GREENWOOD, S.C. - July 16, 2020 - Bay Island Sportswear today announces the repurposing of the company's manufacturing process in order to fulfill orders of much needed masks for individuals seeking non-medical-grade personal protection equipment.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect millions of Americans and with many states, counties, and communities now mandating citizens wear masks, the demand for high quality face protection has become critical. Bay Island Sportswear is strategically meeting those demands. "We are safely and efficiently producing more than three million masks per week," says Sam Simchon, Bay Island Sportswear president.
While COVID-19 initially shut down the company's production process, Bay Island has been able to repurpose equipment and utilize employees to meet the high demand. The company has manufacturing facilities in the U.S., the Central America region, and in Mexico. "We can reliably fulfill large quantity orders as this has been a hallmark of our business for nearly thirty years," says Simchon. He added, "We are not a mom and pop operation trying to learn the garment industry overnight."
"Masks from Bay Island are knitted triple layer, reusable, and machine washable," says Paul Crutcher, a Senior Account Representative for Bay Island. "We use spandex material instead of elastic so customers tell us they are much more comfortable," says Crutcher. "This is especially important to those who are required to wear a mask all day for their jobs or for those who have to work outside, especially as we move into summer months."
Bay Island uniquely provides customers with a vertical one-stop shop of garment manufacturing. With over 300-thousand square feet of production capabilities under one roof, the company does the knitting, dying, cutting, sewing, and packaging of products all in-house. "We don't have to outsource so our operation is streamlined and tightly controlled," says Simchon. "It takes the guess work out of the production process which our customers appreciate."
"COVID challenged us to learn on our feet," says Tonya Kirby, Director of Licensing for the company. "How do you build an airplane already in the air? Kirby says Bay Island "had to construct and manufacture a product that was never in our scope," while at the same time ensuring that company employees had a safe environment to work in. "It was a HUGE task to say the least," says Kirby, "but the good news is our airplane is starting to soar."
Link for mask orders (https://mask-and-gaiters.myshopify.com/collections/face-mask)
Bay Island Covid Response - Reference Video (https://vimeo.com/418654268)
Contact
Paul Crutcher
Bay Island Sportswear/Original Retro Brand
