What should I be looking for when selecting Coveralls or Lab coats?
The primary function of any Coverall or Lab coat is to either provide protection of the user from his or her working environment or to protect his or her working environment from street clothing.
In the case of the DIY enthusiasts painting his home, the requirement is simply to protect his normal clothing from dust and dirt associated with normal home DIY activities. In the case of the laboratory operator the requirements will be more demanding, here not only might there be a need to provide the operator with lab coat or coverall protection from splashes of liquids, but to provide a barrier to prevent dirt and other forms of contamination from being deposited on the product.
Whilst poly/cotton materials can be used, many people and organizations are opting for multiuse non-Launderable non-woven materials. Poly/cotton materials are much more expensive and require frequent laundering, in the case of a cleanroom or sterile environment, the laundering specifications can be demanding and expensive. In a critical environment the logistics of arranging for soiled garments to be collected up and returned to the laundry can be very time consuming and difficult to manage. Non-wovens made from polypropylene or ShieldOut micro porous monofilament are very inexpensive, have multiple use and can be washed if necessary. Spunbond polypropylene is a material fabricated by a spinning head depositing polypropylene in a web of the material to create a non-woven fabric. ShieldOut barrier is made from two materials "married" together on a rolling mill. The first material is a specially designed polypropylene textile that makes the material strong, tough and hard to "punch through". The second material is a film that has very small holes in it. (These holes will not permit larger molecules of chemicals to pass through but will permit smaller size oxygen molecules through and that is why it is "Breathable"). Also since the film is Polyethylene it means that the outside of the suit is resistant to most chemicals and will not "wet out" liquids just roll off. The interior material will transport "sweat" away from the wearer making it unique from the other products where moisture "pools" and drips. What this means to the end user of lab coats or coveralls is a modern product that is reliable, breathable and functional with significant cost benefits.
The design of these garments is important if they are going to last any amount of time and not unseam at the first sign of stress. Movements such as stretching and bending put pressure on the seams both under the arm on lab coats and at the crotch on coveralls. If you look at the most common coverall available on the market today you will find that it is just 2 edges of fabric sewn together in the crotch area. When you wear it and "squat" the seams will rip out of the bottom. This is not an acceptable condition for performance; a good designed product has added 2 additional pieces of specially tailored material to prevent separation at the stress points and to assure the protection of the wearer. Some quality garments have "Wings" The wing is that area underneath the arm that extends forward to the furthest point to present an elastic and firm surface. Bird skin is flexible and does not break so why not provide a coverall where a critical stretch point is at the underarm and permit it to break? A tapered rounded surface on lab coats and coveralls can reduce this stress point so that it will not separate and expose workers or products to contaminants.
Lab coats or coveralls should be suitably tailored to look smart. Most lab coats have either knitted collars and cuffs or elasticated cuffs. Coveralls normally have a fitted hood, elastic at the waist to stop it from ballooning and presenting a catch hazard and elastic at the ankles. Whilst the use of these garments are primarily functional, it is important the their appearance is acceptable.
What are the user benefits in choosing a barrier material like ShieldOut for lab coats or coveralls?
The day of the scruffy lab coat or coverall is over. Modern materials and modern manufacturing techniques ensure that no matter what Industry or application, clean smart garments are inexpensively available.
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