East Georgia Regional Medical Center part of home grown scrubs initiative
East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro, GA is one of 15 rural hospitals in the state of Georgia to receive medical scrubs recently, thanks to the Field to Closet initiative, according to their press release.
The Cotton Project, Field to Closet’s vision is now a reality - providing rural hospitals with 100% Deltapine cotton medical scrubs, crafted with cotton grown in Georgia and created in an end-to-end U.S. supply chain.
“We are honored to be included in such a forward-thinking initiative,” said Stephen Pennington, Chief Executive Officer of East Georgia Regional Medical Center. “Field to Closet’s Cotton Project not only benefits frontline healthcare workers in our region, but also supports the long-term vision of bolstering the U.S. cotton farmer and increasing domestic demand for cotton. Re-shoring American textile manufacturing is on the right track for one day becoming a reality.”
“To see the scrubs all the way through the process, from cotton grower to medical professional is extremely exciting,” said Steve Hawkins, president of America Knits. “Our team, as well as Field to Closet, the cotton growers, and our project partners, including Deltapine seed, Georgia’s Rural Center, HomeTown Health, Nutrien Ag Solutions, and Helena Agri-Enterprises worked together for well over a year to bring the concept to market.”
For these scrubs, the cotton was grown in Georgia and the yarn was made in Raybun Gap, Georgia; the material was made in North Carolina, and the scrubs were cut and sewn by America Knits in Swainsboro, Georgia, creating a U.S. supply chain at each stop along the way.
According to the Rural GA group, the initiative from Field to Closet is making the concept of American grown and made, 100 percent cotton scrubs a reality. The long-term vision for this initiative is bold: Bolster the U.S. cotton farmer, increase domestic demand for cotton, and re-shore American textile manufacturing.
The kick-off project featuring the scrubs woven with cotton grown in Georgia and crafted entirely in the U.S., highlights the possibilities for achieving the initiative’s far-reaching goals for both the grower and the textile industry.
The medical scrubs project, spearheaded by Field to Closet, is the result of collaborative partnerships with America Knits, Deltapine seed, Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC, Nutrien AgSolutions, Georgia's Rural Center, and HomeTown Health. To spotlight the venture, 15 hospitals in rural Georgia received sets of the scrubs at no cost.
The initiative recognizes the rebirth of a U.S. cotton garment industry simply isn't possible without the grower. Therefore, Field to Closet established the Farmer GiveBack program to address a fundamental issue in the garment industry which typically sees the brand or end seller with the most significant profit. The Farmer GiveBack is designed to ensure the grower is included financially by sharing in the profit of the goods sold.
Rural Georgia is home to agriculture, Georgia’s largest industry. Georgia is the second largest producer of cotton in the U.S.,” said Dr. David Bridges, Director of Georgia’s Rural Center and President of Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College. “Cotton plays a prominent role in the economic prosperity of many rural communities in the state. Now, with this particular project, cotton can be more profitable to our farmers and also contribute to better rural healthcare.”
