Designers, seamstresses make masks in covid19 fight

People can now wear masks made of cloth to protect themselves against the covid19 virus.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram gave the clearance on Saturday as he urged citizens not to use surgical or N95 masks.

"Surgical masks and N95 masks are to be left for the medical practitioners," Parasram said at a virtual news conference.

In terms of mask usage by the general public, Parasram said the US Center for Disease Control has advised people can use clothlike or homemade masks if they are going into high risk areas where there could be a high level of congregation.

Parasram identified supermarkets, markets, pharmacies and banks as some of those areas.

Recently, local fashion designers, such as Radical Designs and CLD, announced they would make face masks to help maintain supplies to medical professionals and those who work in the essential services which continue to operate within the guidelines of covid19 ordinance.

CLD has produced over 400 masks which were distributed to frontline health workers and those at banks and supermarkets and other essential services.

“We had closed operations after consultations with our team but a friend of mine sent me this idea to create masks and kept suggesting that we do it. So I spoke to the team and everyone was onboard; they came by and collected the materials and worked remotely on creating them,” Charu Lochan Dass of CLD told Newsday. “I saw this as an opportunity to give back.”

Radical Designs also offered branded masks to the public made of tightly woven jersey fabric while Janouras posted on Instagram that they are doing their part to help "flatten the curve", with 10,000 reusable cotton face masks sewn by volunteers in their homes. All of these would be donated to the health sector.

Photographer James Soloman and his partner Rachel Lee Young, known recently for their brand of hummingbird inspired and emblazoned tea towels, pillow cases and other homegoods, also put their skills to public service.

When the cancellations started coming in for their photography business and the Sunday markets where they sold their Land of the Hummingbird home collection also halted, they adapted and began making masks. “The cloth we had originally set aside for the hummingbird line was what we started to use first but we had such a high demand because of the print and because of how well-designed and fitted the masks are, so we have begun to use other materials as well. As entrepreneurs, you retool, find a way and adapt. The cost of a reusable is much better than a box of disposable ones and with the recent announcement by the CMO, it means we are all going to need masks.” They retail their masks in the Port of Spain area.

Michelle Rose, a seamstress from San Fernando, has been retailing her reusable masks. Hers are not elastic but are designed to tie at the back. "Some people choose to wash their masks in hot water so that the elastic won’t last as long – so I decided to do mine as the ones you tie at the back,” she said. What started as favour to a friend has grown with the demand in the last 24 hours but the challenge for her is in sourcing fabric as the fabric stores are all closed.

Verla Belfon, a seamstress in Tobago, began creating masks for her sister, a supermarket owner but has also been crafting them out of the business opportunity that arose.

“Now that no one is going anywhere, there isn’t much need for a seamstress. So after my sister asked me to create masks for her staff out of concern for them, the demand started coming in. I followed a couple of YouTube tutorials and settled on the non-pleated design (at the front) with an elastic band to secure. As fast as I can make them, they go.”