Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies launched its first U.S. consumer-facing division, Lainiere Health & Wellness, as well as an e-commerce website offering the new division’s collection of protective face masks.
The company also announced a partnership with Marc Jacobs in which it will donate antimicrobial material made by Lainiere Health & Wellness to the designer for his face mask collection, All of the proceeds of that venture will benefit UNICEF USA.
“As masks were becoming the new must-wear protective accessory, we at Chargeurs knew immediately that we needed to leverage our expertise and pivot our U.S. business so we could supply consumers and our brand partners with functional, fashionable mask options,” Angela Chan, global president and managing director of Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies, said. “The interlinings we make are typically hidden inside garments, but they are a crucial part of fashion and are used to create a protective interior layer in high-quality face masks for the consumer market. We’re proud to now be partnering with Marc Jacobs to supply the brand with our anti-microbial products to be used in masks that will be sold to benefit UNICEF USA.”
The limited-edition Marc Jacobs face masks were designed using filters made with Lainiere Health & Wellness’s performance fabric that claim to reduce bacteria by 99 percent. The masks are made by hand in New York with upcycled materials from past Marc Jacobs collections. Consumers can purchase the masks exclusively at MarcJacobs.com.
The launch of the new Lainiere Health & Wellness division represents Chargeurs’ first move into the consumer health and wellness space in the U.S. The company has long been a global B2B supplier of interlinings. Since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, Chargeurs has shifted a significant portion of its global textile production toward health and wellness-related protective equipment. To support U.S. manufacturing, Chargeurs said it will start producing face masks at its Troy, Ohio, factory by September.
The Lainiere Health & Wellness face mask collection includes a fashion performance line created by Chan, who has a background in fashion design. The collection includes 16 styles featuring luxurious fabrics such as lace and silk, as well as hand-stitched embellishments, embroidery and sequins. The entire line of washable, reusable masks offers antibacterial and anti-odor properties.
Prices for the women’s premium fashion performance collection, which is made in Italy, start at $29. Lainiere Health & Wellness also offers three-packs of washable cotton masks in a variety of solids and patterns for $27.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids.
Chargeurs is based in France and serves clients in more than 90 countries. The company employs more than 2,000 people across 45 countries.