Sacramento businesses respond to face mask demand with custom designs

Californians can comply with the statewide mask order in style thanks to clothing businesses that quickly adapted to the pandemic.

Sacramento designers responded to the spike in demand for face masks beginning in March, with small businesses rising to the occasion at a time when personal protective equipment remained in short supply.

When Old Country Tailor received a call from a nonprofit in mid-March seeking 1,000 face masks for its employees, the company took the order and figured out how to fill it.

“Our brides and suit guys weren’t bringing in business,” said Inessa Samusenko, the manager of Old Country Tailor. Making face masks helped fill a revenue gap that emerged at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic when clients stopped calling for custom dresses and business wear.

Old Country Tailor looked to CDC recommendations to create a triple-layered cotton mask design. Two seamstresses churned out 5,000 masks for essential workers in three weeks. They also expanded their mask business and made custom face coverings for Sacramento citizens who wanted particular sizes and colors.

Jenn Hall adapted her business, The Feathered Leopard, too. Hall sewed face masks with a 19th century sewing machine she normally used to make leather purses. The machine wasn’t well-suited to making masks, she said. But face coverings brought in some business — and filled a need — while her brick-and-mortar store was closed.

Eshonna Trice, who owns a clothing company called Elektrik, has sold around 500 face masks since the start of the pandemic. Disposable masks proved hard to find in March and April, making local designers like Trice a go-to source. News that she made masks traveled by word of mouth. Trice could also customize her designs.

“We want to be cute going out,” said Trice, who offers various fabrics, styles and bling on the masks she makes.

With masks required in 15 states and the District of Columbia as of June 19, face coverings may become a style trend, fashion publications have predicted. Brands ranging from American Eagle to Chanel have designed face masks in recent months.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a statewide mask order on June 18 that requires Californians to wear masks in all indoor public spaces, as well as outdoors when it is not possible to stay six feet apart from others. CDC guidelines recommend that most citizens wear cloth face coverings in order to reserve surgical masks and N-95 respirators for first responders.

The need to frequently wear face masks has led Sacramento designers to consider comfort and sizing.

In response to customers’ complaints about comfort, Trice designed more breathable options as well as masks that forgo irritating ear hooks. She made some masks that attach to hats and others that use one strap stretching all the way around the head.

Meg Holbrook, a Sacramento-based Etsy seller, began making children’s face masks in early March for friends and family when they had trouble finding child-sized face coverings.

“I have two young boys, one who is asthmatic, so it was important to me that they had properly fitting masks,” Holbrook said.

When she realized the immense demand for face masks, Holbrook added some to her Etsy shop and has sold more than 400 as of mid-June. She used a single design to create masks made of different fabric.

Trice also noticed a demand for specialty masks for children.

“Mickey Mouse was my hot seller for the kids,” Trice said.