Medical Disposables And Wearable DEVICES
Sterilizable, Skin-Friendly Closures for Single-Use Medical Devices and Biosensors
Halco manufactures medical grade hook and loop fastening systems for single-use medical devices (SUMDs), surgical gowns, wearable biosensors, and other disposable medical products. As an ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 certified converter and a Solventum (formerly 3M Medical Materials & Technologies) and 3M Preferred Converter, Halco produces low-profile, white, sterilizable hook and loop in custom die-cut formats — including options laminated with medical-grade adhesives such as Solventum 1510 and Avery 445.
- Low-profile form factors as thin as 0.36 mm (HALCO® Medical Molded Hook)
- White colorways suited to clean medical aesthetics
- Compatible with ethylene oxide (ISO 11135) and gamma irradiation (ISO 11137) sterilization
- ISO 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom converting for medical components
- Adhesive lamination with medical-grade adhesives including Solventum 1510 and Avery 445
- Die-cutting, kiss-cutting, perforated dispensing strips, and custom slit widths
- Biocompatibility support per ISO 10993, including ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity testing
Disposable and Wearable Specialty Products
The four products below are Halco’s most relevant hook and loop closures for single-use medical devices, disposable medical products, and wearable biosensor applications. All four can be supplied with custom adhesive lamination and die-cut shapes.
HALCO® Medical Molded Hook
White polypropylene molded hook (Type 6) with 1,400 hooks per square inch and 0.36 mm total thickness. Engineered for single-use disposable medical applications requiring high-strength engagement with knit and nonwoven loop.
HALCO® Medical Loop
Limited-cycle medical knit loop designed for disposable and limited-use medical applications. Pairs with HALCO® Medical Molded Hook to form a complete medical closure system.
HALCO® Type 1 Molded Hook
Low-profile nylon molded hook (0.5 mm hook height, 896 hooks per square inch) that engages with woven, knit, and nonwoven materials including SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) fabric. Available with custom adhesive lamination, fabric, or loop backings.
HALCO® Soft Woven Hook
Nylon woven hook with a soft, fabric-like hand engineered for direct-skin and skin-adjacent applications. Suited to wearable monitoring devices, blood pressure cuffs, and disposable medical garments where the fastener contacts skin or soft tissue.
Non-Wovens
Medical-grade non-woven fabrics — including SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) and other polypropylene and polyester nonwovens — sourced from leading material suppliers and converted into custom medical device assemblies. Halco specifies the right non-woven for each application — surgical gowns, isolation garments, wound dressings, and backing for on-skin devices — and laminates non-wovens with medical-grade adhesives or hook and loop closures.
Medical Grade ADHESIVES
Medical-grade pressure-sensitive adhesives — including Solventum 1510, Avery 445, and other branded systems — laminated to hook and loop, non-wovens, foams, films, and custom substrates. As a 3M Preferred Converter and Solventum (formerly 3M Medical Materials & Technologies) converter, Halco selects the right adhesive chemistry for each substrate, skin contact duration, and sterilization method.
ISO 7 Cleanroom Converting for Medical Components
Halco operates an ISO 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom for converting medical-grade hook and loop, adhesives, and custom die-cut components. The facility maintains air quality at no more than 352,000 particles ≥ 0.5 μm per cubic meter, 83,200 particles ≥ 1.0 μm per cubic meter, and 2,930 particles ≥ 5.0 μm per cubic meter. HEPA filtration removes 99.97% of particles ≥ 0.3 μm, and positive air pressure prevents outside contamination.
Cleanroom converting supports applications where particulate contamination is a controlled risk — including SUMDs, on-skin medical devices, wearable biosensors, and diagnostic equipment.
Disposable and Wearable Medical Applications
Halco supplies medical grade hook and loop closures for a broad range of disposable and wearable medical product applications.
Disposable Garments and Surgical Gowns
Low-profile, white, sterilizable hook and loop serves as the primary surgical gown fastener at the neck, waist, and back. Used in disposable surgical gowns, isolation gowns, drapes, and protective garments where closures must withstand sterilization, allow quick removal, and avoid tearing nonwoven SMS material. HALCO® Medical Molded Hook and HALCO® Medical Loop are commonly used in gown closure systems, often die-cut with rounded corners to prevent tearing.
Wearable Biosensors and Monitoring Devices
Medical grade hook and loop enables secure, skin-friendly attachment of wearable biosensors, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), Holter monitors, neonatal cord management products, and other continuous health monitoring devices. Halco laminates hook and loop with medical-grade adhesives — including Solventum 1510 and Avery 445 — qualified for on-skin and skin-adjacent contact.
Single-Use Diagnostic Products
Reliable, low-profile closures for ECG electrodes, fetal monitoring belts, blood pressure cuffs, and tube and line securement. The light peel and consistent shear performance of HALCO® Medical Molded Hook is well-suited to single-use cycle expectations.
