Beauty brands switch manufacturing focus in fight against Covid-19

As the coronavirus continues to take its toll across the world, fashion and beauty companies are beginning to pivot the manufacturing focus to products that will help aid in the push to prevent the infectious disease from spreading.

On Sunday, LVMH led the charge by announcing that it would be turning its perfumes and cosmetics business into a manufacturer of hand sanitiser, which will be distributed to the French healthcare system. The decision was made in response to shortages of germ-fighting gel.

Two days ago, beauty brand L'Oréal said that it was to offer up its facilities to the production of hand sanitiser. The French giant's brand La Roche-Posay is to provide hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes across Europe with hydro-alcoholic gel. The Garnier brand will dispense millions of units of the product to its European clients in the food distribution sector.

"In this exceptional crisis situation it is our responsibility to contribute in every possible way to the collective effort," said Jean-Paul Agon, L'Oréal chairman and chief executive officer. "Through these gestures, L'Oréal wishes to express its appreciation, support and solidarity with all those who mobilise with extraordinary courage and abnegation to fight against this pandemic."

Fashion companies have begun participating in the fight against the virus, producing masks as the outbreak worsens. Former American Apparel boss Dov Charney offered up the management team and workforce at his Los Angeles Apparel label to manufacture masks and other medical products for "any government agency".

In Spain, as the situation turned bleaker, Zara owner Inditex said that it would produce masks and hospital gowns for patients and medical workers. In a statement to Vogue magazine, the fashion giant said it "will make a delivery at least once a week of materials we purchase directly." 

The company said that it is also looking into how it could pivot some of its textile manufacturing over to health materials production. At present, Inditex is only providing these products in Spain. 

This week has also seen a range of smaller, independent beauty product brands switch their production to hand sanitiser. US company Skin Probiotics, which has had a sideline in hand gel for some years, has now made it the main focus of its production, and New York's Hudson Valley Skincare announced that normal production had now been suspended to begin churning out hand sanitiser.

The burgeoning CBD sector has also started making disinfecting hand gel with US company Pure Bloom now producing a CBD-based hand sanitiser and moisturising spray.

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