Since the start of the pandemic, masks have become a much-needed product for everyone, and also became a new source of revenue for struggling fashion brands. Whilst the world was under quarantine, the fashion industry began to channel its energy into making masks. With businesses closed and nowhere to go, no one was going to purchase any new clothing as they would have less chance to wear it. However, for face masks, this was a chance for the fashion industry to create something new.

Hillary Taymour, who runs the New York-based brand Collina Strada, saw a possible gap in the market. We all had to wear masks to stop the virus from spreading, whether that be in shops, on public transport or for work. So why couldn't we wear masks that kept us happy during the darkest time a lot of us will ever experience in our lifetimes? Taymour, like many other fashion designers, decided to translate her lines' psychedelic exuberance into face coverings. She manufactured masks with whimsical patterns made from deadstock fabrics and tied with theatrical bows. She believed that these masks were a huge lifeline and also helped her remain optimistic during a really dark time for the fashion industry.

Taymour’s masks became a big hit, maybe because the joy she put into her designs made people feel happier whilst wearing her masks. She saw her brand name increase on Google searches by 600% and she has continued to manufacture a variety of masks on her website, including ones that feature ‘Black Lives Matter’ on them. During the time where the whole world was locked down, Taymour was making tutorials on how to make masks at home.

She wasn’t the only one to leap towards this unexpected goldmine, other companies were quick to establish themselves in the mask market. It will come as no surprise to see that since March 2020, the mask economy blossomed rapidly. Companies made millions, especially retail platform Etsy, who sold 29 million masks from April 2020 through to June 2020, earning roughly $350 million in mask-related sales. The term “face masks” was the number one searched phrase on Etsy’s website, with approximately 11 searches per second.

Huge sports teams and other leading brands such as Nike, Adidas and many others were quick to adapt to the rise of face masks, capitalizing on fan’s enthusiasm. According to fanatics, the world's largest provider of licensed sports merchandise, claimed that masks had become their fastest-growing category across the entire business, selling in the millions. The company began to create face coverings to donate to frontline workers, but sports fans wanted them as well, generating a huge profit.

With masks becoming the new norm, fashion designers may continue to create different designs. No one has any idea how many times COVID-19 is mutating or if there will be another outbreak of something else, but masks will always remain. To shop medical grade, and reusable, or disposable masks, shop with The Face Mask Store today. 

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(Photo Credit: Photo by nappy from Pexels)