What is the difference between disposable and reusable cleanroom garments?
In the case of cleanroom garments, a distinction is made between disposable cleanroom garments and reusable cleanroom garments.
In the following article, we explain exactly what the difference is between disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing.
What is disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing?
Before we go into the differences between disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing, let’s first clarify what is meant by disposable cleanroom clothing and what is meant by reusable cleanroom clothing.
Disposable cleanroom clothing?
Disposable cleanroom garments are garments that have been manufactured for use in cleanrooms, but only for single use.
From Cleanroom class ISO 6 it is recommended that single-use cleanroom garments are pre-cleaned or that pre-cleaned cleanroom garments are only purchased before packaging in order to reduce the concentration of particles that contaminate the cleanroom garments during the manufacturing process. As disposable cleanroom garments are not designed to be laundered in normal cleanroom laundries, special and costly processes must be used for pre-cleaning, which is why pre-cleaned disposable cleanroom garments are significantly more expensive than non-pre-cleaned disposable cleanroom garments.
Reusable cleanroom clothing?
Reusable cleanroom garments are washable cleanroom garments that can be washed several times – up to 150 times – and can be reused the corresponding number of times. When reprocessing sterile reusable cleanroom garments, certain cleanroom cleaning service providers withdraw the garments from circulation after 50 process cycles, whereby there is a study according to which particle emission increased after just 25 washing and gamma irradiation cycles. It is therefore advisable to regularly test the reusable cleanroom garments used to see whether they still meet the requirements of the respective cleanroom class in terms of particle emission.
Difference between disposable and reusable cleanroom garments
We have compared the differences between disposable and reusable cleanroom garments in the following table:
| Disposable cleanroom clothing | Reusable cleanroom clothing | |
| Repair | No repair planned and therefore no repair costs | before washing, any damage must be repaired, which involves repair costs (unless repair is included in the leasing contract) |
| Wear and tear | constant power constant physical properties | performance and physical properties can deteriorate over time, which can impair functionality and protective function |
| Leasing or buying | No commitment through leasing contractsYou only pay for what you useFlexibility to change the number and sizes of cleanroom garments according to employee demand | often leased including laundry and repair service in some cases multi-year contract commitment with leasing including laundry service or purchase of own clothing with booked laundry service laundry costs possible even if clothing was not used at allif the number of employees is reduced, it may be that you have to pay for the originally agreed number of garments, although this number is no longer usedif employees are added, it may be that you have to conclude a new contract for the additional number of garments, with a new minimum contract term |
| Quality | Inexpensive disposable cleanroom clothing tends to tear easily | greater stability of the fabric, as it has to last longer |
| Chemical resistance | Better resistance to chemicals than reusable cleanroom garments | Poorer resistance to chemicals than disposable cleanroom garments |
| Bacteria and particle filtration efficiency | Better bacteria and particle filtration efficiency than with reusable cleanroom garments | Poorer bacteria and particle filtration efficiency than disposable cleanroom garments |
| Costs | Cheaper to purchase than reusable cleanroom clothing | More cost-effective in the long term than disposable cleanroom clothing, as reusable clothing can be used several times |
| Wearing comfort | generally less breathable fabrics, which makes them less comfortable to wear | generally more breathable fabrics, which improve wearing comfort |
| Laundry | If pre-cleaning is carried out, which is recommended from cleanroom class ISO 6, the cost advantage over reusable cleanroom garments is quickly lost and normal cleanroom laundries do not usually offer pre-cleaning of disposable cleanroom garments, as disposable garments were not actually developed for washing; it is also possible to buy pre-cleaned disposable cleanroom garments before packaging, but these are much more expensive than non-pre-cleaned disposable cleanroom garmentsif disposable cleanroom garments are not pre-cleaned, they are usually contaminated with particles from the manufacturing process | Laundry service is sometimes included in the lease; otherwise, or if you purchase your own reusable cleanroom garments, you must wash them yourself or commission a laundry service: If you use a laundry service, you must check that the transport and cleaning process corresponds to the cleanroom class for which the cleanroom garments are intended; if you have your own cleanroom laundry system, you must ensure compliance with the process standards yourself.From cleanroom class ISO 6, pre-cleaning before first use is recommended, as the cleanroom garments are usually contaminated with particles during the production process; alternatively, from cleanroom class ISO 6, pre-cleaned reusable cleanroom garments can be used before packaging |
| Sustainability | Possible feed into recycling programs for certain items of clothing | can only be disposed of after a large number of wash cycles (up to 25 to 50 for sterile and up to 150 for non-sterile cleanroom garments) and is therefore more sustainable than disposable cleanroom garments: lower CO2 emissions, less process energy, less water consumption, less wasteDisposal can, however, be more complicated than with disposable cleanroom garments |
You may also be interested inthe following articles :
- “Advantages and disadvantages of disposable and reusable clothing in the cleanroom“
- “The right cleanroom clothing for every cleanroom class“
- “Tips on how to wear cleanroom garments correctly in the GMP environment“
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Here we answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the topic of “What is the difference between disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing?”:
Why do you need cleanroom clothing in a cleanroom?
In the cleanroom, the aim is to reduce contamination by particles to a certain minimum, whereby the specific minimum depends on the respective cleanroom class. As it is estimated that over 70 percent of cleanroom contamination is caused by people, it is extremely important that cleanroom clothing is worn in the cleanroom.
How does the washing of reusable cleanroom garments work?
If you have leased the reusable cleanroom garments, the leasing company usually also takes care of washing and repairing the garments.
If you have purchased the reusable cleanroom garments yourself, you must also take care of the washing and maintenance of the garments yourself. However, as you cannot wash cleanroom garments in a normal washing machine or throw them in a normal dryer, but rather require special equipment and processes to wash reusable cleanroom garments, it is advisable to hand over your own cleanroom garments to a laundry service that specializes in cleanroom garments.
The washed and dried cleanroom garments must also be packed in a cleanroom that matches the cleanroom class in which the garments are to be used again.
What types of disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing are there?
There are many different categories of disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing, such as the following:
- Arm warmers
- Hoods
- Smock
- Coats
- Face mask
- Overalls
- Aprons
- Safety goggles
- Socks
- Overshoes
- Overboots
- Undergarments/ intermediate garments
From how many employees in the company is it worth purchasing reusable cleanroom clothing?
The purchase of reusable cleanroom clothing is worthwhile from around 25 employees.
Is it possible to combine disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing?
Yes, it is possible to purchase certain cleanroom garments as disposable garments and other cleanroom garments as reusable garments. It is even advisable to consider which cleanroom garments make more sense as disposable versions and which as reusable versions. The best way to do this is to draw up a list of the different clothing categories – overalls, coats, hoods, etc. – and then select the respective version – disposable or reusable – according to the selection criteria of wearing comfort, cost, cleanroom requirements and practicality.
Advice on disposable and reusable cleanroom clothing
We will be happy to advise you if you have any questions about the different types of cleanroom garments, such as disposable cleanroom garments and/or reusable cleanroom garments.
We at cleanroom wholesaler abovo can also support you in selecting the right cleanroom garments for your applications. Of course you can also in our online store for the suitable cleanroom garments yourself.
The easiest way to contact the cleanroom experts at abovo is by telephone or e-mail:
- Telephone number: +41 32 552 44 44
- E-mail: info@abovo.ch
If you send us an e-mail, we will get back to you as soon as possible.