Standard Textile Combats Homelessness With 80,000 Showers

Launches National Program: “Standard Textile Cares”

CINCINNATI, OH  – Standard Textile Co., Inc., a global leader in the healthcare and hospitality textile markets, announces today it is launching a national program to combat homelessness. The company is partnering with four non-profit organizations across the United States that provide mobile shower services to people living either on the streets or in insufficient housing, with a goal of supporting 80,000 showers by the end of 2021.

For 80 years, Standard Textile has been partnering with organizations to help bring comfort to those in need. Through product donations, financial support, and volunteerism, the company has continually supported efforts to make a meaningful impact in the communities where employees work, live, and raise their families. To honor the company’s legacy of inspiring care, comfort, and change in communities, it is expanding its commitment by launching “Standard Textile Cares.”

“Ending homelessness requires a comprehensive approach,” said Gary Heiman, Standard Textile’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “It begins by treating those experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect which are basic values that our partner organizations offer. And it begins with basic essentials such as a safe place to bathe and a soft towel and blanket to provide comfort. These simple acts have the potential of changing outcomes and creating a better future for those in need.”

It is estimated that 150 million people are homeless worldwide, according to UN-Habitat, an organization that monitors homelessness globally. In the United States, approximately half a million individuals experience homelessness each day, and that number is increasing due to the pandemic crisis.

“It takes a village to do this work, and we are honored that Standard Textile is partnering with us,” said Kris Kepler, Chief Executive Officer of LavaMae^X. “The towels, washcloths, and blankets they have donated will help our unhoused guests stay clean and warm this winter. The LavaMae^X staff and I are incredibly grateful for their commitment to helping restore dignity to our unhoused neighbors.”

Empowering and promoting the social and economic inclusion of all is a core value for Standard Textile. The company was founded in 1940 by Charles Heiman who escaped the Dachau concentration camp. Mr. Heiman sought refuge in Cincinnati, Ohio where he and his family began sewing pillowcases in their third-floor apartment and delivered them to local inns and hospitals. As the need for textiles grew, Charles hired other refugees seeking sanctuary in Cincinnati.

Photo courtesy of Streetside Showers.

“We applaud the efforts of organizations such as LavaMae, Shower Up, Streetside Showers, and Hope Thru Soap,” said Gary Heiman. “Our mission is to create bed and bath products that provide comfort to all who use our products. We are pleased that we can extend this value to assisting individuals during a time in their lives when care and comfort are needed the most.”

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About Standard Textile 
Founded in 1940, Standard Textile has developed a culture of innovation, quality, and service. With more than 80 patents, its products are engineered to deliver durability, longevity, and value. A vertically integrated company, Standard Textile is a leading global provider of total solutions in the institutional textiles and apparel markets. Leveraging textile design, manufacturing, and laundry expertise, and its global infrastructure, this company serves customers in the healthcare, hospitality, interiors, and consumer markets worldwide. For more information visit standardtextile.com.