Local Company Making Much-Needed Masks Without Approval from State

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Eric Fausnacht sews masks at his shop in Perkasie. Perkasie-based designer and textile manufacturer Eric and Christopher is mak1ing much-needed coronavirus masks despite not having state approval. Image and caption via The Standard Journal.

Perkasie-based designer and textile manufacturer Eric and Christopher is making much needed coronavirus masks despite not having state approval, writes Miles Bryan for The Standard-Journal .

The company, which employs 15 full-time employees, was having its best year before the coronavirus hit.

“It just stopped,” said co-owner Eric Fausnacht. “It was crickets, just nothing.”

In mid-March, the company shut down its warehouse and sent employees home after Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses closed to slow the spread of the virus.

But now, the sewing machines at the warehouse are buzzing once again. The co-owners, Fausnacht and Christopher Kline, are sewing reusable cloth masks as part of the “CoverAid PHL” coalition that is starting mass production of reusable cloth masks.

But the process has not been easy. The company applied on March 23 for a waiver from state officials, where it stated it wanted to switch to manufacturing masks and other pandemic supplies. It never heard back, though, and without it, its business operations are illegal.

“My decision is we are going to open our doors and work as if we are a life-sustaining business,” Kline said. “Yeah, we’re kind of breaking the law. We’re outlaws.”

Read more about Eric and Christopher at The Standard-Journal by clicking here.

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