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 200 Boxes of Face Shields Delivered to State Capitol Building

January 11, 2021, Columbia SC: To aid in reducing the spread of COVID-19, Columbia based digital manufacturer, ZVerse has donated 200 boxes of face shields to members and staff of the South Carolina House and Senate as lawmakers prepare for the start of the 2021 legislative session.

ZVerse is the creator of the nationally-recognized, American-made ZShield line of face shield products. The company donated two types of shields, the ZShield Wrap and ZShield Ultra models, which are designed for comfortable, all-day use.  The ZShield Wrap uses an innovative, neck-mount design, while the ZShield Ultra offers a forehead-mount. Both are designed to be a comfortable, wearable barrier that helps shield your face, mouth, and eyes from the transfer of respiratory droplets. 

“South Carolina, along with the rest of the country, is coping with the tragic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital for our legislators to continue to operate as normally as possible to lead us through this crucial time period in the pandemic response,” said ZVerse Founder and CEO John Carrington. “ZVerse saw the opportunity to further help the South Carolina House and Senate members and staff stay healthy by reducing the spread of COVID-19 through the use of our face shields. We were delighted to donate our face shields to assist in the effort to keep South Carolina moving forward.”

In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began to grip America, ZVerse saw the dire need to provide both frontline workers and citizens with safe and reliable personal protective equipment (PPE). Knowing that ZVerse had the processes, relationships and technology to accelerate mass production of PPE very quickly, ZVerse adapted their business model and within days began producing and distributing ZShields. 

Since March, ZVerse has produced 4 million face shields, getting PPE products into the hands of the citizens who need them the most, quickly and efficiently.

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About ZVerse

Black Friday special turned into an opportunity to give

Columbia, SC (Dec. 28, 2020) – ZVerse announced that they will be running a buy one, give one for their Black Friday special. Throughout Black Friday each ZShield that was purchased on ZShield.com ZVerse has matched the purchase with a Health Shield donation to various rural hospitals in South Carolina. 

Based in Columbia, South Carolina, digital manufacturing company ZVerse adapted its business model in late March to accelerate the mass production of personal protective equipment (PPE) – specifically face shields – in response to COVID-19. ZVerse is now able to produce hundreds of thousands of face shields per day, all designed, sourced, and made in the USA.

In order to continue to help meet the need for protective face coverings, ZVerse is continuing to grow its product line and continuing to give back by serving our communities. Over 400 Health Shields have been donated to eight rural hospitals in need of additional PPE.

"Our rural hospitals were delighted to receive this unexpected donation. As we all know, healthcare workers have been working tirelessly on the front lines of this pandemic, and sometimes have had to make do with limited supplies of PPE," said Sarah Craig, director of health system innovation for the SC Office of Rural Health. "We share in their gratitude to Zverse for making sure the safety needs of our rural providers are not overlooked."

The South Carolina Office of Rural Health (SCORH) is a non-profit organization with a mission to close the gap in health status and life expectancy between rural and urban communities in the Palmetto State. SCORH has been promoting investment, opportunity and health within rural communities since 1991.

With 27 percent of our state’s residents living in rural areas, SCORH believes in preserving the unique character of rural communities without compromising their opportunities and access to critical services.

Visit scorh.net to learn more.

To learn more about ZVerse, follow the company on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or visit zverse.com.

About ZVerse:

Founded by John Carrington in 2013, ZVerse is a digital manufacturing ecosystem, bridging the design gap for manufacturers at scale through its AI-enabled design for manufacturing platform. Its modular solution of services, fully configurable to specific customer needs, disrupts the traditional manufacturing landscape with vast efficiency by providing the fastest path from idea to finished product.

In March 2020, ZVerse recognized its unique ability to mass produce face shields and contribute to the urgent need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in response to the pandemic. The company has since launched a hugely successful line of face shield products, providing millions of ZShields to frontline workers, educators, restaurant owners and the community at large. ZVerse is based in Columbia, South Carolina with a network of world-class industrial engineers, suppliers and manufacturers across the U.S.

