UK fashion designers including Rixo launch reusable face coverings range

The British Fashion Council has launched a range of face coverings designed by six British designers as part of a joint campaign with Bags of Ethics.

The aim of the campaign, titled “Great British Designer Face Coverings: Reusable, for People and Planet”, is to manufacture sustainable, reusable, non-medical face coverings to be sold across the world.

The initiative is committed to raising £1m for charity, with 100 per cent of sale profits being split equally between NHS Charities Together, Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, the BFC Foundation Fashion Fund and Wings of Hope Children’s Charity.

British designer brands Rixo, Mulberry, Julien Macdonald, Raeburn, Halpern and Liam Hodges have joined forces to create the masks, which were designed in London.

The products are being manufactured at Bags of Ethics factories and will retail at £15 for three reusable, washable fabric face coverings with two protective pouches.

They will be made available to purchase from the British Fashion Council website, before being sold at retailers including Asos, Boots, John Lewis and Sainsbury’s.

Caroline Rush, chief executive at the British Fashion Council, said the campaign will both “celebrate British designers” while also championing “sustainability in a time of crisis”.

“Fashion is a unifying force and now, more than ever, it is essential that we collaborate and come together to support each other through difficult times,” Rush said.

“Our ambition is to contribute to the fight against Covid-19, while protecting vital PPE supplies reserved for the NHS.”

Justine Simons OBE, deputy mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, explained that wearing non-medical face coverings when you are unable to practise social distancing “is important to help stop the spread of Covid-19”.

“It is great to see such leadership from our fashion industry – this partnership will help slow the spread of Covid-19 and raise money for important causes,” Simons stated.

Dr R Sri Ram, chair of Bags of Ethics, stated that the company has “always been at the forefront of supporting the public through mass behavioural changes in positive and useful ways”.

“Since the early 2000s we helped supermarkets, and retailers reduce their single-use plastic bag consumption by 5+ billion units through sustainable and reusable bags,” Dr Ram said.

“A new challenge arises with the coronavirus pandemic. Our aim is to manufacture high quality reusable non-medical face coverings for the public which reduces stigma through great British design, in line with advice from our scientific community, whilst having a positive effect on both people and planet.”

The money donated towards the BFC Foundation Fashion Fund will help support designer businesses “and protect the future of a generation of businesses that support the ecosystem of design, creativity and positive cultural influence,” the British Fashion Council stated.