Photo by Macau Photo Agency on Unsplash

The world suffers an unprecedented crisis right now. A socio-economical standstill, the likes of which hasn’t surfaced for more than a century. A pandemic of catastrophic proportion, the Novel Coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, has caused global shortages of magnanimous proportions, nowhere more prominent than in medical supplies. Healthcare workers, particularly those on the frontline dealing with emergencies and Covid19 patients, fear of being left with no personal protective equipment (PPE) while taking care of the sickened. Amidst this time of adversary, the pandemic has pushed the global community to put forward a united front and fight the crisis in a more cohesive manner than ever before.

In an exemplary facet, high-end fashion designers and well-known fashion brands have shifted their working paradigm and started redirecting their resources to make PPEs for healthcare workers, focusing particularly on face masks. Below are the names of three such labels making strides that can’t be ignored.

Aplat

Photo by Aplat Website

Hailing from San Francisco, California, this is an ecofriendly and socio-responsible brand that has been using and promoting use of 100% sustainable products for its origami-inspired culinary bags. The company takes pride in making zero waste products for everyday use, curbing the use of single-use disposable items.

Lately, the brand has started putting together double-layered masks made from organic cotton, having the versatility of being washable and re-usable. The designs are minimalist, modern looking and made from skin-friendly fabric.

Although a small business, the brand has pledged to donate 1 mask to a frontline healthcare worker for every mask purchased. This just shows the dedication of Aplat to play their part in supporting the community.

Inditex

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

The world’s largest fashion retailer, owners of brands such as Zara, has transformed 13 of its factories to make medical supplies. Originating from Spain, the country facing the most lethal outbreak of Covid19 beyond Italy, it faced strict lock-down restrictions by the government, causing thousands of stores to shut down over night. 

In an attempt to help medical frontiers and keep their workers from losing their jobs, the retail giant shifted gears and realigned their production lines to make masks and other forms of PPE. Such a move has cemented the role played by mainstream fashion houses in fulfilling their social responsibility.

Louis Vuitton

Photo by LVMH Website. 

Established in 1854, Louis Vuitton, more famously known as LV, is synonymous with luxury. Instantly recognizable, LV enjoys a market reputation desired by most and envied by others. The French brand announced mid-April it would be converting its workshops to produce the much needed medical supplies. Its headquarters in Paris made the statement as France and its neighboring European nations struggle to make ends meet, risking the life of thousands of doctors, nurses and paramedics as they barricade the coronavirus pandemic.

The news took the world by storm, paving way for other designer houses to make a similar move.A month earlier, the conglomerate LVMH, LV’s parent company and the enterprise behind brands such as Dior and Givenchy, made a similar announcement, vowing to convert its cosmetic and perfume factories to produce hand sanitizers in their efforts against the pandemic.