For more information, contact:

Laura Watford

ZVerse, Inc.

803.995.8873 (O)

Laura.Watford@ZVerse.com 

ZVerse has partnered with Harvest Hope Food Bank to join a surge in hunger relief efforts as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic leaves families struggling to cover basic needs.

A line of cars began growing increasingly longer outside of Harvest Hope this past Spring, as the pandemic struck South Carolina, and the need for donated meals began rising at an alarming rate at the Columbia-based food bank. Noticing the increased traffic on his commute to ZVerse headquarters nearby, ZVerse CEO John Carrington connected with the team at Harvest Hope to help.

Calling on others in the community to join in, ZVerse, a digital manufacturing and 3D printing company, donated enough funds to supply 100,000 meals to those in need. ZVerse is the creator of the ZShield line of personal protective equipment (PPE) products and has produced more than four million U.S.-made face shields, making it one of the largest producers of protective face shields in the country.

"During this challenging year, we are so thankful for support from our community partners like ZVerse," said Chuck Backman, Midlands Branch Executive Director for Harvest Hope. "This donation is going to provide 100,000 meals to our neighbors who are struggling to fill their tables this holiday season." 

ZVerse also participated in the Harvest Hope annual Share Your Holiday event. The goal of the event is to fill food bank warehouses for the holidays, and for the cold months ahead, to benefit families and individuals in need.

Harvest Hope is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization serving people in need across 20 counties in South Carolina. Harvest Hope distributes more than 26.2 million meals each year. Harvest Hope operates locations in the Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate. For more information, visit harvesthope.org.

Innovative face shields now available for purchase on world’s largest online marketplace

The country’s largest producer of branded face shields has made its top-selling products available for purchase on Amazon.

Earlier this spring, digital manufacturing company ZVerse created a first-ever PPE product to be marketed and sold directly to consumers: The ZShield, an ultra-lightweight, neck-mounted face shield designed to provide a comfortable, wearable barrier that helps users shield their face, mouth and eyes from spray, splatter, and the direct transfer of respiratory droplets. ZVerse has since produced over four million face shields, and now, several of its products are available for purchase on Amazon, marking another milestone for the company. All products are made in the USA.

“At the height of the COVID-19 impact on the U.S., we recognized our unique ability to quickly produce and provide valuable PPE to our front-line healthcare heroes, while also creating jobs and stimulating the local economy,” said John Carrington, founder and CEO of ZVerse. “We have since grown our PPE product pipeline to serve a number of industries. We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to our partners and customers for helping us reach this milestone with Amazon.”

Shoppers on Amazon now have access to four ZShield models, including the ZShield Health, the ZShield Flex, the ZShield Wrap and the ZShield Youth. ZShields can be purchased individually and in packs of two or five. Replacement shields for both the Flex and Wrap are also on sale in quantities of five or 10.  

Based on industry and customer demand, ZVerse creates face shields that provide a threshold of hygiene for those seeking options for face coverings. ZShields allow for clear verbal and nonverbal communication and all-day comfort when masks or stationary sneeze guards are not practical, or when environments call for the use of both a shield and a face mask. The ZShield has completely disrupted the industry, bringing much-needed design innovation to the world of PPE and earning ZVerse a 2020 Innovation by Design Award from Fast Company. ZVerse is now producing hundreds of thousands of ZShields a day, which are all designed, sourced and made in the USA through an established domestic supply chain. 

To learn more about ZShields, visit zshield.com. To learn more about  ZVerse, follow the company on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or visit zverse.com.

ZVerse has created its fifth face shield design, ZShield Ultra, for both high-risk environments and everyday wear. ZShield Ultra is designed to be worn comfortably for many hours and provides full face coverage with a closed top to help block airborne particulates. 

