MAKERS & MANUFACTURERS
Meet Some of the Many County Innovators Who Continue to Make Us #MoCoProud
From hospital-grade 3D face shields to face masks, from hand sanitizer to data driven risk indexing, dozens of innovative MoCo companies are adding to or pivoting from their usual products, putting their know-how and creativity to work during the COVID-19 crisis.
MCEDC’s Local Production Fund recently made 25 awards to innovative local businesses; you can read about them here.
face shields
Clarksburg—Using its technology to print 3D face shields to support local hospitals, including the staff at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center. Currently investigating other partnerships to enable expansion of its 3D print capability and technology to reach a wider group — both within our community and beyond. LEARN MORE >
Bethesda—The KID Museum’s maker educators have brought the museum’s 3D printers and MoCo library 3D printers home to make much-needed protective face shields for healthcare workers. Their website includes instructions so others with a 3D printer can participate. LEARN MORE >
Bethesda—Tierra Events is now producing reusable face shields with a design that fits all, fully covers face, neck, and glasses. Learn More >
Gaithersburg—Now making 3D and CNC custom parts for face shields, ventilators and more. Xometry adjusted its manufacturing model during this pandemic to provide for the growing need for medical supplies, as well as parts for ventilators and diagnostic devices. Many of these parts can be 3D printed, molded or machined. With a network of over 4,000 manufacturing facilities around the world, Xometry stands ready to help make the supplies that are so desperately needed. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—Spectrum Printing & Graphics is proud to produce social distancing floor graphics, signage, chair covers, retractable banner shields and many other PPE products. Learn More >
Silver Spring—Offering face shields for adult and children, standard and custom sneeze guards (floor, desk and hanging options), fabric and medical masks, hand sanitizer stands, automatic dispensers and hand sanitizer refills, COVID-19 safety/social distancing signs, floor graphics and decals, and reopening toolkits—a comprehensive plan for businesses based on their layout. Learn More >
Germantown—Creating 3D printed face-shields and masks to assist. For every order, a face-shield will be manufactured and donated to a hospital, first responder or other frontline workers. LEARN MORE >
Bethesda—Print 1 is producing reusable face shields, using CNC made frames and die-cut clear plastic shields. Learn more >
Rockville—Providing a variety of PPE including face masks, face shields, hand sanitizers and floor decals to help companies during the pandemic. Bulk purchasing available. LEARN MORE >
Healthcare/HealthTech
Rockville—A Health Tech company making a difference. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine is in the spotlight to help healthcare provider organizations and caregivers better respond to the needs of Americans who have contracted the virus and Americans who need to touch base with their providers on health status. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—Developed a COVID-19 “Transmission Risk Index” to predict the location of future outbreaks and a “Mortality Risk Index” to identify the regions with the highest risk of critical illness and death due to the virus—each at the County, ZIP Code, and Census tract levels. LEARN MORE >
hand sanitizers
Gaithersburg—Vashan is taking alcohol from distilleries and wineries to make hand sanitizer—producing 300 gallons of hand sanitizer each week. Partners include: Twin Valley Distillers; MISCellaneous Distillery, Black Ankle Vineyards and Windridge Vineyards. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—Working with partners including Vashan Compounding Pharmacy, to produce hand sanitizer. Due to increased demand and difficulty finding raw materials, Twin Valley is continuing to seek ways to provide hand sanitizer to the community as affordably as possible. LEARN MORE >
Darnestown—Working with Vashan Compounding Pharmacy and others to produce hand sanitizer to fill the gaps and shortages of hand sanitizer locally. LEARN MORE >
Silver Spring— Sha’s has pivoted their business to produce organic hand sanitizer and is working on liquid foaming disinfectant soaps with assistance from MCEDC’s Local Production Fund. LEARN MORE >
North Bethesda—Providing wellness essentials for you and your home. LEARN MORE >
North Bethesda—Olive & Loom's mission is to bring you traditional, old world goods with a fresh, modern aesthetic. We focus on practical items made using artisanal methods and all natural sources. LEARN MORE >
face masks
Bethesda—A sustainable clothing company offering DIY face masks. Helping to meet the growing need for face masks while maintaining its mission of upcycling and using reclaimed materials. LEARN MORE >
Gaithersburg—Under normal circumstances, Shapeez is busy making their patented back-smoothing Shapeez bras. But given the current COVID-19 crisis and shortage of medical masks and PPE, they have retooled their factories to make a reusable and washable surgical type mask. LEARN MORE >
Silver Spring—Shifted clothing production to make designer face masks, which offers relief and personal confidence during this global pandemic. Part of their proceeds benefit various nonprofits around the world. LEARN MORE >
Gaithersburg—Changed their focus to make designer masks and scrub caps. The masks are two layers:outside layer is a high-density fabric while the inside is flannel. Their quality is comparable to the N95 masks made available to local hospitals and other essential workers. LEARN MORE >
Olney—Usually a maker of original designer clothing, QuaranSeams is now making multicolor designer face masks and selling them to the general public. LEARN MORE >
