Carhartt is joining coronavirus relief efforts by making masks and gowns for essential workers
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Courtesy of Carhartt
One of the 2.5 million medical masks Carhartt has agreed to produce and distribute to essential workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
American workwear brand turned-streetwear favorite Carhartt is shifting gears to help those on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
The durable Dearborn-bred retailer announced Monday that it would start production of protective medical gear for essential workers. Carhartt, which turned 130 in 2019, will manufacture 50,000 medical gowns and 2.5 million masks out of its Kentucky and Tennessee factories thanks to compensated volunteers. Gown production will start next week on April 6 and on April 20, the company will start making face masks.
“Serving and answering the call during times of need has always been an integral part of Carhartt's history and it's why consumers have trusted us to have their back for more than 130 years,” Carhartt CEO Mark Valade said in a press release. “We are humbled and honored to help all the essential workers serving and protecting us right now.”
The company, which temporarily closed its stores through April 4 and agreed to compensate workers affected by the closures, has also implemented a rotating paid work schedule for its factories and distribution centers so that workers can practice safe social distancing measures. They've also ramped up sanitation efforts throughout their facilities.
According to the release, Carhartt will continue to produce these protective items for as long as the supply is in demand.
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