Saddleback isolation gowns
Saddleback Leather Co. didn’t have the equipment nor the material nor the background to step into the medical supply industry.
But they did it anyway — because they wanted to help.
“I’m putting our bread and butter aside and trying something new,” says Dave Munson, president of Saddleback Leather Co. “But you know what? I would rather fail trying to help than to be the person who sits on the sidelines.”
Saddleback, based in Fort Worth with a factory in Mexico, has spent 17 years making leather goods like bags, wallets, and accessories. But lately, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has been manufacturing thousands of medical gowns and face masks in preparation for its first shipments scheduled for next week. Isolation gowns begin shipping Monday, while reusable face masks begin shipping April 30.
The transition from leather goods to medical supplies wasn’t easy, though, Munson says. Among the challenges was sourcing material and buying new equipment, as the factory’s machines were made to work with thick, heavy leather — not light, cotton fabric.
The blessing, Munson says, is that the company can keep factory workers employed and also allow some of them to work from home. Materials can be sent to workers’ homes and picked up the next day, which keeps production going while employees practice social distancing.
Part of what drove Munson to make masks was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation to switch from disposable gowns to cloth gowns, due to cotton’s ability to trap particles. Saddleback’s gowns are made from cotton-polyester, while masks are made from 100% cotton according to CDC specifications.
Gowns and masks are primarily for hospitals and medical facilities but are also available to the public. More information can be found on Saddleback’s website.
