KVIC receives repeat order for 10.5 lakh Face Masks from Red Cross Society

03 September 2020: Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has received a repeat order and the biggest order so far for the supply of 10.5 lakh high-quality face masks to the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS). The new purchase order comes less than a month after its previous order for 1.80 lakh face masks out of which KVIC has already supplied 1.60 lakh face masks to the Society.

KVIC has especially designed these double-layered cotton masks for the Indian Red Cross Society as per the samples provided by them. The masks have a suitably printed IRCS logo on the left side and the Khadi India tag on the right side. Like other Khadi face masks, the masks made for IRCS are also washable, reusable, skin-friendly and biodegradable. These masks are made of 100% double-twisted handcrafted cotton fabric in brown colour with red piping.

Union Minister for MSME, Nitin Gadkari lauded the efforts of KVIC in creating sustainable employment in the country through mask-making activities. He said while face masks became the most effective protective gear against the Corona disease; its production created large-scale employment for the artisans.

The development comes as a big push to the local production as it will create nearly 50,000 additional man-days for Khadi artisans. The execution of this order will require over 1 lakh meters of handmade cotton Khadi fabric which will be supplied by various Khadi institutions from different States.

Notably, this is the biggest order for the supply of Khadi face masks received by KVIC so far. Earlier, the Jammu & Kashmir government had purchased 7 lakh masks during the lockdown.