Though many businesses have had to close their doors since the pandemic began, it opened up a whole new market for those with the time and ability to dedicate to making masks. Prices for face masks were very high during the start of quarantine and it was almost impossible to find them in stock at stores. Many balanced out their options and realized creating their face masks was the smartest option for them. 

At the start of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, supplies such as elastic, fabric, filters, and masks increased in price. Over this past year, the prices have been fluctuating and most mask-makers have been hustling to get these supplies at a more affordable price. 

During quarantine, many people decided to pick up on social media platforms as a distraction. Many business owners began to use trending apps, such as TikTok, as a way to promote their business and get their items out.

Marysol & Gloria Cerezo | @made.byvicky

Marysol Cerezo is a CSUN graduate who runs the Instagram account @made.byvicky and started the company with her mother, Gloria Cerezo.  As an immigrant in the United States, Gloria Cerezo got her first job and learned how to sew. When the pandemic started, masks were hard to come by so the Cerezo family decided that with their mothers’ sewing skills they could design and make their masks. It started with masks for themselves and close family friends and quickly gained recognition. Marysol, who also works with kids through LAUSD, wore her masks and parents would ask her where she got it and if she was willing to sell to them. That’s how it all started. She then created the Instagram account and from there started growing her business by getting orders from friends of friends and so on. 

Marysol does most of the cutting and ironing of the fabric while the sewing is done by her mother. She also is in charge of the Instagram account and manages all the sales herself because her mother doesn't speak English fluently. They sell their masks on Instagram, as well as Offerup and Mercari, which are third-party apps. Marysol prefers to use Instagram so she doesn't have to charge an extra fee because she believes her prices should be reasonable. Each mask is sold for $5 and is triple-layered. The filter used is breathable and lasts in the washing machine so it doesn’t need a replacement filter every time. They have a standard size for adult masks, which is usually 7” x 7” inches, but they can modify the size if needed. Marysol also ships the masks out or can personally deliver them depending on the customer’s location. Fabric prices are constantly changing, so Marysol has to hunt for cheaper fabrics. She uses coupons and checks daily to see if stores, such as Michael’s or Joann’s are having promotions. Although she only sells her masks for $5, she still manages to make enough profit to help pay her rent. This business was a tremendous help to the Cerezo family. Overall, Marysol and her mother have made about 500 masks and enjoy every second of the process. They love to hear back from their customers and their main goal is for them to be satisfied with their order. “Then I have a happy customer because at the end of the day that's also what I want,” Marysol Cerezo said. “Someone satisfied with the product so they're able to come back if they need more.”

She and her mother hope to continue this business for as long as they can, and maybe once the pandemic ends, to sell face masks during flu season.

Eli Bahar | @reusemasks

Many college students were unfortunate enough to graduate during a difficult time in a pandemic, making it harder to find jobs. Luckily for Eli Bahar and his college friends, such as Maia Gaboian, had the opportunity to work together on a mask business. Bahar, the founder of @reusemasks, and Goboian, who is in charge of the marketing on social media have come together to create a brand and sell face masks. Bahar graduated from UC Santa Barbara earlier in 2020 and dreamt of being an entrepreneur. He previously owned an ice cream sandwich business and a goat yoga business but because of the pandemic, it was all on hold. Bahar then decided to start making face masks for his friends and family with no intention of creating a brand. He then decided to figure out the fashion industry and the process of manufacturing clothes. He ended up creating face masks for his friends and family and a couple of months after had Instagram influencers promoting his brand. This is the first big-time job for Goboian and many other college graduates that are working for the business. 

“We're really lucky in that way. And we get to not only have a job, but work with our best friends and create such a fun company environment that we want to go to work and we want to hang out,” Goboian said. Their masks are sustainable as every fabric used is recycled from people who bought them for previous projects that have leftover fabric. They use the deadstock bought from other companies that otherwise will be thrown away and end up in landfills. This way they can repurpose the fabric for a good cause. Masks are sold for $15 each and come in two sizes, adult and kids. Despite the vaccine rollout and the number of cases decreasing, Bahar and Goboian are not intimidated and believe that masks will continue to be the new normal. They have also started to branch out by creating hats, totes, and beanies with sustainable fabric. 

“The amount of support that I received over this past year, from people locally,from people over you know, in different states, we've shipped to all 50 states.... we've got NBA playerswearing our masks, people are all just you know, stepping up and giving us a try, which means theabsolute world to us,” Bahar said. They sell their products online through consumer eCommercewebsites and promote their business on Instagram and recently on TikTok. These newly college graduates have found their passion in being young entrepreneurs and plan on expanding the brand.

