HanesBrands launches face masks, completes production for U.S. government

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Jul 3, 2020

HanesBrands launched on Thursday face masks for consumers for use during the Covid-19 pandemic, as it completes the production and distribution of more than 450 million cloth face coverings and more than 20 million medical gowns for the U.S. government.

The face masks launched under the company’s Hanes and Champion brands. Hanes introduced 3-ply all-cotton face masks for consumers and Hanes lightweight 2-ply seamless face masks, while Champion introduced a lightweight 1-ply polyester-spandex blend face mask in three graphic-design patterns and colors.

Additionally, Champion plans to introduce two more face mask styles this summer.

The items are available online, in leading retail stores, and in company outlet stores. 

This is the first time the company has ever produced face masks, which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends to be worn to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

HanesBrands produced reusable face coverings and gowns in accordance with efforts by the U.S. government to supplement supplies of nonsurgical personal protection.

The deal has allowed the company to keep tens of thousands of employees in the United States and across its global supply chain employed. 

“We are proud of the commitment of our employees and our ability to quickly pivot to large-scale production of face coverings and face masks to meet important needs during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Michael E. Faircloth, group president, global operations, American casualwear and e-commerce. 

“In just three months, we were able to go from never having produced face masks to making more than 450 million government face coverings, designing and developing branded programs of high-quality comfortable non-medical face masks for consumers, and safely and responsibly reopening operations to support our core innerwear and activewear businesses.”