“COVID-19 remains a global threat and will leave a lasting impact on the way people interact with each other and the world. An increase in barriers, sensors, sanitizing stations, contactless transactions and, of course, PPE are just some of the changes that will be part of our society for the foreseeable future,” said John Carrington, ZVerse Founder and CEO. “At ZVerse, we’re committed to providing various PPE solutions. We understand each user is unique and has different safety needs. ZShield Ultra was created to serve those seeking a more enclosed, head-mounted design.” 

ZShield Ultra is perfect for people who wear eyeglasses or are tired of head-mounted shields that tangle hair. The Ultra is made of Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), a thermoplastic polyester that provides significant chemical resistance, durability and excellent formability for manufacturing. It is also ultra lightweight, anti-fog, compatible with most types of eyeglasses and meets Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for face shields. The Ultra is ideal for workers in hospitality, education, medical, travel and quick serve restaurant environments.  

The ZShield Ultra is now available for purchase, starting at $19.99 per face shield. Shipping is slated to start on November 17. 

ZVerse’s line of ZShield products are designed to provide a comfortable, wearable barrier that helps users shield their face, mouth and eyes from spray, splatter, and the direct transfer of respiratory droplets. They also allow for clear verbal and nonverbal communication and comfort when masks or stationary sneeze guards are not practical. ZShield Ultra users should still practice social distancing, just as they would with a face mask. 

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ZVerse has released pink ZShields, which are now available for purchase in the Wrap and Youth models.

A portion of the proceeds earned from the pink shields this month will be donated to Susan G. Komen, which leads the fight against breast cancer on multiple fronts, including research, community health, global outreach and public policy initiatives in order to make the biggest impact against the disease.

Throughout the pandemic, community giveback efforts have played a major role in ZVerse's pivot to mass produce face shields in response to COVID-19. 

“If there is any silver lining to the pandemic, it’s the constant display of community we’ve seen from individuals and businesses alike who have rallied together to help those who need it most, despite facing their own challenges,” said John Carrington, founder and CEO of ZVerse. “Since March, we’ve had the opportunity to donate thousands of shields to organizations across the country and are proud to once again give back to another deserving nonprofit in Susan G. Komen."

Our ZShield Wrap and Youth products are now available in white, red and blue as well.

In addition to our new color offerings, the ZShield product line has expanded to feature new accessories. After hearing from teachers who needed a place to hang their shields while classes are not in session, we created the ZShield Stow Hook, a lightweight accessory that allows users to safely store their ZShields in between uses. 

With good reason, another one of our most commonly asked questions is how to clean your ZShield. To make this easy, we created the ZShield Cleaning Kit, consisting of an anti-streaking cleaner, and a microfiber cloth, both of which are designed to keep your shield spotless and damage-free.

More great ZShield products are coming! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with the latest on our innovative, ever-growing collection of consumer goods. 

Meet Scott Henderson, one of the nation’s top industrial designers and a key player in disrupting the traditional face shield model and launching our unique ZShields during the height of COVID-19.

Recognizing the last century has brought little innovation in regard to face shield design, Scott and the ZVerse team set out to create a new shield for a new normal. They incubated and tested at least a dozen designs before landing on the final product, ZShield Flex, a modern, reusable face shield that introduces a new option for personal protective equipment (PPE). 

The most remarkable feature of ZShield Flex? The way the ultra-lightweight shield attaches around the neck rather than the head, allowing for all-day comfort and wear. The team also created a flexible bracket that gives users the option to flex the shield down for idle circumstances - taking lunch, sipping coffee, touching up makeup, all without ever touching their face. 

“The human head is a very complex set of geometric parameters that are difficult to work around when it comes to designing wearable products,” Scott said. “We bypassed these complexities completely by thinking differently with the come-from-the-bottom neck mount. This is an unprecedented design idea for face shields and a much-needed spark of innovation in the world of PPE.”

Scott’s design savvy earned him a spot as a judge on CBS’s inaugural New York by Design, a TV Series all about New York innovation, ingenuity and design excellence. Watch the trailer featuring Scott here. 

