Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Grant Recipient:
Finger Lakes Textiles
Finger Lakes Textiles (FLT), a division of Mozaic, employs an inclusive workforce of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities within its manufacturing operation. On a commercial basis, FLT manufactures fashion headwear, knows as its Arctic Gear line, with 100% of these sales supporting programs and services for people with disabilities in New York State.
Arctic Gear headwear is also sold through major retailer websites and on arcticgear.org. Wholesale and Private Label options are also available. Additionally, the FLT Team annually produces over 500,000 pieces of cold weather headwear for the Department of Defense. During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, FLT pivoted from their headwear operation and produced over 50,000 PPE products for public Institutions, businesses, and the general public.
The NY MEP PPE Grant made it possible for Finger Lakes Textiles to test new textile configurations for the development of a worn garment, which is currently being field tested by the U.S. Department of Defense. This award enabled FLT to develop a new PPE product made exclusively in the United States and containing all raw materials grown/produced in the United States for the military, meeting the military’s Berry Amendment requirements. The team was able to leverage this grant award to support the re-shoring of manufacturing to the United States.