Julian McCleary | @Badjujumasks

Julian McCleary, the creator of @badjujumasks on Instagram and TikTok began making masks at the beginning of the pandemic with his husband Milo Mathew. The couple met each other while going to school for musical theater in LA and have traveled and performed together for the past 12 years. They've done many shows overseas and became aware of how people in Asia use masks as face protection from pollution or the flu. Mask-wearing wasn't something new to them. Getting sick for them wasn't an option because performing is what paid their bills. Due to the mask shortage at the beginning of quarantine, they couldn't find masks in stock. That's when McCleary had the idea to make their masks for their upcoming trip. He had a sewing machine, watched some YouTube videos in Japanese and figured out how to put a mask together. As soon as they arrived at the airport they began getting compliments, which ignited their interests in designing masks for others. Before starting their business, the pair made and donated about 400 masks to hospitals. As COVID-19 started to affect jobs, the couple realized they weren't going to be able to perform overseas to make money. They then came up with the idea of starting their business and selling masks as a form of income to help pay their bills. McCleary and Mathew joined Facebook groups and got connected to communities of mask makers. From there they learned a lot of information about making masks, using the correct fabric and making them protective. They began uploading to TikTok to promote their masks and went viral. They now have about 133,000 followers. The platform gave them the chance to share their creativity and get feedback on their designs and ideas. McCleary even joined a mask-making competition for the most creative mask and won. Their two top goals for their masks are to be fashionable and safe. The @badjuju’s masks are more than just a piece of fabric to protect you, they are individually made to order and decorated to the buyer's preference. Everything is designed in Photoshop or Lightroom and is made specifically to someone's liking, whether it’s a Disney character or a favorite color with glitter. Their masks range from $16 up to $38 for a custom. There are three different versions you can order: basic, extra, and extra AF. McCleary stated that customers will usually tell him to surprise them, and they'll do an unboxing reveal on TikTok to show their reactions. “It's something I did not expect out of this whole thing was to have that as a relationship with people, strangers, I don't know, they open up and tell us a lot about themselves when purchasing masks,” McCleary said. Seeing people’s reactions makes McCleary feel good and passionate about creating these masks. They have even started to learn how to make t-shirts to start selling. Their goal is to create items that people will enjoy.

Vanessa Correa | @loveandmasks

For Vanessa Correa, the creator of @loveandmasks, it all started at the beginning of the pandemic when she realized a shortage of face masks. Correa and her mother have always had a love for sewing and decided to start making face masks as a way to help others. The masks are made by the entire family, including Vanessa, her mother, sister and nieces. 

“It's been a very rich experience as a family bonding experience,” Correa said. 

They started getting more recognition through family and friends, word of mouth, trips to grocery stores and people asking where they purchased their masks. Social media also helped them out a lot as people would repost and comment on Instagram and Facebook posts, and from there the company grew. The company has two different styles, a regular style and a special style for individuals that wear glasses so they don't fog up. The masks are also reversible, one side is solid and the other has a unique print. They have acquired about 1,000 prints and continue to grow. The goal of this company was to “spread love” by making people happy and be affordable, the face masks range from $3 to $7. Correa, a children's therapist, mentioned how passionate she was about making masks especially because it started as a family hobby. Their mother would always make them clothing to wear like shirts and dresses. This hobby was always fun and exciting for them. They recently started branching out to making aprons and dog bandanas that can match the masks. They love creating masks that make people want to wear and that makes them happy. “That's the best feeling, when customers come back,” Correa said. Correa, as seen on the photo on the right, is wearing one of the fun designs she has in her mask shop.

Esther Tanudjaja | @mask4style

 Esther Tanudjaja, the creator of @mask4style, realized that high demand prices increased and it was difficult for her to find masks. Her story began when she decided to start creating her own and realized that sewing was something that helped ease her anxiety during the pandemic. Tanudjaja was working part-time as a legal assistant and a social media manager for a restaurant that worked at home before the pandemic. With her new mask business, it's extra help on the side that adds to her income. She started by creating masks for her family and posted pictures. Then friends and relatives started to reach out interested in purchasing these masks. She then decided to create an Instagram page to promote her masks and from there started to receive more customers interested in her face masks. “I really enjoy sewing. Making masks also makes me feel like I am helping our community to protect each other,” Tanudjaja said. The masks contain 3 layers that follow the safety guidelines. She makes two different styles, 2D and 3D with adjustable ear loop straps. Her goal is to make safe and stylish masks. Tanudjaja loves finding different fabrics to work with and making sure they are comfortable enough for people to enjoy wearing them and also stylish that can be used to match with outfits. A fun hobby turned into a great business for Tanudjaja that she loves and enjoys working on.