Scott has a history of developing best-in-class consumer products. His designs for global fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, Hamilton Beach Brands, Intel and Nike, have become top selling industry disruptors. Scott said his experience with ZVerse was, “One of the most rewarding in recent memory because it was design as it should be—rapid ideation, prototyping, testing, and repeating that cycle as necessary until we nailed it.”

Since introducing the ZShield Flex, Scott has worked with ZVerse to respond to customer and industry demand and designed several sister products, including the ZShield Wrap, which provides more coverage around the face, and the ZShield Youth, a smaller shield for children. Several other products are in the pipeline and will be released soon. 

To try ZShield and learn more about our products, visit tryzshield.com. 

July 15, 2020 -- ZVerse is constantly innovating its face shield products to meet the latest customer and industry demands in this fast-changing COVID-19 crisis. Its newest product, ZShield Wrap, provides extended coverage around the face and attaches from a comfortable neck mount that allows the shield to flex up for active engagement and down for idle circumstances. 

For those who opt to wear face shields, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using one that drops below the chin and wraps around the face. The Wrap’s smart, ultra-lightweight design follows these guidelines. 

ZShield Wrap comes in addition to ZVerse’s other face shield products, ZShield Flex, ZShield Youth and ZShield Health (details below). All ZShields are easy to wear, reusable and easy to clean, and they provide a barrier that prevents the direct transfer of respiratory droplets from the user's mouth or nose onto persons, food or other objects. ZShields allow for comfortable breathing and conversation, as well as a full view of the wearer’s face. 

• ZShield Flex: ZShield Flex is ZVerse’s original neck-mounted face shield designed for everyday life. The ZShield Flex fit enables people to wear the shield for prolonged periods of time without feeling hot or confined. 
• ZShield Youth: ZShield Youth is designed to be a smaller version of the ZShield Wrap product, ideal for children ages 5 to 11. The ZShield Youth collar is designed with breakaway technology, deterring the risk of choking.
• ZShield Health: ZShield Health follows a traditional face shield design and provides an essential piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers. These shields are worn in combination with an N95 Respirator for best protection.

ZShields are designed and manufactured in the USA.  ZVerse deeply believes in the strength of its domestic supply chain and has best-in-class manufacturing partners all over the country working to quickly produce PPE. ZVerse is located in Columbia, South Carolina and has tripled its workforce to keep up with the ongoing demand of the COVID-19 crisis. 

ZShields are registered with the FDA as a medical device and certified with the American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal and Protection Devices (ANSI).

“ZShield Flex” marks the second protective shield introduced to the market by ZVerse, with the first focused on shielding healthcare workers

COLUMBIA, S.C., May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After producing millions of shields for the healthcare industry, ZVerse is introducing a new generation of protective face shields for workers in service industries, including restaurants, retailers, salons, grocery stores, food plants and the elective medical sector. The futuristic shields serve as a deterrent to COVID-19 and a more functional alternative to cloth face masks.

Made in the U.S. with a patent pending, the protective shield called ZShield Flex utilizes an adjustable neck-mount instead of mounting to the head – a design innovation that makes the shield unlike anything that currently exists on the market. ZShield Flex shields are available for pre-order now at zverse.com/our-products/. First shipments will go out on May 25. While the shields are specially designed for the service industry, they are available to the general public, too. Photos are available for download via Dropbox here.

In a study conducted by the University of Iowa and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, face shields may replace masks as a more comfortable and effective deterrent to COVID-19. The study showed face shields reduce immediate viral exposure by 96% when worn by an individual within 18 inches of a cough. When the study was repeated at 6 feet apart, face shields reduced inhaled virus by 92%.

