With hand sanitizer and surgical masks becoming increasingly scarce due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, some of fashion’s most recognizable names are stepping up to do their part to help combat the shortage.
Last night, Gap Inc.—which includes the Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic, Intermix, Hill City, and Janie and Jack—announced on its Twitter that the company will be converting its factories to produce protective wear for healthcare workers.
“An update on our #COVID19 response: Our teams are connecting some of the largest hospital networks in Calif. w/ our vendors to deliver PPE supplies while we pivot resources so factory partners can make masks, gowns & scrubs for healthcare workers on the front lines,” the brand.
The company is also working closely with its manufacturing partners to figure out a way to use its leftover garments to produce more masks and protective gear for hospitals and workers as supplies dwindle.
Earlier this week, luxury fashion company LVMH announced that it will provide 10 million surgical masks to France and will keep ordering masks for the next few weeks. Fellow luxury goods company Kering joined the movement and pledged three million masks and announced that its brands Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent are preparing to use its facilities to manufacture masks “while complying with the strictest health protection measures for their staff members, with production getting underway as soon as the manufacturing process and materials have been approved by the relevant authorities.”