CHANDIGARH: People in Punjab are dumping the surgical masks for designer face covers which can be paired with their dresses. It's evident from the fact that the sale of normal masks in the state has come down while the sale of designer masks gone up.
Talking with this correspondent, Chairman of Ludhiana Knitwear Club VK Thapar, said, "Now thousands of designers masks are being manufactured in various hosiery units in Ludhiana. Around 2,000 to 5,000 masks are being produced daily in each unit and around 500 units are manufacturing these masks. They range between Rs 100 and Rs 300 and are sold at double the price in the market.
The masks are manufactured in almost all colours and designs as preferred by women and children, Thapar added.
Iqbalinder Singh, a leading medical supplier who has placed an order for these masks with a Ludhiana-based manufacture said, "Now the demand for the surgical masks which we were supplying to the retailers and hospitals have come down by at least 50 per cent as people are now preferring designers masks which they can wear matching with their clothes. These masks are manufactured mostly in Ludhiana by various outlets and their wholesale price is ranging between Rs 40 to Rs 100 which are sold by the retailers double the price. These masks are made of cotton and have three to five layers."
"Their sales have gone up tremendously as the ladies are mostly buying masks to go with their different clothes. Thus ladies' masks are much in demand. These local manufactures also make these masks for branded companies,’’ he says.
A housewife Jyoti Cheema says, "The normal masks spoil the look. I prefer designer masks as they enhance the look and can be washed and re-used. During weddings, the bride and the groom too prefer wearing masks which match the colour of their dresses."