Canada Goose steps up gown production

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This article was published 09/04/2020 (2035 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canada Goose is ramping up production of its made-in-Manitoba medical gear with a goal of producing 1.5 million gowns — including 100,000 reusable garments for Shared Health.

Last month, the Toronto-based outerwear brand announced it was pivoting from luxury parka production to help address the demand for gowns and scrubs because of COVID-19.

The company had initially closed its manufacturing facilities, including three in Winnipeg, to comply with social distancing recommendations.

This morning, it announced all of its Canadian plants will reopen.

Later this morning, the province put out a call for assistance from the garment industry to source non-medical cotton gloves, suits, gowns and other products requiring sewing to be used by social service workers. The province is now seeking medical swabs and non-medical cotton gloves and gowns — in addition to the previous requests for medical gowns, suits, gloves and masks. 

People and businesses able to provide products or services are asked to contact the provincial government “immediately.” Shared Health is also accepting personal protective equipment donations that are in their original packaging, clean and in usable condition. 

At full capacity, as many as 900 Canada Goose employees will be put to work across the country to produce at least 60,000 gowns per week as the country grapples with supply shortages amid the pandemic response. The federal government has arranged the contract.

“Now is the time for Canada to invest in made-in-Canada solutions,” Dani Reiss, president and CEO of Canada Goose, said in a news release. Reiss said the company is uniquely positioned to re-tool its facilities and refocus teams on personal protective equipment.

Canada Goose plans to deliver up to 1.5 million gowns, at-cost. That’s in addition to its previous commitment to donate 14,000 units of gowns and scrubs at no charge.

Approximately 150 Canada Goose workers between two facilities that have already reopened, one in Winnipeg and one in Toronto, are making free gowns. Product shipments to hospitals and health care facilities across Canada began this week.

The company today any “unintentional profits” derived from efficiencies will be donated to national COVID-19 relief efforts.