Unmatched Versatility of Tyvek Protective Apparel
By Daniel Hammel, North America Marketing Lead, Chemical Industrial & Controlled Environments, DuPont Personal Protection
Both in and out of the laboratory, DuPont Tyvek garments have long been the first choice in worker protection. Much lighter than spunbond meltblown spunbond (SMS) and microporous film (MPF), Tyvek flash-spun fabric provides a barrier to small hazardous particles. This protection is built into the fabric itself, with no films or laminates to abrade or wear away. Abrasion tests show that Tyvek barriers are more durable than MPF fabrics when tested for hydrostatic resistance.
Garments and Accessories
A breathable barrier against hazardous dry particles (as small as one micron), aerosols, and non-hazardous light liquid splash, Tyvek 400 protective apparel can help minimize risk when used in combination with other personal protective equipment (PPE) in hazardous situations.
Many options are available for garments and accessories, including coveralls, lab coats and frocks, sleeves, hoods, shirts, pants, and aprons. Boot and shoe covers are produced with Tyvek 400 or Tyvek 400 FC, the latter adding a friction coating for better skid resistance.
Tyvek is versatile — other styles and innovations have been developed to provide solutions to growing industrial requirements and end-user needs.
Controlled Environments
Laboratories, cleanrooms, and controlled environment settings — like pharmaceutical, medical device manufacturing, biotech, and electronics manufacturing sites — have high standards for particle and microbiological contamination control.
Tyvek IsoClean garments are part of the DuPont controlled environments product line of single-use apparel and accessories. Tyvek IsoClean products have a long history of cleanroom use and offer an excellent barrier to particles, microorganisms, and non-hazardous liquids.
Find Tyvek IsoClean garments and accessories in clean-processed and sterile options, and in non-sterile bulk packaging. Tyvek Micro-Clean 2-1-2 coveralls are individually packaged as sterile or non-sterile. Sterile Tyvek apparel is gamma sterilized to a Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) of 10-6 and is fully traceable.
Available in white and blue coverall options, Tyvek apparel allows you to designate workers who are allowed in restricted areas or can perform certain tasks in your laboratory or controlled environment. Or you can use color coding to easily identify team leaders or supervisors.
Enhanced Chemical Resistance
Tyvek 800 is a liquid-tight garment that combines comfort and durability with protection against low-concentration, water-based inorganic chemicals and particles as small as one micron. Tyvek 800 garments even stand up to pressurized jets of liquids and are suitable for a variety of industrial cleaning, food manufacturing, agriculture, petrochemical, wastewater, environmental remediation, laboratory, and maintenance applications.
Tyvek 500 protects against light liquid aerosols and airborne solid particles. Tyvek 600 offers a chemical permeation barrier to low-concentration water-based inorganic chemicals, including infectious agents and bodily fluids.
Tyvek 500, Tyvek 600, and Tyvek 800 are tested and classified according to EN 14126.
Breathability, Form, and Fit
Your body generates heat and moisture vapor whether you’re working hard or standing still, but some garments don’t “breathe.” Trapped heat and moisture can lead to heat stress that not only makes you uncomfortable but also compromises safety. Based on moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR), Tyvek 400 fabric is 30% more breathable than typical microporous film fabrics.
Tyvek 400 D garments suit applications with limited frontal exposures. These include exposure to tacky resin molds that may stick to (or delaminate) other garments and sanding and grinding operations that release fine airborne particulates.
These comfortable garments combine the protection and durability of Tyvek fabric on the front with the softness and breathability of DuPont ProShield 10 fabric on the back.
The Need to Be Seen
Low-visibility hazards are common in construction, transportation, waste handling, mining, and other industries, and high-visibility protective apparel lets workers be seen more easily.
With Tyvek 500 HV coveralls, workers benefit from breathable and durable high-visibility garments with the added particle protection of Tyvek. Suitable for the dirty jobs common in many industries, Tyvek 500 HV coveralls also helps ensure compliance with PPE requirements.
The bright fluorescent orange color of the Tyvek background fabric combined with silver-gray retroreflective material makes these garments highly visible during the day or at night when exposed to a light source. The reflective symmetric “X” on the back of the coverall helps distinguish the worker’s front and back.
Making a Difference
Tyvek offers unmatched versatility, superior overall barrier protection, improved breathability, and better garment durability for laboratory applications, pharmaceutical handling, general manufacturing, and dirty jobs.
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