Supima design alumni sew and send masks and gowns to medical workers

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Apr 3, 2020

Supima, often dubbed the cashmere of cotton, has supplied dozens of alumni of its Supima Design Competition with fabric to create masks and gowns for medical workers and organizations on the frontlines in the Covid-19 struggle.

After the cotton-grower federation put out a plea, 35 young designers responded by starting production of surgical masks and gowns in the increasingly rare fabric. 
 
Supima has also partnered with newly-formed organizations like Sew4lives and Operation Covid-19 Garment Revival to meet the rising demand for masks. 

All told, the graduates will make approximately 14,000 masks, destined to be donated to New York or any other local hospital. These masks will allow surgical and N95 masks to be reserved for those at greatest risk. 

“During these extraordinary circumstances, we are doing what we can to help our communities and hope you are able to do so as well, even if it just means practicing social distancing,” said Buxton Midyette, Supima's VP in Marketing & Promotions. She joined his wife Lisa at Supima’s office in NYC after cutting, packing and shipping out hundreds of meters of the fabric this week.