Kensington—Lightning Wear Apparel was founded in 2006 by athletes who were looking for a new edge in the sports apparel industry. Now making face masks to meet the needs for COVID-19. LEARN MORE >
Germantown—Makes hair bows for cheer teams, children and special occasions now making custom ordered face masks or COVID-19 protection. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—Love Couture Bridal aids our healthcare community in the DMV area who are on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. They offer our sewing services and resources to make homemade masks for medical professionals and patients. LEARN MORE >
THE PINK ALLIGATOR
Brookeville—Donated over 500 double layer, 100% cotton masks to local hospitals, doctors' offices and other essential workers. They also make customized masks to commemorate local Washington sports teams, like Capitals, Nationals, Ravens, Orioles, Mystics and others. LEARN MORE >
Poolesville—For each face covering purchased Northern Downpours donates one to local medical offices, vet offices, grocery workers, and other essential workers in our community. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—MoCo MaskMakers masks are free. Their operation is staffed entirely by a grass-roots group of volunteers. Designs range from practical to highly styled and customizable. They request patience and flexibility in fulfilling requests as quickly as possible with limited resources in the face of overwhelming need. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—Bows Etc. normally designs and manufactures hair accessories. With the coronavirus outbreak, they are also sewing face masks. Each mask is reversible, washable and made with 100% cotton fabric in happy, colorful prints, with a pocket that allows you to put a filter inside for protection. LEARN MORE >
LIEN BUI
Olney—Made several hundred face masks for nursing home employees when face masks were not available. Now that medical grade face masks are available for nursing home employees, she wants to make more for the public. Contact Liên Bùi by email or phone 301-641-4986.
Rockville & Silver Spring—This Rockville auto upholstery business has shifted to making face masks in an effort to serve the community and provide work for its employees. Masks are available in two locations. LEARN MORE >
Leather Medic MD, 277 Derwood Circle, Rockville; 240-481-7379
MD MultiServices, 13623 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring; 240-654-5920
Montgomery County—This design studio converts the work of local Montgomery County artist Madison Prince into a brand of lifestyle products. The studio quickly pivoted to helping the community during the COVID-19 health emergency. They make masks with an equity donation program. LEARN MORE >
Potomac—Luxury Athleisure Apparel taking you from Bootcamp to Brunch. Now making face masks. LEARN MORE >
Gaithersburg—Maryland Xtreme is pre-selling custom Maryland flag washable and reusable face masks. LEARN MORE >
Montgomery County—A local small (veteran owned and operated) businesses that has taken a huge hit from this virus and decided to at least add something that everyone needs right now. LEARN MORE >
Clarksburg—Small woman-owned business designing and manufacturing baby blankets. Now producing high quality face masks from European fabrics. A portion of all proceeds are donated to various charities. LEARN MORE >
Kensington—Like the other clothing companies, Anytime Alterations is making face masks. LEARN MORE >
Germantown—Handmade in the U.S.A. Breathable and soft against the skin. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—Now making masks, JOOLA is a sports company that has pivoted to help create personal protection equipment (PPE) by adding a new division, JOOLA Medical. Rockville resident and owner Richard Lee is typically in the ping pong table business – but has put down the paddle to make face masks for healthcare workers. JOOLA appeared on an NBC Washington segment. LEARN MORE >
MEDMASKMD
Germantown—They provide high quality 100% cotton re-washable filtered face masks. LEARN MORE >
TOR
Silver Spring—Reusable face masks for kids and adults, made to help in the fight against the Coronavirus and to provide paid work for local artisans during the pandemic and beyond. LEARN MORE >
Gaithersburg—Dedicating 100% of their staff and equipment to PPE during the COVID-19 crisis, creating masks that meet or exceed the N95 standards, with medical grade sterilization wrap. They are temporarily switching from their regular line of work for aircraft, marine and auto. LEARN MORE >
Silver Spring—Now able to offer PPE and hand sanitizer as well as social distancing/safety signage. LEARN MORE >
Rockville—We are a promotional product distributor and proud member of the Advertising Specialty Institute. LEARN MORE >
Graphic Design/Poster Maker
Takoma Park—Thanks to his century old platen press, the owner, Jesse Kirsch, could print posters and raise money. Jesse teamed up with the city government and is using the money raised from poster sales to go to a grant fund for the city: up to $3,000 for small businesses facing hard times. LEARN MORE >
Takoma Park—Chelsea Ritter-Soronen and her team are creating beautiful chalk murals to highlight local restaurants as part of “Takoma Park-to-go” and thank healthcare providers. LEARN MORE >
SCREENING FACILITIES
Bethesda—Clark Construction has assisted UnityHealthCare in building and installing temporary COVID-19 screening facilities at five locations across the DC Metro area. The company is helping to assist healthcare providers by safely delivering the new facilities. LEARN MORE >
If your Montgomery County company is doing work in the coronavirus space and you want to be added to our list, please contact us at Connect@thinkmoco.com