U.S. textile and nonwoven associations issued a joint statement urging federal, state and local governments to deem textile and nonwoven manufacturing facilities as “essential” when drafting “Shelter in Place” orders in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
These associations have demanded great clarity and assurance from the administration and state and local authorities for its companies and employees and demanded a clear exclusion of its manufacturing operations from “Shelter in Place” orders as the textile and nonwoven products that it make in the U.S. play an essential role in mitigating the shortages of critical supplies. Such a designation will help them to avoid disruptions of vital goods and services during this challenging time.
The associations recognise the serious challenges its elected officials, health administrators and others face when issuing orders to protect communities across the country and it understands the necessity for leaders to enforce a ‘Shelter in Place” order or quarantine orders.
Its members make a broad range of inputs and finished products used in an array of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical nonwoven/textile supplies, including surgical gowns, face masks, antibacterial wipes, lab coats, blood pressure cuffs, cotton swabs and hazmat suits. These items are vital to the government’s effort to ramp up emergency production of these critical supplies.
