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Close the Gaps in Contamination and Get Dressed for Success

4 February 2021

Close the Gaps in Contamination and Dress for Success with Kimtech™

Increasing productivity while maintaining environmental quality and regulatory compliance is an important challenge for cleanroom teams and requires solutions that address the root causes of contamination events.

There’s no doubt about it. Contamination is bad for business and especially so for an industry where cleanliness and
purity is paramount. It can lead to shutdowns, recalls and loss of life. Not to mention that it puts manufacturers in
a negative spotlight.  

Studies show that the behaviour and preparation of personnel is responsible for a large proportion of contamination issues in cleanrooms..

The results of such contaminations are significant and lead to billions of dollars being wasted each year in write-offs, shutdowns and lost productivity.



The wide range of issues resulting from contamination control that have been explored in this article are multi-faceted, and require a mitigation approach that addresses all aspects of clothing use and disposal. Documented and enforced training programs, verified ongoing adherence to the latest regulatory compliance, and effective disposal and recycling procedures can all be combined to create a safer, more productive and sustainable operation. High quality clothing design plays a vital role in this.

 

Kimtech™ A5 Sterile Cleanroom Apparel has been designed to provide this solution. The Kimtech™ SMS (Spunbond/Meltblown/Spunbond) fabric provides strength, cloth-like comfort and a strong barrier for fine particles and liquids. Its middle layer acts like a filter which traps particles while maximising airflow to keep the wearer cool and comfortable. In addition, the sterilisation process, involving gamma irradiation of the polymers, occur on only a single garment at a time, so the apparel’s protective properties are consistently maintained. By demonstrating how optimised cleanroom clothing can reduce contamination and form part of a system that produces better results at a lower cost, Kimtech™ aims to support continuous improvement across the Pharmaceutical industry.

 

Well-designed disposable cleanroom garments have been shown to be cost-effective and sustainable, while also providing improved contamination protection and greater comfort for pharmaceutical cleanroom operators. Cutting down on the human based causes of contamination leveraging disposable apparel leads to increased productivity and a reduction in operator training requirements, cleanroom downtime and drug shortages – truly assisting modern cleanrooms to dress for success!


