Sterilization and packaging are two of the seven lines on a gown's price and the two most often left vague in a request. Here are the choices, what each costs in practice, and where each fits.
Sterile or Not
Surgical gowns and drapes are sterile. Isolation gowns, coveralls, scrubs and underpads are almost always non sterile. Sterility adds the cycle, the aeration, the release testing, the sterile barrier packaging and the validation. It is not a small line.
Ethylene Oxide
EO is the standard for SMS and laminated apparel. It works at low temperature and does not degrade polypropylene. Validated to ISO 11135, with residual limits per ISO 10993-7 and aeration time to reach them. The pack must be gas permeable, which is why a sterile gown comes in a paper or Tyvek style wrap rather than a sealed film. Lead time includes the cycle and aeration, typically several days.
Gamma
Gamma irradiation to ISO 11137 is fast and penetrates sealed film packs. Its drawback for apparel is that polypropylene can yellow and lose strength at sterilizing doses, so it is used mainly on drapes and kits with compatible materials, not on standard SMS gowns. If a buyer asks for gamma on a gown, the material has to be stabilized for it and the strength tested after dose.
Packaging Options
| Option | Where it fits |
|---|---|
| Bulk, 10 per bag, 100 per carton | Non sterile isolation gowns for stockrooms |
| Individually bagged | Non sterile gowns for dispensers and single issue |
| Gown only, single wrap | Sterile gowns for procedure rooms, lowest sterile cost |
| Single wrap with 2 hand towels | Standard surgical pack in many markets |
| Double wrap with 2 hand towels | Operating room standard; inner wrap becomes the sterile field |
| Custom kit | Gown plus drape plus accessories in one sterile pack for a procedure |
Carton and Label
State carton dimensions and maximum weight for your receiving, label content for your market (lot, expiry, sterilization method, symbols per ISO 15223-1), and where the Trust ID goes. For private label, the artwork approval is a step on the trail and the print proof is on the record.
Where to Go from Here
Every gown and drape on our protective apparel page is listed with its level, tests and construction. The tariff page carries the current duty picture for US buyers, and the quotation request takes a spec, a SKU or a competitor's item.