Mulberry, Liam Hodges and Raeburn team up with British Fashion Council to make designer face masks

The non-medical, reusable masks have been designed by six British designers

The British Fashion Council has teamed up with UK fashion houses to create face masks, including this design by Mulberry. Courtesy British Fashion Council

The British Fashion Council has announced a campaign to manufacture and sell sustainable and reusable non-medical face coverings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Teaming up with six British designers – Halpern, Julien Macdonald, Liam Hodges, Mulberry, Raeburn and Rixo – the BFC launched its Great British Designer Face Coverings: Reusable, for People and Planet campaign with Bags of Ethics on Friday, June 5. It is hoped that the fashion-forward PPE will be worn to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in the UK.

The mask designed by Julien Macdonald. Courtesy British Fashion Council

The masks come in sets of three, with the Julien Macdonald, Rixo and Liam Hodges designs grouped together, and the Mulberry, Raeburn and Halpern pieces sold in one set.

Not only is it a sustainably focused initiative that champions personal protection amid the pandemic, the project also aims to raise £1 million (Dh4.65m), with 100 per cent of the sale profits going to charity, split between NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, BFC Foundation Fashion Fund and Wings of Hope Children’s Charity.

The face masks can also be shipped internationally.

The pieces are sold in a set of three, with the Liam Hodges, Julien Macdonald and Rixo designes being grouped together. Courtesy British Fashion Council

Caroline Rush, the BFC's chief executive, said of the initiative: "Fashion is a unifying force and now, more than ever, it is essential that we collaborate and come together to support each other through difficult times.

"Our ambition is to contribute to the fight against Covid-19, while protecting vital PPE supplies reserved for the NHS. Through this project, we will not only celebrate British designers but also champion sustainability in a time of crisis."

The project has been announced in the days following UK government guidance,  that instructs the public to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible.

The non-medical face masks will be sold for £15 for three reusable, washable, fabric face coverings with two protective pouches. They are available to buy online at britishfashioncouncil.com.