At TRSA, the association for the linen, uniform and facility services industry, we work to educate policymakers and healthcare decision makers about the value of hygienically clean reusable healthcare textiles (HCTs) for both frontline workers and patients.
The importance of hygienically clean, reusable textiles was validated in 2024 by a panel of experts convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS). As we document in the following release, NAS recommended greater use of reusable PPE in American healthcare settings for the following key reasons:
• Reusable hygienically clean healthcare textiles meet high standards for safety and performance.
• Reusable PPE has a smaller environmental impact, even after factoring in the manufacturing, transporting and reprocessing of reusable textiles.
• Reusable PPE generates significant savings.
• A more balance between reusable textiles and disposables can lead to a more resilient supply of PPE in future public health emergencies.
The release and findings of the NAS workshop can be shared within the healthcare community via social media, websites and training, to educate healthcare staff and decision makers on why expanding the supply of hygienically clean reusables textiles and PPE is in the best interests of healthcare workers and patients.