UK-headquartered, family-run, hosiery business, Elle has announced that
it has switched all its manufacturing capabilities from the production of
tights to washable face masks to ease the demand on medical equivalents for
frontline healthcare staff across the UK.
Elle has created a unisex mask, available for adults and children,
constructed from a double-layered material, which has antimicrobial
properties that can be washed up to 25 times.
The factory usually makes more than 12 million pairs of tights a year,
and Elle has stated that it can produce 350,000 masks per week, after
support from sister business, Atom Compression Wear, which makes
medical-grade socks, sleeves and shapewear.
Anja Khan, chief executive at Elle, said in a statement: “It’s important
that all businesses do their bit to support all efforts to fight Covid-19,
and we are no different. With such a huge demand for surgical masks for
frontline health care professionals, we wanted to ease this strain and
supply an ‘every day’ option as part of social distancing guidelines.
“So instead of making tights, we are now making masks. This isn’t a
commercial decision but the right thing to do. Something at Elle we have
always taken great pride in. That’s why from a cost perspective we are
making just enough money to cover our costs, keep our colleagues in jobs
and in turn support their families.”
In addition, Elle’s ‘factory to face’ traceability through it’s ‘Made in
Green’ accreditation means that every mask is tested for harmful substances
and are produced in environmentally friendly factory facilities with
socially responsible working conditions linked to fully transparent
production.
The face masks are available in a variety of sizes, from elle.co.uk
priced at 14.99 pounds including postage, for five re-useable masks, and
Elle is also adding a free mask for every tights purchase.
Images: courtesy of Elle