In response to the current global emergency and the increase in demand for face masks, we have built upon our long-standing partnership with the outdoor clothing brand Hilltrek, to work together to donate non-surgical face masks to carers and care home staff.

The masks are made from double Ventile, two layers of our Ventile 100% Organic Cotton fabric, attached to the face with a simple neck-tie, and are constructed by the Hilltrek team in Scotland. We’re then sending the non-surgical cotton masks to those who need them most in the area local to Hilltrek.

We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to the donations and since the first batch of masks were dispatched, Hilltrek has been inundated with requests from companies and the general public. Such is demand, that Ventile has fast-tracked additional cotton fabric to be sent from their base in Switzerland.

On average, five meters of Ventile fabric allows the team of seamstresses to create around one-hundred protective face masks.”

The properties that make Ventile great for outdoor jackets are the same ones that make the fabric perfect for use as a non-surgical mask. As well as being water-resistant, the cotton fibre makes the finished cloth soft to the touch and washable at a sixty-degree heat.

Dave Shand, Director at Hilltrek explains what’s prompted them to start this great initiative:

In response to the current crisis, we have shifted part of our production at our facility in Scotland to developing masks for front line caregivers in our area. Having seen first-hand the work done by carers at home, I knew it was important to do what we could to support them. We are even working with a couple of skilled seamstresses, one an ex-employee, that got in touch, eager to support.
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So, if you’d like to join us and protect those who need it the most, you can start right here