How To Choose the Right Cleanroom Garments and Products For Safer Workspaces

Cleanrooms are critical in protecting product integrity and ensuring safety across manufacturing, research, and healthcare. These rooms operate under strict protocols to control airborne particles and maintain sterile conditions.

A cleanroom is defined as a controlled environment used for manufacturing or scientific research. Cleanrooms are carefully designed to filter air and control humidity, pressure, and temperature to ensure a safe environment. This is essential for industries where contamination can affect product quality, safety, and research outcomes.

Cleanrooms maintain low levels of airborne particles and environmental pollutants. They are used in various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, electronics, and aerospace, where even the smallest particles can compromise the integrity of processes and products.

Maintaining a cleanroom requires stringent standards and procedures, including specialized cleaning protocols and strict access controls. Cleanroom service providers like Prudential Cleanroom Services, a division of Prudential Overall Supply, play a critical role in ensuring that these spaces meet regulatory standards and operate efficiently.

Cleanroom Environments and Why Garments Matter

Cleanrooms provide businesses in a wide range of industries with a dedicated area designed for the safe handling and manufacture of a variety of sensitive products, but not everyone understands how these highly specialized rooms work.

Cleanrooms Must Control Airborne Pollutants

These rooms are controlled environments that are engineered to maintain low levels of airborne pollutants, such as dust, airborne organisms, and vaporized particles, that can harm certain types of delicate materials. They are used in scientific and industrial fields where even very small particles can adversely affect the manufacturing process.

Objects Can Introduce Contaminants

Part of the cleanroom maintenance process is to ensure that literally anything entering the cleanroom—people or objects—won’t contaminate the environment. As a result, certain types of common workplace items, such as felt pens, are customarily banned from cleanrooms.

Workers Must Wear the Right Garments

Likewise, people entering these cleanrooms must wear appropriate cleanroom garments that protect the environment from natural contaminants that are constantly being emitted from humans (like skin particles, hair, etc.).

The Right Apparel Makes a Measurable Difference

As cleanrooms are extremely sensitive environments, maintaining an acceptable level of airborne contaminants is a tougher task than you might think. That’s why it’s vitally important for workers in these areas to wear the right kinds of clothing. This is where a trusted cleanroom supplier, like Prudential Overall Supply (Prudential Cleanroom Services), is indispensable.

At Prudential Cleanroom Services , we’ve been offering high-quality cleanroom apparel services since 1960. We’ve led the way in the work apparel industry, especially when it comes to cleanroom work uniforms.

Supporting Safe Environments With Proper Cleanroom Procedures

Cleanrooms vary in size, but to meet industry standards for contamination control, organizations must follow strict operating procedures. Cleanrooms adhere to meticulous protocols to maintain a properly controlled environment that ensures product integrity and workplace safety.

Proper cleanroom procedures help minimize airborne contaminants, control particulates, and prevent cross-contamination.

Key cleanroom operating procedures and requirements include:

• Proper Gowning & Protective Clothing: Employees must wear approved cleanroom apparel such as coveralls, gloves, hoods, masks, and boot covers. Gowning must be performed in a designated clean area, following a step-by-step sequence to prevent contamination. A garment that touches a non-sterile surface or is stored in a non-compliant area may invalidate hours of prep work. Facilities that train staff well on proper gowning and garment use tend to avoid costly rework and inspection delays.
• Controlled Entry & Exit Protocols: Personnel must enter and exit cleanrooms through airlocks or gowning rooms to reduce contamination risks. Unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited, and movements should be slow and deliberate to minimize particle disturbance. These controlled zones are critical to maintaining pressure differentials and airflow integrity. Air showers, sticky mats, and other containment tools are often used to trap particles before they reach the clean zone.
• Air Filtration & Environmental Controls: Cleanrooms rely on HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) or ULPA (Ultra-Low Penetration Air) filtration systems to maintain strict air quality standards. Airflow patterns, humidity, and temperature must be carefully regulated. Filter performance must be routinely tested and recorded to meet inspection standards. Poor filtration or airflow imbalance can lead to particle buildup, affecting both product quality and regulatory compliance.
• Routine Cleaning & Disinfection: All cleanroom surfaces, floors, and equipment must be cleaned regularly using approved cleaning agents and sterilization techniques. Microfiber mops, disinfectant wipes, and HEPA-filter vacuums help remove particulates and microbial contaminants. Cleaning must follow validated SOPs and use materials that won’t introduce fibers or residues. Teams often clean in a specific sequence—such as from ceiling to floor—to avoid re-contaminating cleaned surfaces.
• Minimizing Particle Generation: Employees should avoid wearing cosmetics, perfumes, or loose fibers that can introduce contaminants. Only pre-approved materials and tools should be brought into the cleanroom. Movements should be slow and controlled to avoid disturbing airflow or shedding particulates. Even friction between fabric layers or rapid arm movement can release unwanted particles into the air.
• Monitoring & Compliance: Cleanroom conditions must be routinely monitored for airborne particles, microbial contamination, and temperature fluctuations. Organizations should conduct regular audits and employee training to ensure compliance with industry regulations. Monitoring data should be logged and reviewed on a regular schedule. Alert systems and automated logs can help catch deviations early and support successful regulatory audits.

