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Boston's last garment factory switches from making Navy peacoats to PPE gowns
By adamg on Mon, 08/17/2020 - 11:36am
An East Boston company that had made some one million peacoats for Navy sailors over four decades was set to close after the Navy ended its contract - but has now pivoted to making protective gowns for front-line Covid-19 workers.
Mayor Walsh announced today that Boston plans to buy up to 150,000 of Sterlingware's protective gowns for Boston firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and police officers who now need to frequently gown up when dealing with and caring for people who have or might have the virus.
The company, based at 175 McClellan Highway, is Boston's last garment maker.
Now in its third generation of family ownership, it learned in 2017 that the Navy would be replacing its iconic peacoats, made with wool from Midwestern sheep, with some garment made of synthetics. The contract ran out earlier this year.
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Comments
Broken title link
Adam - when I click on the title of this post on your front page, I get "Page not found".
Sorry
Should work now.
Missed this gem from 2017
The company's COO/VP, from the 2017 article: "If they are awarded the new contract, the Parka will be produced in Puerto Rico and not in the USA."
The PR is part of the USA.
The PR is part of the USA. Unless he meant made in the states and not territories?
I thought Puerto Rico
was in the USA? When did they gain independence? Was it when my President threw the paper towels at them?
Back on topic. Those peacoats were iconic. Now the prices are going to to go way up! I wonder if mine still survives? Had some moths get at my Shetland wool sweater...
Did Marty mention their 350k-1m PPP grant?
Surely this wasn't a purely magnanimous change of business strategy.
Is that a problem?
They have the capacity but need money to switch over to something desperately needed, why would some $$$ to do exactly that be an issue?
Did not say it was a problem...
but transparent reality should be highlighted, no?
But what does that have to do
But what does that have to do with the city making a purchase from them, in terms of transparency? The City didn't give them the PPP loan. Do we need to report on PPP loans for every company going forward?
Define magnanimous
Was it magnanimous to pivot to a new product when their contract for the Pea Coat ran out so they can stay in business? Employing how many people?
No, what you see is supply and demand and an assist from the govt in the time of great need (i.e. a pandemic).