A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize a public workshop to examine opportunities to increase the use of reusable health care textiles (HCT) for personal protective equipment (PPE) used in health care settings. This workshop will provide the opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas among key stakeholders—including technical experts, policy makers, manufacturers, and PPE users in health care—and to explore the potential benefits and feasibility of integrating more reusable HCTs into health care operations.
The workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions to:

• Examine existing recommendations, approaches, and guidelines relating to reusable HCTs to ensure optimal protection of patients and health care workers;
• Discuss issues related to contamination of textiles and fabrics in health care facilities;
• Explore issues associated with current product and technology standards for reusable HCTs, considering input on standards needs from a past National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Personal Protective Technologies (PPT) Centers of Excellence Federal Register Notice;
• Examine the comparative performance, comfort, environmental impact, and use issues for disposable and reusable HCTs;
• Highlight similarities and differences between U.S. and European systems for reusable HCT use/maintenance/disposal systems, sustainability, and standards/regulations;
• Explore potential benefits, including potential cost savings, and feasibility issues related to increasing the use of reusable HCTs in crisis and everyday situations and in different health care settings;
• Discuss opportunities and approaches to integrate more reusable HCTs into health care operations where appropriate.

The planning committee will organize the workshop, develop the agenda, select and invite workshop speakers and discussants, and moderate or identify moderators for the discussions. A proceedings of a workshop will be published to capture the presentations and discussions at the workshop. This proceedings will be prepared by designated rapporteurs in accordance with National Academies institutional guidelines and will be released to the public.