Doncaster businesswoman who makes dog bandanas switches to facemasks to fill demand

Pharmacist by day and sewing enthusiast by night, Jayne Hale has turned her business Tilly Box Gifts towards making facemasks.

With government guidance stating that people must wear face masks on public transport, there has been an increase in demand for washable, reusable masks.

Jayne, from Bessacar, said: “We decided to start making masks a few weeks ago.

“We have been selling them on Etsy and it’s going really well.”

Jayne and her sister Julie Wright have been making the masks in their spare time - they have over 50 materials for customers to choose from and the masks can be embroidered with initials or logos.

Jayne was inspired by her son to start up her business as he himself launched his own called Blue Mango - he sells biodegradable products made with bamboo.

His ethos has been carried through to his mum’s business as they do not use plastic and try to be as eco-friendly as possible.

“The masks are shaped to fit people’s faces and the cotton they are made out of acts as a filter,” she said.

“We have pretty much any colour you could want as well as animal and floral prints.

“We honestly didn’t think that it would get to this stage.

“We started just making them for friends and family but we’ve now sold over 350.”

Their biggest market is in America but she has also sold masks to Australia and Spain.

Before Covid-19, Jayne and her sister were focused on making dog bandanas and had even attended the Cheshire Dog Show to promote their work.

Their bandanas can be clipped onto a dog's collar to make them easier to wear.

Jayne is hoping to expand her business into making tote bags and products for babies in the near future.

Masks start at £6 and go up to £13 depending on the level of intricacy.

As Jayne is making the masks bespoke she can embroider company logos and names into the material.

It is important to note that they are not medical grade facemasks.

You can check out her masks and dog products here.

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