The manufacturing, scientific, and medical industries often utilize third-party cleanroom services due to the complex nature of these processes, which can easily become exposed to potential health and safety risks.

Cleanroom cleaning services, such as specialized laundering procedures, help organizations maintain a controlled environment to reduce possible contamination, which, in turn, would compromise the delicate manufacturing process.

Cleanroom Requirements Vary by Industry

Cleanrooms always serve essentially the same purpose—they prevent pollutants from harming the products being processed. However, specific cleanroom requirements vary according to the types of products that are handled in these areas. A specific type or concentration of airborne pollutants that may cause harm in one cleanroom might be perfectly safe in another.

Examples of industry-specific cleanroom restrictions include:

• Pharmaceuticals: In pharmaceutical manufacturing, cross-contamination can lead to outcomes such as product recalls and health risks to patients. Impurities in medication can interfere with their efficacy or render them entirely unsafe for consumption.
• Semiconductor Manufacturing: The semiconductor industry demands exceptionally clean environments due to the micro-level precision required in chip manufacturing. Dust particles, even those invisible to the naked eye, can cause major defects in chips. This directly affects the reliability of technology that powers consumer electronics, automotive systems, and more.
• Aerospace: Aerospace components and assemblies require absolute precision, and any contamination can compromise the safety and functionality of critical aerospace systems. For example, optical sensors can be impaired by the presence of scratches or residues on their surface.
• Biotechnology: For the biotechnology industry, contamination can corrupt experimental data and cause inaccurate research outcomes. For example, stem cells can be easily harmed by contaminants like bacteria, fungi, or even microscopic particles.
• Optical Manufacturing: In the manufacture of lenses and other optical components, any particulate contamination—even at the microscopic level—can interfere with the clarity and performance of the final product. For that reason, the optical industry relies heavily on cleanroom environments to ensure that products meet stringent standards.
• Medical Device Manufacturing: Medical devices require very high standards of cleanliness to protect patient safety. Contamination can introduce bacteria or other pathogens into the body through medical devices, leading to infections and other serious health complications.

High-quality cleanroom garment supplies are an important part of addressing each industry’s unique risks and keeping cleanrooms functional.

Choosing the Right Cleanroom Apparel and Supplies

In cleanroom environments, where the control of contamination is so important, the right garments and supplies are essential to maintain the functionality of the space. The types of apparel used in cleanrooms vary based on the specific needs and standards of the facility.

Commonly used garments include:

• Coveralls
• Hoods
• Face masks
• Gloves
• Boots
• Shoe covers
• Lab coats

All of these must be a kind that is specifically engineered for cleanroom use. Cleanroom garments are manufactured to meet strict contamination control requirements that general-purpose apparel cannot necessarily fulfill.

