In honor of Global Handwashing Day, Jamar Shaw, MD, MPH, CIC, explains how applying the WHO 5 Moments to actual care sequences can reduce transmission risks in ambulatory settings.
|Articles|May 5, 2003
DuPont Launches High-Tech Medical Fabrics to Enhance Protection, Comfort for Healthcare Professionals
Advertisement
WILMINGTON, Del. -- DuPont today introduced an innovative medical fabric, DuPont Suprel, born from a revolutionary composite technology that provides both advanced levels of protection and comfort for healthcare professionals.
Traditional single-use medical fabrics can be uncomfortable, especially when they are worn for an extended time, and can lack the necessary fluid barrier for protecting today's healthcare professionals. Suprel nonwoven is the first in a line of upcoming medical fabrics from DuPont that are both highly protective and silky-soft.
DuPont researchers created Suprel through a unique bi-component formulation using the company's proprietary Advanced Composite Technology. Developing nearly 20 new patents for this technology, DuPont can blend the ideal properties of two different raw materials to create medical fabrics that meet specific needs. For example, Suprel is the only medical fabric available that is made of polyester - for strength - and polyethylene - for silk-like softness. It has less surface friction than other medical fabric products, allowing for greater comfort and freedom of movement. It also transfers heat away from the body quickly, adding to comfort in the operating environment. Suprel is made from continuous filament fibers and is very low linting.
Using a market-focused approach as part of its research and development, DuPont researchers developed Suprel by working closely with operating room nurses who participated in comfort studies conducted at North Carolina State University. Feedback and input on protection and comfort from the healthcare professionals were used in developing the new medical fabric.
"Suprel is the first in a line of innovative products from DuPont that will raise the bar for standards of protection and comfort in medical fabrics," said Lori Gettlefinger of DuPont Medical Fabrics. "Unlike the technology used with single polymer fabrics, this composite fabric technology will allow us to create an array of fabrics in direct response to the evolving needs of the medical industry."
Suprel will be available for commercial distribution in late summer in the U.S. and later this year in Europe and Asia Pacific regions. DuPont will be conducting in-hospital trial evaluations of Suprel for hospitals that request to review the high-tech medical fabric. Hospitals interested in participating in the evaluations can contact DuPont Medical Fabrics at 888-383-6887 or at www.MedicalFabrics.dupont.com.
Source: DuPont
Advertisement
Related to this article
Doe Kley, MPH, RN, T-CHEST, LTC-CIP, CIC, discusses how environmental hygiene supports efforts to contain antimicrobial resistance, examining disinfectant efficacy, dilution failures, shared equipment, and the partnership between infection prevention and environmental services teams.
AI tools may help clinicians recognize sepsis earlier, but false alarms, limited external validation, and uncertain effects on patient outcomes complicate their use in adult and neonatal intensive care.
An imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease in Kenya raises questions about airport screening, clinical recognition, and potential exposures, highlighting the importance of coordinated contact tracing and hospital infection prevention readiness.
Florida’s dengue outbreak highlights the importance of recognizing symptoms, identifying warning signs, and preventing mosquito bites. Ubong Johnson, MD, explains local transmission, diagnostic testing, treatment, and practical prevention measures.
Understanding current water quality is a starting point for ST108 implementation. John Kimsey, vice president of processing optimization and customer success for STERIS, spoke about his HSPA presentation on assessing readiness, distinguishing system qualification from routine testing, and understanding where water samples should be collected.
An unexplained death at a Russian plague research institute has prompted international scrutiny. The incident raises questions about laboratory safety, transparent reporting, and infection prevention preparedness while the cause remains unconfirmed.
Behind every landmark in infection prevention, from antimicrobial stewardship guidelines to the COVID-19 town halls that reached flight attendants and teachers, is a generation of physician-scientists who led SHEA through crises, organizational change, and scientific breakthroughs. Infection Control Today traces 30 years of SHEA presidents and the lasting mark they left on the field.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Trending on Infection Control Today
1
Florida Dengue Outbreak 2026: Symptoms, Testing, Treatment, and Prevention
2
Kenya’s Imported Ebola Case Raises Questions About Screening and IPC Readiness
3
WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene: How to Apply Them in Ambulatory and Outpatient Care
4
Shared Equipment, Missed Surfaces, and the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance
5