A Cornwall company that makes reusable surgical masks and gowns has secured £1.6m of funding.

Revolution-Zero, which was founded during the Covid pandemic, received £1m from the South West Investment Fund via appointed fund manager FSE Group as well as investment from private angels.

The injection of equity will help create 20 jobs at the Truro-based medical textiles firm, while supporting the growth of the business.

Founder and chief executive Tom Dawson said: “We are thrilled to receive this South West Investment Fund investment via FSE, which will not only accelerate our growth but also further our mission to provide sustainable and effective medical textile solutions.

“Our end-to-end service model has already shown significant potential in reducing single-use item dependency in healthcare settings and this funding will help us scale these solutions more rapidly.”

Founded in 2020, Revolution-Zero has a strong emphasis on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Initially focused on reusable masks, the company has since expanded to include surgical textile solutions and decontamination/sterilisation units.

The BCorp certified company secured accreditations required to supply the NHS in 2021 and has since experienced rapid growth, expanding to 23 staff and more than tripling turnover. With ambitious plans to achieve six operational medical textile processing units by 2026 – rising to 24 by 2028 – Revolution-Zero is aiming to become a £25m turnover business within the next three years.

Anna Staevska, FSE investment manager, said: “Revolution-Zero’s innovative approach to medical textiles is a game-changer for the healthcare industry. By addressing critical issues related to supply chain vulnerabilities and environmental impact, they are setting new standards for sustainability in the sector.”

Paul Jones from the British Business Bank added: “Revolution-Zero is transforming the medical textile industry, offering reusable solutions that significantly reduce environmental impact and cut healthcare costs. We’re pleased that the South West Investment Fund has supported the company at this pivotal time to help them scale up and grow.”