Page 45 - Green Builder May-June 2020 Issue

New cause. Precedent
Furniture has switched from
making chairs, beds and
sofas to manufacturing
protective masks.

Manufacturers Arcana wall hooks and magazine stand, is pro-
ducing safety shields and separation barriers for
Shift Focus to service counters in order to protect workers inter-
acting with patients.
Redland Cotton of Moulton, Ala., whose ma-
PPEs terial is used for the Sommerville bedding col-

lection, is producing masks for the University of
Alabama Medical Center.
OMEBUILDERS ARE NOT THE ONLY Valdese Weavers of Valdese, N.C., maker of
ONES needing to adjust their actions many popular R&B pillows, is sewing masks for
in response to the coronavirus. Manu- hospitals in North Carolina.
Hfacturers, such as these partners with McCreary Modern of Newton, N.C., manu-
home furnishings retailer Room & Board, have also facturer of the Metro sofa, has researched and
revised operations to help boost the supply of per- developed two types of masks: One to cover an
sonal protective equipment (PPE): N95 mask that extends the life of the item, and
Open Works of Baltimore, a nonprofit edu- another mask with a disposable pleated design.
cational and economic development center, has The company is making these for Hospice of Ca-
converted its facility to the emergency production tawba County and offers its services to the nation
of face shields using 3D printers. as needed.
American Leather of Dallas, which makes Facture Goods of Chicago, known for the
many of Room & Board’s recliners and sleeper so- Everly bowls, raised more than $10,000 for food
fas, is producing masks and gowns for healthcare and PPEs for healthcare workers in the Chicago CREDIT: COURTESY OF ROOM & BOARD
workers in its Dallas facilities. area through a raffle. This is a personal effort for
Precedent Furniture of Newton, N.C., which Aron Fischer of Facture Goods. “My husband is a
makes dozens of the brand’s accent chairs, beds doctor and many of our friends are nurses, support
and sofas, has switched its production over to staff, other doctors and nurses,” says Fischer. “I am About face. Open Works usually provides tools for
protective masks. so worried about healthcare providers. I would like business learning. But for now, it creates face shields
ADF of Ladywood, Wisc., which makes R&B’s to use that energy to help.” using 3D printers.

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