Beach clothing shop is now making masks after closing their doors to slow the spread of COVID-19

Erin Horrocks-Pope | Posted April 13, 2020 | Updated April 21, 2020

Teresa and Clem D'Souza opened UKDESIGNERSALE in 2017, staging pop up shops and pop up sales throughout Toronto.

All the pieces sold at UKDESIGNERSALE are unique, imported from designer showrooms in the United Kingdom.

"We buy from all the little design studios in London that design for all the high-street stores," Teresa said. "Everything we have is a one-off. It's completely unique. All handmade in the U.K. and they're really good prices."

The D'Souzas ran a very successful pop up in the Beach community last summer and decided to take out a two-year lease at 2207 Queen Street East starting on March 01.

After being open for only two weeks, the provincial mandate was announced to close many businesses in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

After the closure, the D’Souzas quickly made a shift into producing fabric masks for Michael Garron Hospital in East York.

Teresa brought in her 95-year-old sewing machine and borrowed one for Clem, who has now learned to sew. to submitted by Teresa D'Souza.

The hospital had recently put out a challenge to the surrounding community to collectively make 1,000 masks per week.

"I was a designer in the U.K., so I had experience making stuff. And then we saw the Michael Garron callout for facemasks and we thought 'well we can do this'," Teresa said.

Teresa brought in her 95 year old sewing machine and borrowed one for Clem, who has now learned to sew.

Ever since the shutdown, the couple has been hard at work every day producing masks for the community.

“We want to see all east enders wearing a fabric mask when they need to be within six feet of other people. Especially vulnerable populations and the elderly,” the notice on Michael Garron Hospital's website says.

This plea inspired the D’Souzas to quickly take action and start designing masks.

“The masks are not medical grade. They are using them to help patients and people who are coming in to visit, people doing deliveries. It’s not actually for the (medical) staff,” Teresa said to beachmetro.com.

All the masks made at UKDESIGNERSALE are unique; made with different fabrics and elastic. They are both comfortable and practical as they can be washed and reused.

Teresa D'Souza wears one of she and her husband, Clem, have produced. Photo submitted by Teresa D'Souza.

The couple have been making bundles of masks to be donated to a variety of organizations in addition to Michael Garron Hospital.

Teresa and Clem have donated masks to the YMCA, food banks, correctional officers, TTC employees and the elderly.

"It's anyone who really needs them," said Teresa.

Masks are now available for purchase to Beach residents so that the D'Souzas can buy materials to continue creating masks.

The couple makes as many masks as they can each day, totalling to 300 masks as of April 12 and increasing every day.

2:24 PM 2020-04-12

Photo: Twitter

"We're in seven days a week. We've just been making masks," Teresa said.

Teresa came up with her own design for the masks she creates, including a pocket to insert a paper towel or a coffee filter for added protection.

Now, she is working hard to create a functional design that is safe for young children to wear without any hazard.

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Michael Garron Hospital is also calling for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) for their medical staff.

Dr. Michael Warner, the director of critical care at Michael Garron Hospital, took to social media in late March asking for donations to be made.

"To fight COVID-19 healthcare professionals need gowns, gloves, masks and eye protection in high quantities," Warner said. "Without these items the patients cannot be treated."