When evaluating ESD smocks for an electronics manufacturing facility, technical performance is often the first consideration. Resistance values, fabric composition, and shielding properties are all important, but for a growing number of facilities, particularly those operating within the defense and federal supply chain, two additional factors carry equal or greater weight: Berry Amendment compliance and domestic manufacturing. Desco’s Statshield® Smocks with Convertible Sleeves address both.
What Is the Berry Amendment?
The Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. § 4862) is a federal law that requires the Department of Defense to give preference to, and in many cases exclusively procure, goods that are wholly grown, produced, or manufactured in the United States. The law covers a broad range of product categories, including textile goods and apparel, which means ESD garments fall squarely within its scope.
For facilities that manufacture products under DoD contracts, or that supply goods to defense primes and subcontractors, Berry compliance in their garment program is not a preference, it is a contractual and regulatory requirement. Non-compliant garments, even if they meet every ESD performance standard, can create procurement violations, audit findings, or contract disqualification.
It is worth noting that Berry compliance applies to the entire supply chain of a garment, not just where it is assembled. Fabrics, yarns, and components must all originate domestically for a garment to be considered truly Berry compliant. This is an important distinction when vetting suppliers, as garments assembled in the U.S. from imported materials do not meet the standard. Desco’s Statshield® Convertible Smocks are fully sourced and manufactured in the United States, meeting Berry compliance at every level of the supply chain, not just at the point of final assembly.
ESD Performance That Meets the Standard
Berry compliance and domestic manufacturing are only meaningful when paired with genuine ESD performance. Statshield® Convertible Smocks meet ANSI/ESD S20.20-2014 requirements for a Static Control Garment. Point-to-point resistance is less than 1×10¹¹ ohms, and the panel-to-panel conductivity (Rtt: 1×10⁹ ohms tested per ESD TR53) creates a Faraday cage effect that attenuates electrostatic fields generated by clothing worn underneath. The fabric, texturized polyester with a minimum of 9% carbon conductive nylon fibers woven in a chain-link pattern, provides continuous and consistent charge dissipation across the entire garment surface at a lightweight 2.2 oz per square yard. A 2-year/100 launderings limited warranty reflects confidence in the garment’s durability under real-world industrial laundering conditions.
Additional Features
The convertible roll-up sleeve design with button-tab holders adds practical flexibility for operators working across varying temperature environments or tasks The smock is also compatible with a hip-to-wristband coil cord that threads through the sleeve. Qualification reports from our ESDA certified lab are available HERE