Elle tights brand switches production to masks

UK-headquartered, family-run, hosiery business, Elle has announced that it has switched all its manufacturing capabilities from the production of tights to washable face masks to ease the demand on medical equivalents for frontline healthcare staff across the UK.

Elle has created a unisex mask, available for adults and children, constructed from a double-layered material, which has antimicrobial properties that can be washed up to 25 times.

The factory usually makes more than 12 million pairs of tights a year, and Elle has stated that it can produce 350,000 masks per week, after support from sister business, Atom Compression Wear, which makes medical-grade socks, sleeves and shapewear.

Anja Khan, chief executive at Elle, said in a statement: “It’s important that all businesses do their bit to support all efforts to fight Covid-19, and we are no different. With such a huge demand for surgical masks for frontline health care professionals, we wanted to ease this strain and supply an ‘every day’ option as part of social distancing guidelines.

“So instead of making tights, we are now making masks. This isn’t a commercial decision but the right thing to do. Something at Elle we have always taken great pride in. That’s why from a cost perspective we are making just enough money to cover our costs, keep our colleagues in jobs and in turn support their families.”

In addition, Elle’s ‘factory to face’ traceability through it’s ‘Made in Green’ accreditation means that every mask is tested for harmful substances and are produced in environmentally friendly factory facilities with socially responsible working conditions linked to fully transparent production.

The face masks are available in a variety of sizes, from elle.co.uk priced at 14.99 pounds including postage, for five re-useable masks, and Elle is also adding a free mask for every tights purchase.

Images: courtesy of Elle