McCarthy Uniforms develops youth-friendly PPE

TORONTO — McCarthy Uniforms announced on June 10 the launch of its Kids + Teens personal protective equipment (PPE) line. While not mandated in schools, PPE is recommended for every day preventative use by Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam.

The Kids + Teens product line – which includes face masks and hand sanitizer pens (designed to fit into pencil cases when children are back at school) – was developed to address the needs of children and teenagers. The company held virtual groups during which it learned that widespread frustrations existed among both children and parents around several aspects of traditional PPE for kids. This included the high costs associated with obtaining quality PPE, poor fit, unrelatable style and design, uncomfortable fabrics (which were causing skin irritation), and the emotional impact of wearing clinical face masks.

McCarthy Uniforms’ PPE line includes styles that are made from breathable two-ply 100% Egyptian cotton, are washable, reusable, and designed by children and teens. McCarthy Uniforms said in a statement that the company has also developed GermBusterz refillable hand sanitizers that fit in a pencil case and refresh kids’ hands without leaving a sticky residue. The company is also offering remedy kits for families that include gloves and hand sanitizer wipes, among other items.

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“Our team is focused on developing products based on direct customer insight and customer prototyping, and the Kids + Teens PPE line is the latest example of how our products are making a difference in improving the lives of others,” said Vanessa Iarocci, president, McCarthy Uniforms, in a prepared statement. “We are extremely proud to launch our Kids + Teens PPE product line for Canadian families, and are thrilled to have our Creative Director, Andrea Giamou, on the team who has done an outstanding job driving product design innovation at McCarthy Uniforms.”

Throughout the development process, the team at McCarthy Uniforms shared that the company wanted to ensure the product line addressed the financial burden facing many families looking for quality PPE for their children. As a result, McCarthy Uniforms shared they will be offering kids and teens masks at a lower price point than most currently on the market – $2.50 each or $14.99 for a pack of six – and all models include a tag on the inside to write a child’s name.

“It’s inspiring to work in an innovative culture with a team that prioritizes kindness, bold thinking and collaboration. This is especially important in the uniform industry to ensure clothing is as comfortable and fashionable as possible,” said Andrea Giamou, creative director at McCarthy Uniforms in a prepared statement. “It has been rewarding to apply my skills, my experience and my vision to innovate products that are so important to families across the country, including this new line of PPE.”