Each piece of clothing must be:

• Made from materials that will not shed fibers or particles, such as polypropylene
• Specially designed to limit the detachment of fibers and particles
• Lightweight and breathable to maintain comfort and functionality during extended use
• Static-resistant
• Able to withstand repeated laundering without breaking down
• Resistant to disinfectants and chemical exposure common in cleanroom cleaning routines
• Securely fastened to prevent gaps that could allow contamination (especially in the strictest cleanrooms)
• Free of materials that degrade under air pressure or friction

All Supplies Must Be Specialized For Cleanroom Use

In addition to apparel, cleanroom supplies include specialized cleaning products like sterile wipes, mops, and disinfectants that are designed to meet cleanroom standards. These kinds of cleanroom cleaning supplies are critical to maintaining a contaminant-free environment as they help to remove pollutants without introducing new ones into the area.

At Prudential Overall Supply, we offer sterile and non-sterile reusable mops. These reusable mops help reduce a company’s carbon footprint, maintain the integrity of the cleanroom, and can even help cut down on overhead costs. We also offer different types of mop heads that can accommodate any cleaning needs.

Using these specialized cleanroom products on a routine basis goes a long way toward keeping the cleanroom environment sterile and operational. Choosing sustainable options can help protect the global environment and maintain your business’s image and reputation.

Why Off-the-Shelf Solutions Don’t Work

Most off-the-shelf lab coats or scrubs are not designed for cleanroom use. They can shed fibers, retain static, or allow contaminants to pass through. Only garments engineered specifically for cleanroom standards, paired with validated cleaning and handling processes, can protect sterile environments consistently.

Apparel Guidelines Vary by ISO Class

The cleanroom classifications, ranked from ISO 1 to ISO 9, specify different levels of particle control needed for various processes. Lower classifications, such as ISO 1, allow fewer particles and are used in ultra-sensitive applications, while higher classifications permit more particles, so they’re suitable for less strict environments.

Here’s an overview of the ISO classifications:

• ISO Class 1 – Ultra-clean (10 particles/m³; example: advanced microchip production)
• ISO Class 2 – Extremely clean (100 particles/m³; example: aerospace & high-tech uses)
• ISO Class 3 – Very clean (1,000 particles/m³; example: semiconductor & optics)
• ISO Class 4 – Highly clean (10,000 particles/m³; example: biotech & pharmaceuticals)
• ISO Class 5 – Clean (100,000 particles/m³; example: pharmaceuticals)
• ISO Class 6 – Moderately clean (1 million particles/m³; example: certain pharma uses)
• ISO Class 7 – Less strict (10 million particles/m³; example: hospital suites)
• ISO Class 8 – Controlled (100 million particles/m³; example: clean storage)
• ISO Class 9 – Lightly controlled (1 billion particles/m³; suitable for general production)

Appropriate Garments For Different ISO Classes

Each class has specific requirements for particle count, size, and air changes per hour. These govern the types of garments considered appropriate for the environment.

Depending on the cleanroom’s specific ISO class, workers are expected to follow these apparel guidelines:

• ISO 1–4: These classes represent the cleanest environments, typical in industries like semiconductor manufacturing and pharmaceutical compounding. Apparel for these classes includes full-body coveralls, intersuits, bouffant caps, hoods, gloves, boots, and face masks.
• ISO 5–6: Common in less critical areas of pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and medical device production, these classes still require a high level of cleanliness. Garments might include frocks or lab coats, bouffant caps, and shoe covers, which are less restrictive but still designed to control particulates effectively.
• ISO 7–8: Typically found in industrial manufacturing, these classes require gowns that prevent lint and control particulates but allow for more comfort and mobility compared to higher classifications. Shoe covers, face masks, and gloves are also generally required in these areas.
• ISO 9: Representing the least strict environments—which are nonetheless significantly cleaner than a normal workplace—this class tends to mandate simple cleanroom frocks and gowns or lab coats.

Materials Matter as Much as Design

In addition to the type of garments, the choice of apparel material for cleanrooms varies according to the ISO class requirements. This impacts both the level of cleanliness and the comfort of the workers.

• Higher ISO classes (1–4), which demand stricter control over particulates, generally require clothing that is non-linting and has static dissipative properties. These materials are tightly woven or composed of synthetic fibers to minimize the shedding of particles and resist microbial penetration.
• For lower ISO classes (5–9), materials may offer more breathability and comfort but still provide adequate protection against contamination.