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by Andrew Holbrook 31 March 2025
While protective suits and garments in a cleanroom may look very similar, the most important factor is how they perform against the conditions you are faced with in the cleanroom. DuPont™ Tyvek® 500 Xpert Hooded Coverall is made of the ideal material for an applications requirement for a low-linting garment such as pharmaceuticals - its strong high density polyethylene fibers means it doesn't shed fibers. Also, the open structure of the garment shows the best breathability performance while not compromising the protection performance - Tyvek® offers the best balance of comfort and protection. In comparison to microporous film, it removes humidity significantly faster. Tyvek® is the only type 5/6 coverall on the market with superior particulate protection, an ergonomic design for enhanced protection and it can be eco-packed to provide a more sustainable packing alternative, including limited use of plastic and paper. DuPont™ as a company have many policies and tests to determine to quality level of their product, and have a criteria that each product must pass - these are: be safe for use, correctly labelled to avoid misuse meet performance marketing claims, with the support of technical data composition verification for carcinogens and do not contain REACH substances or DMF allergy testing must be conducted and a latex review by a toxicologist minimise environmental footprint ensure packaging and production meets the highest ethical and environmental standards.
by Andrew Holbrook 31 March 2025
With almost 60 years in the industry, lightweight and durable, Tyvek® is breathable, yet resistant to water, abrasion, bacterial penetration and aging, making it ideal for a wide variety of applications across diverse industries. DuPont is a global leader with Tyvek® protective garments providing superior protection for workers in industrial and cleanroom applications and for first responders. Companies around the world use more than 200 million Tyvek® garments per year. Tyvek® garments have been used to support emergency response efforts across the globe, making it the perfect partner for protection in critical conditions. Beyond protecting homes and workers, Tyvek® also is widely used to help protect patients in healthcare settings. Since its introduction to the medical device industry more than 45 years ago, Tyvek® has been recognized as a standard of excellence for sterile device packaging. Tyvek® earned this distinction because it provides excellent microbial barrier, strength and protection for medical devices and pharmaceutical applications. DuPont Tyvek® has been on quite the journey since it's discovery, see more about how it has evolved over time. 1955: The history of Tyvek® began in 1955 when DuPont researcher Jim White made a chance discovery of a new fiber source. A program to develop the new material was set up and a year later DuPont submitted a patent proposal for strong yarn linear polyethylene. 1967: DuPont opens its first production line in Virginia, USA. New revolutionary applications include medical packaging and protective garments. 1988: DuPont opens its second Tyvek ® production line in Luxembourg. The facility is certified to ISO 14001 in 2004, and ISO 9001 in 2008. 2005: Tyvek ® is the first manufacturer to claim CE marking for its entire product range. Tyvek® products have earned numerous awards for innovation and performance from organisations in all regions of the world. Most recently: • Tychem® 6000, a protective apparel garment that provides triple hazard protection from chemicals, flash fire and electric arc, received the 2016 Innovation Award at the Fair Préventica in Lille, France. • Tyvek® 800J, a protective apparel garment that combines resistance to low-concentration, water-based, inorganic chemicals with the durability of Tyvek®, received the 2014 Innovation Award at the Fair Préventica in Marseille, France. Whether it’s keeping homes comfortable, protecting workers from on-the-job hazards, enabling a safe response to epidemics, or countless other applications—the unique attributes of DuPont ™ Tyvek ® bring comfort, protection and the gift of life to millions each day. Tyvek ® personal protection equipment delivers performance that meets or exceeds industry standards for protection against a range of chemical threats and hazards.
Disposable coveralls and sustainability
15 July 2021
Microzone offer a comprehensive range of disposable workwear for use in low grade cleanrooms, hospitals and controlled manufacturing environments. The PG32 is a Microzone Non-woven Coverall with Hood, made from 100% Polypropylene. The Coverall has a zip fastening and no pockets with an e lastic wrist, ankle and elastic back of waist. Packaging details: Inner Packing 5pcs/polybag Export Carton 10 Bags/Carton Carton Dimension 48 x 30 x 42cm – 50 piece For more information please contact sales@cesltd.uk.com
Vaccine manufacturer
14 April 2021
The past 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic have bought about many changes and unprecedented challenges for the UK and the world. In the initial period of 2020, CES faced the challenge of meeting the growing need for critical protection and supplies in the fight against COVID-19. This demand has grown considerably but despite the huge difficulties the pandemic has thrown at us we have managed to find a way to continue to operate in both an efficient and pro-active manner. Moving into 2021, CES have been extremely well placed and have very close business relationships with a number of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies that have been contracted to manufacturer COVID-19 vaccines. The increasing demand for vaccine manufacturing in an effort to meet the governments aim to vaccinate everyone aged 18 or over in the UK with one dose by the end of July has meant the demand for sterile cleanroom consumables has increased considerably. CES are working closely with Dupont Tyvek® to ensure the demands for sterile cleanroom clothing and disposables are met in an effort to support the push to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines.
Cytostatic contamination protection
13 January 2021
Any work with cytostatics requires the Cytostatic Protection of workers from the dangers of drugs (carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic impact). At the same time, it is important to protect the product against contamination from people. Cytostatics are used as drugs in cancer therapy (chemotherapy) to inhibit the multiplication of tumour cells and are also used increasingly to treat other diseases. However, their toxicity affects not only tumour cells but also healthy cells. To prevent hazards to staff while handling cytostatics, a range of suitable precautions must be taken. What applies to the handling of hazardous substances in general is also true for cytostatics, i.e. the highest priority must be placed on the full use of all technical and organizational measures. For instance, care must be taken to prevent the formation of cytostatic aerosols and dust and to avoid cytostatic contamination during production, preparation, provision, disposal, storage and transportation of such substances. Potential health hazards can be caused even by low-level contact with cytostatic substances. If there is any risk of contact, use of suitable personal protection equipment (PPE) is mandatory to ensure effective full-scale protection. PPE selection is commonly based on the findings and results of risk analysis, in addition to technical and organisational measures. These protective measures apply to all staff who come into contact with cytostatics, not merely during production and preparation, but also application, disposal, shipping and when being handled by cleaning and maintenance staff. Both cleanroom clothing and chemical protective clothing need to meet the same basic criteria for use in a cleanroom: the material must be low-linting, the design must be sufficiently tight and the danger of collecting particles on the surface of the garment must be minimised. To be suitable for dealing with cytostatics, such clothing must also be comfortable to wear, it must have good electrostatic discharge efficiency and sterilisation must be possible.
Dust and Particle Protection with Tyvek
4 December 2020
Industries – and people – depend on protective garments to keep processes and personnel safe. DuPont knows that one mistake can be critical, to your business or to a person’s life. It therefore uses recognized International Standards to assess the quality and performance of its products.
Chemical Protective Garments
18 November 2020
Not all garment manufacturers publish permeation data. For example, t hey provide no information about how the garment performs in permeation tests. DuPont, on the other hand, publishes permeation data for our chemical resistant/secondary flame-resistant garment fabric, Tychem® 2000 SFR. Bottom line? If chemical protection is your need, permeation is your test. Make sure you know the type of test that was conducted on your garments.
Disposable Coveralls Donning and doffing.
12 November 2020
31% operators claim donning coveralls is the most difficult part of gowning. The Kimtech™ A5 Sterile Cleanroom Coverall has an intuitive folding and donning mechanism between areas such as the coverall, hood and over boot, along with an optimised donning process, reducing both contamination risk and the potential for human error.
12 October 2020
Whether it’s keeping homes comfortable, protecting workers from on-the-job hazards, enabling a safe response to epidemics, or countless other applications—the unique attributes of DuPont™ Tyvek® bring comfort, protection and the gift of life to millions each day. Lightweight and versatile yet resilient and durable, Tyvek® defies convention so you can defy the odds. From personal protection and weatherization to packaging and transportation, Tyvek® rises to the challenge— keeping the elements out while letting life in.
Tyvek 500 Xpert Coverall
12 October 2020
For decades, DuPont innovations have helped save countless lives. DuPont scientists work tirelessly to invent new materials that are used to develop a large range of Personal Protective Equipment. These include leading brands such as Tyvek® and Tychem®, the industry-leaders for personal and chemical protective clothing. Dupont Tyvek ® Protective suits may look the same, but only from a distance. Check out Dupont Tyvek material advantages over Microporous Film and SMS here .
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