Toronto fashion designer Caitlin Power is helping to produce much-needed face masks to help meet demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Now Toronto reported that Power has made 800-1,000 masks, all specific to buyers’ requests. This comes after Power said that she was not certain if she would even wear a mask herself at the onset of the pandemic. 

While the $30 price tag for the masks may be high for many consumers, they are both fashionable and practical, providing the perfect in-between for those who want to protect society without looking bad, the story said. 

All health officials within the government in Ontario are recommending that people wear non-medical masks if they cannot keep two meters apart from one another, such as in situations of public transportation or while shopping for essentials. 

Jackie Csonka-Peeren, a Ryerson University lecturer and educator explained why mask demand is increasing. 

“There's initially a surge in demand followed by a trend towards flat and then some intermittent re-interest in new and innovative face masks,” Csonka-Peeren told Now Toronto. “Market demand generally declines because people will have had their fill and the crisis will be further and further away.”

The masks that Power is producing are made from a cotton liner interior with an outer double-bonded neoprene fabric, which is imported from Italy. Power utilizes a dog harness manufacturer’s die-cut machine to properly cut and size the materials and then sews the masks at her home. 

Power does not sell a high volume of masks like some fashion companies, but she has switched her work to mostly the production of masks, which she believes is incredibly important at this time. 

Power is considering ways to improve the protection that the masks deliver. 

“I would love to do a filtration system and create a really amazing mask,” Power told Now Toronto. “I want to look into how I can make the product even better given that this situation is going to be here for a while.”