A healthcare textile company led by a pharma veteran and textile manufacturer has raised fresh capital. The $7 million PurThread raised will be used toward the growth, research and development of garments with anti-microbial technology to reduce the spread of hospital-acquired infections, according to a company statement.
The Durham, N.C., company’s approach is to embed its anti-microbial technology into the fibers of the garments it produces. It is designed to retain that resistance after repeated washings.
Among the investors in this round are Richard Bodman, the head of its board of directors, who is also managing general partner of VMS Group, which advises venture capital funds. It also received funding from angel investors.
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Clothing and curtain surfaces are one way bacteria can be transmitted to vulnerable patients. The idea is to reduce hospital acquired infections, which add up to $34 billion in healthcare costs.
The company has also developed colorful hospital curtains to put patients at ease while maintaining a sterile environment — a move that reflects a shift in thinking to make hospitals feel less cold and intimidating. But PurThread has developed a line of privacy curtains for patient rooms that are pretty atypical for hospitals (pictured) in response to demand.