eCommerce · Apparel

From Shirts to 2,000 Masks

When the pandemic halted dress shirt demand, I pivoted Cotton the First's premium shirting fabric into handmade face masks—designing, sewing, marketing, and shipping over 2,000 units while donating $3 per mask to COVID-19 relief.

Role
Creative Director
Company
Cotton the First
Year
2020
Cotton the First masks held in hand
2 Styles Available — Classic Mask and Lanyard Mask Tan and burgundy colorway masks
Pastel lavender, pink, and blue masks Black Lives Matter embroidered face mask
Product
Lanyard Mask promotional email — Mask That Stays With You
The shirt + mask bundle launch and the Lanyard Mask reveal — new product lines built during the pandemic pivot. Launch
Email Communication
Tetris Twist limited edition — 60 numbered masks email April Recap — 363 masks, 33 states, $1,089 donated Picture Journal — behind the scenes photos Where We Are — 717 masks, 37 states, $2,151 donated
Monthly updates kept the community invested — Tetris Twist drop, April Recap, the Picture Journal, and the "Where We Are" milestone email. Community
Cotton the First mask tutorial video
Play Video
A step-by-step video tutorial on adjusting the strap — reducing support requests and building customer confidence. Tutorial
Press and Customer Feedback
SF Chronicle — SF's coronavirus relief fund needs more philanthropists Child wearing a Cotton the First mask @iamsoars wearing a Cotton the First mask — Mask + Fashion = Mashion? Dane — Verified Buyer review: My Favorite! Perfectly comfortable — 5-star review
The San Francisco Chronicle featured the mask effort, while customers — kids, influencers, and verified buyers — shared their love for the fit, quality, and style. Press · Impact
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