Global workwear brand Dickies®, in partnership with its parent company, VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), today announced that it is further supporting the fight against COVID-19 in the U.S. by manufacturing FDA-compliant isolation gowns for hospitals and health care workers. These high-demand personal protective equipment (PPE) garments will be distributed to communities throughout the U.S. in cooperation with federal and state government leaders.
“Dickies has stood alongside generations of workers and in light of these unprecedented times, we’re joining in the effort to help health care professionals on the frontlines,” said Denny Bruce, Dickies Global Brand President. “As a heritage brand that goes to work, especially when the work gets tough, we are committed to equipping these workers with the critical medical garments they need to protect themselves as they continue the fight against this pandemic.”
Dickies has been committed to championing the dignity of work for nearly a century and is no stranger to shifting its production in times of need to help the greater good. Dating back to World War II, the company helped to produce millions of uniforms for the US military, and now, to support healthcare workers on the front lines of COVID-19, Dickies is leveraging VF Corporation’s global supply chain and capabilities by converting several manufacturing facilities to produce urgently needed PPE garments.
With initial production beginning next week, VF Corporation and Dickies expect to produce and deliver 50,000 gowns in May, and intend to create production capacity to make up to 675,000 gowns by June and up to 3.4 million by September. The isolation gowns will be made with fabric sourced from industry partner Milliken & Company, in accordance with guidelines issued by the FDA. The health and safety of workers involved in the production of these gowns will be a top priority and the company will ensure that necessary educational, screening, and social distancing protocols will be strictly enforced in route and within the facility.
“We are proud to leverage our global resources and manufacturing expertise in partnership with our Dickies brand to support the fight against COVID-19,” said Cameron Bailey, Executive Vice President, Global Supply Chain, VF Corporation.
The production of isolation gowns builds on several other initiatives that both Dickies and VF Corporation have each rolled out in response to COVID-19, including a $1.5 million donation to local communities from The VF Foundation, the private grantmaking organization funded by VF Corporation, and a donation of Dickies branded scrubs to impacted US hospitals in partnership with Careismetic Brands, the largest US supplier of scrubs.
