A group of fashion design students, educators, and alumni joins the industry’s efforts to create personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontliners in the fight against coronavirus disease.
The team of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Fashion Design and Merchandising Program has so far finished over 100 jumpsuits, which will be delivered to small public and private hospitals that do not have immediate access to PPEs and cannot meet the minimum quantity requirements of suppliers.
For the washable jumpsuits, the group utilized water-repellent fabrics such as ripstop provided by The Leather Collection and nylon taffeta raised from the goodwill of industry professionals, associates, and the public.
The team also produced disposable gown sets complete with head and foot covers and masks, made from donated 40 GSM non-woven fabrics.
The designs follow standards provided by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute, which works closely with the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).
The suits adhere to the requirements plotted by the Manila Sewing Club’s Open Source Design based from an actual sample from the office of Vice President Leni Robredo and output from experts in the US.
Interested donors and volunteers may send an email to mischellemaxim.felix@benilde.edu.ph or visit @BenildeFDM on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the young student-artists from the Mark of Designers Alliance (MoDA), the official fashion organization of the college, likewise started their own cause.
The aspiring fashion designers are currently producing 4,000 additional face shields made from acetate, clear plastic sheet, garter, and foam to be donated to hospitals including the PGH, Las Piñas Doctors Hospital, Ospital ng Makati, Ospital ng Maynila, UP Diliman Health Service, and Unihealth Parañaque Hospital and Medical Center.
MoDA accepts donations both in cash and in kind for materials such as fabric, garter, Velcro, ballpoint needles, and polyester and nylon threads. Volunteers who wish to help in the production and delivery are also welcome. Contact bithiaysabel.reyes@benilde.edu.ph or andreaionica.abrahan@benilde.edu.ph or go to @DLSCSBMODA on Facebook.