and materials. Two cohorts were formed of about 60 manufacturers with cut and sew capacity to produce masks and gowns.
How are you working with manufacturers?
Manufacturers with cut and sew capacity reserve kits from us to produce finished goods. The kits are either pre-cut or uncut. We have established a courier service to pick up and drop off mask kits among the manufacturers in the region. We pay for cut and sew labor ($2.50 per mask) and aggregate the products at our distribution site.
About the Partners
Who are all the businesses and organizations involved?
Businesses involved: EJ Victor Furniture; Carolina Textile District and its members (Apparel Prototyping and Design Solutions, Diamond Brand Gear, Opportunity Threads, Western Carolina Sewing Company, Trotters Sewing Company, TS Designs, Tsuga, Kitsbow, Quinter Textile, Make Welcome Sewing, Reborn, Nester Hosiery, Visten Business Services)
Other organizations involved: The Industrial Commons, Manufacturing Solutions Center, Burke Development, Inc., Catawba County EDC, Carolinas Healthcare System Blue Ridge, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, NC State Industry Expansion Solutions
The following organizations have provided funding and donations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Kendeda Fund, Beyster Foundation for Enterprise Development via Schwab Charitable, Cooperative Home Care Associates, RPM Wood Finishes Group, Shurtape, Project Repat, Zenventory.
Where is the distribution site?
EJ Victor, a high-end furniture manufacturer in Morganton, N.C. has rented us 20,000 sq. ft. to establish a staging area for raw materials as well as a fulfillment center to pack and ship finished goods.
Buyers
Who is making purchases?
Orders are being fulfilled to healthcare providers such as Cooperative Home Care Associates, State agencies, such as the State Parks in NC, businesses and manufacturers such as Meridian, Equal Exchange, local governments such as Midway Fire and Rescue, daycares such as Helping Hands Developmental Center, and schools such as Burke County Public Schools, Falls Academy and Primrose School of Cornelius.
Do you have purchase minimums?
Please refer to the products page for minimums and also for bulk quantity options.
Do you have bulk purchase options?
Yes, check out the site for a full list and details.
How can I help or get involved?
What if I’m a manufacturer that also wants to produce PPE?
Send healthcare workers in need of pedestrian masks or gowns to our online platform.
Follow us on social media and share our story.
How can I support you?
Why are you doing this?
Co-Founder of The Industrial Commons, Molly Hemstreet, shares, “These are unprecedented times and we have to find hope. We want to do everything we can to help our friends, neighbors and those on the frontlines dealing with this crisis.” Even amidst the turmoil of this time, we are resolute in:
Supporting our friends, neighbors and communities
Collaborating with our friends, neighbors and communities
Being big by being small together
Fueling a strong, local economy