Benefits of the ZShield Flex shields include:

• The unique neck mount allows the shield to come from underneath rather than the top of the head. This is more comfortable than wearing something around the head/face, which can cause skin irritation and conflict with hairstyles and facial hair. One user described it as similar to wearing a necklace.
• ZShield Flex is easy to adjust without touching the face, which is one of the top ways COVID-19 is spread. The thin, clear visor can ratchet into a multitude of positions so the user can quickly adjust the angle desirable to accomplish tasks like talking on the phone.
• The visor protects the face, mouth and eyes from respiratory droplets that become airborne when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
• ZShield Flex creates an effective barrier between the user’s face and the faces of customers, as well as food being prepared, groceries being bagged, hair being cut, teeth being cleaned and a multitude of other services that require close contact.
• The visor easily disassembles from the adjustable neck mount, permitting easy cleaning and reuse.
• ZShield Flex allows for easy breathing, while cloth masks can cause feelings of claustrophobia and anxiety – this is especially problematic for those with asthma.
• Shield users can clearly communicate verbally and nonverbally, while masks create muffled communication and block important facial expressions like smiles. This is especially significant for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
• ZShield Flex visors are made of anti-fog materials.
• There is an opportunity to brand the front of the “Y” bracket with a company logo or campaign messaging.

“The demand for facial protection is rapidly rising as we move toward reopening the country,” ZVerse CEO John Carrington said. “In addition to shielding front-line critical care workers, we are facing a tsunami of requests coming from dentists, restaurant owners, food plant workers and hair stylists, among others. Our new shields are designed to not only protect users but also make people feel comfortable as they begin to venture out of their homes. Restaurants and public gathering places are not meant to feel like hospitals. This new shield offers a solution that allows workers to breathe easily and clearly communicate while protecting themselves and customers.”

The shields are currently being used on a trial basis in restaurants, salons and fitness studios, including at select locations of The Nail Barre and barre3.

“I have found that the ZShield Flex shields allow for a much more welcoming environment that is far more ‘normal’ for our clients,” said Lauren Truslow, owner of multiple The Nail Barre salons and barre3 fitness studios in Columbia, South Carolina. “Our clients want to see our faces while we interact. The ZShield Flex is a user-friendly, customer-friendly and business-friendly solution because it allows us to operate our businesses safely and in a way that is comfortable for both our employees and customers.”

Disruptive design

ZShield Flex designer Scott Henderson, an industrial designer with a long history of designing best-selling consumer products, describes the latest model as a friendlier, “New Normal” solution that caters to service industry workers as well as everyday people who are looking for a safe alternative to face masks. Henderson is an experienced inventor as evidenced by his portfolio of over 50 patents in the U.S. and Europe for novel innovations. Over 90% of his projects have been mass-produced, a track record few designers can claim.

“The ZShield Flex is a true industrial design innovation that will disrupt the current landscape of PPE available to the public,” Henderson said. “The human head is a very complex set of geometric parameters that are difficult to deal with when it comes to designing wearable products. We have bypassed these complexities completely by thinking differently with the come-from-the-bottom neck mount. This an unprecedented design idea for face shields – a new shield for a new normal.” 

Carrington added, “In 1918 during the Spanish Flu, people walked around in face masks just as they do now; it’s time for something better.  We are eager to introduce this new shield to the market and continue doing our part in helping the country reduce the spread of COVID-19 as America re-opens.”

Becoming one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of face shields

On March 23, ZVerse launched its reusable face shields designed for high-risk environments like hospitals and testing sites. It has since received purchase orders for 11+ million shields, with customers that include Prisma Health, The Veterans Health Administration, Concourse Federal Group, the State of South Carolina, Kaiser Permanente, South Carolina Department of Corrections and Roper St. Francis Healthcare. In a matter of days, the digital manufacturing technology company transformed its business model, which previously focused on 3D printing software, to address the urgent need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Today, the South Carolina-based, technology company is one of the largest manufacturers of reusable face shields in the country, utilizing its domestic supply chain and an injection mold manufacturing process that allows for mass production at faster speeds than 3D printing. The company aims to deliver 20 million face shields by July. ZVerse is currently producing 115,000 reusable face shields per day at prices that are comparable to the disposable face shields from China.

For more information, follow ZVerse on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and visit the website BetheShield.info.

About ZVerse:
ZVerse is a digital manufacturing ecosystem that brings together makers with the designers, materials and manufacturers they need to bring their products to life. The Columbia, South Carolina-based company is the developer of the only CAD as a Service (CADaaS) platform for digital manufacturing. This proprietary technology is the driving force behind ZVerse’s effort to produce millions of reusable face shields to support the COVID-19 response.

