Gym gear flip to chic and cheerful masks
THE lights are back on at a Geelong gymwear manufacturer that has flipped into making colourful face masks.
The 100 per cent cotton, reusable face masks are made to meet the Victorian government’s recommended standards.
Chalk Gymnastics Wear is also making the masks in children’s sizes and designs, and because it uses sublimation printing, it can also customise designs.
Owner Paul Thanas said he was working through the growing order book on the fly.
“We have got everyone back, the part-timers are back, we are just trying to pump them out as quickly as we can,” Mr Thanas said.
A supplier to the New Zealand national gymnastics team and to the Victorian men’s and women’s gymnastic, trampoline and aerobics teams, Chalk Gymnastics Wear has endured a horror six months.
“We were absolutely hammered, first off with the bushfires, which affected our country clubs, then in March with the coronavirus — we got hit, with all the gyms being closed.”
Mr Thanas said a world championships and a national championships were cancelled in New Zealand, with Australia’s state and national gymnastic bodies quickly following suit and shutting down their major events
“We were left with all the gyms closed, and no one to sell a leotard to,” he said.
The 20-year-old family business was forced to shut on March 16, and lay off part-time staff.
A government official recently contacted Chalk Gymnastics Wear to confirm the face masks, which had been sold in limited numbers to some corporate clients, met recommended standards, including having three layers: 100 per cent polyester for the outer layer, breathable 100 per cent cotton for the middle layer, and a water-absorbing cotton fabric for the inner layer.
“After the announcement of everyone having to wear a mask from Thursday in the (Melbourne and Mitchell Shire) lockdown areas … we had 481 orders in the first night,” Mr Thanas said.
Ironically, the business last year moved to a much larger factory to accommodate its growth.
Mr Thanas credits its survival to JobKeeper and the rent relief he has received from his landlord.
“We will just take this as a year to forget and hopefully we can keep carrying through,” he said.
“This has given us some income. How long it will last, who knows?”
The face masks can be ordered at chalk.net.au.