Sustainability Makes Them Stronger

Many healthcare providers that converted from disposable textiles to reusable products were driven by the need for cost savings or the desire to reduce waste and meet other environmental sustainability goals. Some learned the hard way that reusables are the best way to maintain a stable supply chain – and pricing – during PPE shortages.

The following case studies represent some of the most successful deployments of reusable textiles in the U.S. They demonstrate that hospitals and healthcare systems can operate safely, with strong and resilient supply chains while making significant expense reductions.

Among the insights the healthcare providers shared: Don’t underestimate the savings that accompany reducing the waste that single use products generate. Reusables generate 84% to 97% less waste, according to ARTA’s life cycle assessments.

Moreover, these conversions allowed the providers to significantly reduce their energy and water consumption and their greenhouse gas emissions. A number of these facilities and others that started by replacing disposable products with reusables now have broad, transformational environmental programs underway, leveraging their political and economic influence to help address climate risks.