Chaco is working with parent company Wolverine Worldwide and local organisations to source fabric and vet materials for production. The brand has shared their patterns, sourcing leads and learnings as a resource for the outdoor industry, other companies, and individuals looking to contribute during the pandemic. Bissell said it has enough vacuum bag material to produce 1.8 million filters in partnership with companies that are shifting production to masks and are in need of a filtration material to add to their design.
In addition to the ReChaco factory, Chaco has deployed its ReChaco Mobile Repair Factory bus to make face masks. The bus was developed to customise and repair Chaco sandals during its 2020 Roving Repairs Summer Tour. Outfitted with sewing machines, hot knives and other equipment for making and mending sandals, the Chaco-trained staff shifted their focus to prototyping and producing protective equipment in the Pacific Northwest. Chaco partnered with agency partner Field Scout and sister brand Merrell to source vetted fabric and materials for the initiative.
The ReChaco tour bus is currently located in Portland, Oregon, and will adhere to the region’s shelter-in-place order, while working to produce and provide protective equipment for hospital systems in Hood River, OR and other locations surrounding the Portland area.
“Our goal here is to inspire quick and creative action from other brands and companies in our space. Chaco and Wolverine Worldwide aren’t the only companies with people and machinery positioned to help in this crisis – everyone has something they can offer,” said Josh Weichhand, marketing director at Chaco. “This is both critical aid for our communities and an opportunity to empower our teams to lead, and we know other brands with similar resources in the outdoor industry, footwear, and fashion space will also rise to the occasion.”
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