Media Contact:
Liana Moran
The Wilbert Group
Lmoran@thewilbertgroup.com

COLUMBIA, S.C., April 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A digital manufacturing company has overhauled its business model to become one of the largest producers of reusable face shields in the U.S. ZVerse is currently producing 50,000 shields per day. By mid-April, capacity will grow to 100,000 shields per day. 

After hearing from local hospitals, Carrington sprung to action to build a strong domestic supply chain and meet demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) – specifically face shields. Leveraging ZVerse’s digital manufacturing ecosystem, Carrington brought together designers, materials and manufacturing partners, including Protolabs, the fastest digital manufacturer in the U.S. (NYSE: PRLB), to accelerate mass production.

“The need for face shields is dramatic and urgent,” said Carrington. “Our lives transformed overnight as we mobilized our network to get as many shields as possible to the front lines. We are hearing from hospice workers, anesthesiologists and other medical personnel who are desperate to order protective gear for their employees. Our critical care community is vital and vulnerable. We are working hard to shield them as quickly as we can.”

Carrington is investing $4 million in upfront capital expenses, which include the professionally engineered injection molds. Initially ZVerse used 3D printing to produce the first 1,000 shields. However, the overwhelming demand led the company to use injection molding to increase production to 100,000 shields per day at a price hospitals can afford.

“We’ve been working with ZVerse from day one on this project,” said Gurvinder Singh, Injection Molding Product Director at Protolabs. “We were able to leverage our digital injection molding process to go from CAD to production in 48 hours and have been delivering thousands of critical parts every day since then.”

ZVerse has orders from hospitals and government agencies for nearly 3 million shields. Customers include Prisma Health, Veterans Affairs, Concourse Federal Group, the state of South Carolina, Kaiser Permanente, South Carolina Department of Corrections and Roper St. Francis Healthcare. First deliveries went out on March 31 to Prisma Health.

“Prisma Health was an early customer with our order for 50,000 shields,” said Matt Rivers, supply chain manager at Prisma Health. “We were looking for reusable, easy-to-clean face shields that could be produced in large quantities quickly. ZVerse’s domestic supply chain gave us confidence in its ability to deliver. With the initial 500 shields arriving last week, our nurses, doctors, respiratory techs and other clinical providers are now using the face shields to treat our COVID-19 patients.”

In addition to bulk orders, ZVerse has made shields available for the general public to purchase in single quantities, 5-packs or 10-packs. They are designed to be reusable and to protect the face, mouth and eyes from spray and splatter. Each unit comes in three parts, a headset, visor and application band. The shield takes 30 seconds to assemble.

The shields are designed, sourced and made in the U.S. According to Carrington, it’s critical to create a strong domestic supply chain that isn’t hindered by international shipping or customs interference. In addition to its 20 team members, ZVerse estimates hiring at least 50 people in South Carolina as well as contracting local companies to help with sales support and logistics.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said, “American business is overwhelmingly comprised of small businesses like ZVerse. The rise of these local businesses aiding in a time of need is a time-tested American story that tells us we will prevail. We are incredibly proud of the work ZVerse is doing to provide much-needed PPE and jobs to the state of South Carolina, and across the country.”

Last week ZVerse launched its Be the Shield campaign, a movement meant to inspire people to shield healthcare workers by staying home, washing hands and practicing social distancing. For more information, follow ZVerse on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter and visit the website BetheShield.info.

About ZVerse:
ZVerse bridges the design gap for digital manufacturers at scale through its AI-enabled CAD as a Service (cadaas) platform and certified designer network. Its modular solution of services, fully configurable to specific customer needs, aims to disrupt the traditional manufacturing landscape with vast efficiency by providing the fastest path from idea to finished product.

Media Contact:
Liana Moran
The Wilbert Group
Lmoran@thewilbertgroup.com