In this episode of Promo Insiders, first aired during a Facebook Live session, Theresa Hegel, executive editor of digital content, talks with apparel industry veteran Brian Burr about what he thinks are the most important qualities a mask should have, why fit and comfort are key, why it’s important for apparel decorators and distributors to educate themselves on masks and how they can market the items to their own customers.

Brian Burr

Podcast Chapters
2:25 – Why distributors and decorators should educate themselves on face masks
5:32 – What’s a good fit for a mask?
9:35 – Why homemade masks don’t cut it for long-term use
12:05 – As states reopen, masks will be the new normal
14:55 – The three things U.S. Navy active duty personnel were looking for in a face mask supplier
21:20 – How masks are being decorated
24:26 – How adding a logo or decoration “takes the scariness away” from masks

Brian Burr has 26 years of experience in the cut-and-sew and screen-printing industry. The chief operations officer of Wholesalehats.com and wholesalejackets.com, Burr also has a factory in Mexico that until recently was making antimicrobial apparel for the hunting industry. When the coronavirus pandemic began, however, his hunting apparel company switched gears to created washable, reusable face masks, being sold online at eb79.com.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended people wear masks in public to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, particularly by helping people who may have the virus and don’t know it from transmitting it to others. Many local and state governments are mandating their use in stores and other public areas.

Burr believes it’s the responsibility of apparel decorators and distributors to educate themselves on the types of masks out there and to offer options to customers. Before committing to a mask manufacturer, he recommends calling them to ask questions like: Where are they manufactured? Are the items in stock and how quickly can they be shipped? Do they have any reviews or other information that can be shared?

Once you’ve chosen a mask supplier, he says, it’s time to start selling. While branded masks may seem distasteful at first blush, Burr believes adding a logo or other decoration “takes the scariness away” from wearing a mask. Even as stay-at-home orders are beginning to lift across the country, the need for masks remains and will likely be the “new normal” for the foreseeable future. Selling masks could be the key to staying viable, Burr says. “Are you going to fight to stay in business or wave the white flag and surrender?”

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