After precisely 24 months of designing, making, and delivery our acclaimed face masks all around the U.S. we’re closing down our PPE product line.
Spoiler alert: we’re taking orders till February 28 for the final set we’ll ever make. Click on right here to purchase.
How did we get right here?
We’re pleased with the 143,000+ face masks we made right here in North Carolina (and one other 87,000+ face shields). We have been one of many first corporations wherever to pivot to creating face shields and face masks, and the masks specifically caught the eye of specialists and first responders.
Like our garments, we designed the masks to be sturdy, match nice, be snug for 8-12 hours of sporting at a time, and excessive efficiency.
Efficiency? FDA guidelines prevented us from telling the world that unbiased labs twice verified the Kitsbow masks was practically N95 environment friendly (it was “solely” 93% environment friendly, not 95% environment friendly).
And professionals beloved the consolation (the N95 respirator was designed for a single interplay with a affected person, not hours of wear and tear, as many clinicians realized the arduous manner).
Our work on the masks attracted the medical professionals at Wake Forest Baptist College Well being, and collectively we co-designed a masks that met their particular wants. After launching this to the general public, about half of all masks offered have been the Wake ProTech(tm) selection. Many customers most well-liked the adjustable cords with toggles.
Saving Lives. Serving to the Helpers.
Within the first months, we required proof that you simply have been a primary responder or a medical skilled. Exhausting to recollect now, however particularly smaller medical clinics and hearth departments have been caught under-prepared for COVID. China wasn’t delivery any N95 masks (as they’re once more, now).
Little Kitsbow was barely 5 months into its new residence in Outdated Fort, NC and so it was a heavy carry to pivot to masks and shields. And we would have liked extra assist instantly, we went from 27 folks to 60 within the final 10 days of March, 2020.
As medical professionals started to get the masks they wanted, we broadened our scope to the general public — focusing particularly on entrance line staff that wanted all day consolation, and we offered these at a reduction (and in a partnership with a serious basis, totally free to under-represented communities).
We additionally created a line for youths. As in our children, proven in these pictures:
Kids of Kitsbow and the Outdated Fort neighborhood, protected with a few of the finest masks on the planet.
The Pandemic modified our enterprise ceaselessly, it pressured us to confront scale (40 shipments a day ballooned into 400 shipments a day). Purchase extra stitching machines. Prepare extra employees to stitch. Restock the fabric we blew via within the first two months.
Nationwide media consideration and testimony within the U.S. Congress attracted much more consideration, which harassed our customer support employees to the breaking level. We skilled increasingly more sewers, and we saved on delivery.
We received recognition from specialists and product reviewers for high quality and effectiveness, and we knew we have been making a distinction in a really darkish time.
Gross sales continued to develop. Greater than 30 constructive critiques, many in high-profile media publications such because the New York Instances trying to teach the general public on the variations, massive and small, with high quality face masks.
The demand was so nice that we by no means discounted or put our masks on sale.
However all good issues come to an finish, and with huge availability of masks from actually lots of of various producers, we have made the choice to return to our core enterprise: unimaginable premium attire.
In order for you just a few extra Kitsbow masks earlier than they’re gone ceaselessly, now’s the time. Extra particularly, the following 10 days are your final likelihood, ceaselessly.
AND in case you appreciated our masks, you may need to see what we will do with superb attire — with related legendary match and unimaginable sturdiness.
From the underside of our hearts, thanks for selecting face masks sewn proper right here in the united statesA.
It has been the distinction of a lifetime.
That is the primary Kitsbow face masks posted on Fb on March 21, 2020, which launched orders for greater than 20,000 within the first 48 hours. Finally we’d ship 143,000+ masks.
Be a part of Our Trigger
Go to us in North Carolina on the Outdated Fort Journey Home for a manufacturing unit tour and to see the magic for your self. Journey our trails, hike the ridges, and fish within the streams of the Different Pisgah. Meet our neighborhood.
Use the ability of your buying not solely to take pleasure in premium high quality merchandise that final for years and maintain the earth, but in addition make use of superior folks in an attractive neighborhood.