The wrong type of clothing is by itself enough to compromise the safety of a cleanroom, even if all other procedures are followed to the letter. Understanding the specific ISO class requirements helps in choosing appropriate apparel that meets compliance standards and supports optimal operation and safety within the cleanroom.

Why ISO Classification Matters Beyond Compliance

ISO classifications are more than technical guidelines. They serve as the baseline that auditors, regulators, and even clients use to evaluate a facility’s ability to control contamination.

Failing to follow ISO-specific garment requirements can lead to failed audits, product recalls, or work stoppages. ISO noncompliance may also limit a company’s ability to win new business—especially in tightly regulated industries like medical manufacturing or aerospace engineering.

Cleanroom apparel must match the exact ISO class rating of the space. If a lower-rated garment is used in a stricter class, it puts the entire operation at risk. This includes potential microbial exposure, particle contamination, and downstream product failure.

Prudential’s cleanroom garments are clearly categorized and backed by documentation, so our clients can prove compliance during audits and inspections. Our team helps ensure apparel inventory stays aligned with changing ISO requirements, keeping production on track and compliant.

What Happens When Cleanroom Apparel Fails?

The risks of poor apparel handling are serious. A torn sleeve, improperly laundered hood, or downgraded garment can introduce particles that alter test results or damage product batches.

In pharmaceutical and device manufacturing, even a small breach can result in entire batches being scrapped, costing thousands—or more. Some companies have faced regulatory action or customer loss due to preventable contamination caused by subpar garment control.

It’s important to source your cleanroom garments from a provider with rigorous quality checks, strong repair procedures, and ISO-grade laundering. Our cleanroom garment services are designed to help you avoid these kinds of failures altogether.

What to Look For in a Cleanroom Garments Supplier

Selecting the right supplier for cleanroom apparel is not a matter to be taken lightly. Prudential Cleanroom Services stands out as a leader in the industry, providing world-class solutions for various cleanroom applications.

We provide all of the features that a qualified cleanroom garment supplier should offer, including:

• Diverse Apparel Solutions: Suppliers should offer garments suited to different cleanroom classifications and safety needs. Prudential offers a wide range of cleanroom garments designed to meet diverse industry standards. These garments are specially made for the stringent contamination control required in cleanroom settings. This includes specialized apparel like the NFPA 70E FR cleanroom garments, which are flame-resistant and designed to protect wearers in environments with electrical hazards while maintaining compliance with cleanroom cleanliness standards.
• Non-Garment Products: A complete provider should also supply cleanroom-compatible tools and accessories. Prudential offers a variety of non-garment products essential for maintaining cleanroom standards. These include reusable mops, goggles, and other useful supplies.
• Quality Cleaning Services: Garment laundering must support reuse and compliance. Prudential’s cleanroom garment cleaning services allow businesses to keep a fresh supply of apparel at all times. We provide garment laundering that adheres to cleanroom standards, ensuring that each piece of clothing remains functional over multiple uses. This service aids businesses in maintaining a high standard of cleanliness and compliance without the burdens of in-house laundering or costly single-use disposable products.
• Flexible Acquisition Options: Vendors should be able to provide garments based on your needs. Prudential allows businesses to rent, lease, or purchase cleanroom uniforms. This flexibility allows businesses to choose a plan that best suits their budget and usage requirements.
• Expertise and Support: Your supplier should offer guidance, not just products. Offering cleanroom apparel services since 1960, Prudential’s expertise and experience with cleanroom clothing are unparalleled. We not only supply garments but also provide ongoing support that aligns with current industry standards and best practices.

Our extensive catalog of cleanroom apparel, combined with top-notch garment care services and flexible purchasing options, ensures that your cleanroom operations can maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.

Why Prudential Is the Cleanroom Garments Partner You Can Count On

Cleanrooms are essential for industries that manufacture or handle highly sensitive materials, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology products, and medical devices. Creating these environments involves specialized cleanroom technology, while maintaining these spaces requires carefully laundered garments and strict contamination control.

That’s where Prudential stands out—offering industry-leading cleanroom facility services that help businesses meet the highest standards of cleanliness and compliance.