Disposable Protective Equipment
Hook and loop closures for isolation gowns, head covers, shoe covers, and other disposable PPE used in surgical, isolation, and infection control environments. Available with custom die-cut shapes, kiss-cut parts on liner, and perforated dispensing strips for automated assembly.
Tube, Line & Catheter Securement
Medical grade hook and loop secures intravenous lines, urinary catheters, endotracheal tubes, surgical drains, and feeding tubes to the patient. These applications require skin-friendly materials, repositionable closure for patient comfort and skin assessment, and reliable hold under fluid contact and patient movement.
Ostomy, Catheter & Drainage System Attachment
Hook and loop attaches ostomy pouches, urinary catheter retention belts, and drainage collection systems to the patient or to a securement strap. These applications require low-profile materials, skin-friendly adhesives suited to extended wear, and adjustable closures that accommodate patient anatomy and activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hook and loop fasteners are used in disposable medical products?
Disposable medical products typically use a low-profile, white hook and loop pairing such as HALCO® Medical Molded Hook (Type 6 polypropylene, 0.36 mm total thickness) with HALCO® Medical Knit Loop. These materials are designed for limited-use cycles, light peel strength to protect nonwoven substrates, and compatibility with common sterilization methods. Halco supplies the hook, loop, adhesive lamination, and die-cut components from a single ISO 13485 certified facility.
What fastener is used on surgical gowns?
Surgical gowns typically use medical grade hook and loop at the neck, waist, and back closures. The fastener must be low-profile, white, sterilizable, and capable of engaging with SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) nonwoven gown fabric without tearing it. HALCO® Medical Molded Hook is used in surgical gown closure systems, commonly supplied as die-cut shapes with rounded corners.
How are hook and loop fasteners used in wearable biosensors?
Wearable biosensors — including continuous glucose monitors, Holter monitors, and patch-based health trackers — use hook and loop in two ways: (1) as the device’s primary closure, often with a medical-grade adhesive backing for direct skin contact; and (2) as the engagement surface between the device and a securing strap. Halco supports both applications through Solventum medical adhesive lamination and skin-friendly product options like HALCO® Soft Woven Hook.
What is a sterilizable hook and loop fastener?
A sterilizable hook and loop fastener retains its mechanical performance after exposure to standard medical device sterilization processes. Halco’s medical-grade hook and loop is compatible with ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization per ISO 11135 and gamma irradiation per ISO 11137. Final device manufacturers validate sterilization performance to these standards as part of their end-product qualification.
What hook and loop materials are compatible with SMS nonwoven fabric?
SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) is a polypropylene-based nonwoven widely used in surgical gowns and disposable PPE. HALCO® Type 1 Molded Hook and HALCO® Medical Molded Hook both engage SMS as the loop substrate. For applications that require the fastener itself to bond to SMS rather than engage with it, Halco custom-laminates medical-grade adhesives like Solventum 1510 to bond to the polypropylene fabric.
Is Halco’s medical hook and loop biocompatibility tested?
Halco’s medical-grade hook and loop is manufactured to support biocompatibility evaluation per ISO 10993 standards, including ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity testing. Supporting test data is available on request to assist with your device’s regulatory submission.
Can Halco supply hook and loop in custom die-cut shapes for medical products?
Yes. Halco’s ISO 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom — operated within an ISO 13485 certified facility — supports die-cutting and kiss-cutting of hook and loop into application-specific shapes, including rounded corners to prevent material tear, perforated dispensing strips, kiss-cut parts on liner, and custom slit widths. Components ship on rolls or sheets to support automated medical device assembly.
Does Halco operate a cleanroom for medical hook and loop converting?
Yes. Halco operates an ISO 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom certified to ISO 14644-1, with HEPA filtration that removes 99.97% of particles ≥ 0.3 μm and positive air pressure to prevent outside contamination. The cleanroom is used for die-cutting, kiss-cutting, and adhesive lamination of medical-grade hook and loop, on-skin adhesive systems, and custom components for SUMDs, wearable biosensors, and diagnostic devices.
Does Halco offer adhesive-backed hook and loop for medical applications?
Yes. Halco is a 3M Preferred Converter and a Solventum (formerly 3M Medical Materials & Technologies) converter. We laminate medical-grade adhesives — including Solventum 1510 and Avery 445 — to our hook and loop products. Acrylic, rubber, and weldable adhesive systems are available based on substrate compatibility and application requirements.
What is the difference between HALCO® Medical Molded Hook and HALCO® Type 1 Molded Hook?
HALCO® Medical Molded Hook (Type 6) is a white polypropylene hook with 1,400 hooks per square inch and 0.36 mm total thickness, purpose-built for skin-adjacent and single-use disposable medical applications. HALCO® Type 1 Molded Hook is a nylon hook with a 0.5 mm hook height and 896 hooks per square inch, optimized as a general-purpose low-profile engagement hook across woven, knit, and nonwoven substrates including SMS. Type 6 is selected when medical-grade material and skin compatibility are the priority; Type 1 when low-profile engagement across mixed substrates is the priority.