Prudential Cleanroom Services (PCS) is a specialized division of Prudential Overall Supply that focuses solely on providing high-quality cleanroom apparel and laundry processing services. With our strong dedication to customer support and hard work, PCS has become a global industry leader in cleanroom laundry services.

Careful ISO Control

All Prudential facilities utilize ISO-controlled environments for rigorous cleanroom garment cleaning and processing.

Our ISO-controlled process includes:

• Soil Inspection
• Incoming Garment Scanning within our Garment Tracking System (GTS)
• Priority Repair
• ISO Class 4 Washing
• ISO Class 3 Drying
• ISO Class 3 Packaging
• ISO Class 3 Quality Assessment
• ISO Class 7 Sorting and Distribution
• Outgoing Garment Scan within the GTS

What Sets Our Cleanroom Garments Apart

Prudential’s cleanroom garments not only offer a high degree of contamination control but also provide enhanced durability and ease of maintenance. The garments are designed to withstand repeated use and laundering.

Our garments:

• Require the over-locking of cut or raw edges to eliminate any protrusion of the seams
• Are protected from fraying or fiber separation through the encapsulation of our cleanroom fabric thread
• Are designed with breathability and flexibility in mind, allowing employees to stay comfortable even during long shifts in controlled environments
• Come in a wide range of size options for optimal movement and comfort
• Are made with features like easy closures, adjustable fits, and specialized materials that reduce electrostatic charges
• Our cleanroom garments ensure both the safety and comfort of employees, which makes us a dependable choice for various industries requiring precise contamination control

We are committed to maximizing inventory life for our clients. In fact, we implement a rigorous and detailed inspection and processing for all of our provided cleanroom garments and products. To optimize effectiveness for a specific cleanroom environment, we adapt our cleanroom garment process to the individual needs of each client.

Prudential garment professionals also examine and repair any damages or any minor distress of clothing that can impair the performance and safety of the cleanroom employee.

We Outperform the Competition

At Prudential Cleanroom Services, we work hard to provide the products and services you need, all while outpacing the competition.

The following are just a few of the ways in which Prudential Cleanroom Services offers more than our competitors:

• No penicillin contamination risk: Our competitors may process penicillin in their facilities. PCS does not.
• Backup processing facilities: We have multiple backup processing facilities—more capacity than our competitors.
• Service Manager/Supervisor availability: PCS always has three or more service managers or supervisors available to cover customer needs in a given service area.
• No billing quotas: Our service managers are never evaluated on Loss and Ruin (L&R) billing. We believe in honest service over fees.
• Garment certification and testing: All our garments undergo special tests and meet strict certification requirements.
• ISO 9001:20015 certification: All laundry processing plants are ISO 9001:20015 certified for cleanroom and industrial services.
• Ongoing expansion: In May 2024, Prudential opened a new center in Raleigh, North Carolina, extending industrial and cleanroom support to the region.

More Than Cleanrooms: Complete Work Uniform Rental Support

Prudential doesn’t just serve cleanroom environments. We also support thousands of companies through our full-scale work uniform rental service.

Work uniforms are a great way to ensure that your business and your employees represent the professionalism and good attitude of your business. Outside of the cleanroom, regular uniforms help your team meet the cleanliness and care standards of your industry. If you work in manufacturing, medicine, or scientific research, you need a clean team environment overall.

Rental uniform service from Prudential:

• Includes routine laundering, repairs, and consistent delivery
• Helps you protect your workforce and meet cleanliness standards
• Helps standardize appearance and safety compliance across multiple locations
• Reduces the risk of missed garments or unwashed items during shift changes
• Frees up internal staff by outsourcing repairs, replacements, and inventory tracking
• Maintains a professional image in customer-facing or audited environments

With Prudential Overall Supply locations across the country, our team is ready to support you wherever your operations take place. Few uniform rental companies offer the same combination of cleanroom expertise and broad industrial reach.

If your company uses a cleanroom as part of its daily operations, opt for high-quality garments and laundry services at competitive prices from Prudential Cleanroom Services. Contact us today at (800) 767-5536 to get started.