Ikea begins production of face masks

Ikea has joined a growing list of companies contributing to the fight against Covid-19. The Swedish furniture giant has started to produce face masks and other protective gear for hospitals, to help meet equipment shortages around the world. In the early stages of the pandemic, the brand began manufacturing face masks for its staff in China, and has now ramped up production to supply health workers. It will also be producing and donating hand sanitisers, visors and single-use aprons to those in need. This video, click to play, shows the delivery process of Ikea in the UAE: The first shipments to European health workers are currently in transit, according to Henrik Elm, global supply manager at Inter Ikea Group. This comes after staff at an IKEA store in Sweden discovered a forgotten stockpile of around 50,000 face masks in their warehouse and donated them to Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. Recent weeks have seen a slew of big-name brands lend their efforts to the fight against the virus. Most recently, fashion brand Dior announced on Tuesday that it would begin producing face masks at one of its workshops, to be donated to workers in sectors that are still operating, including supermarkets, transport and food distribution. The protective gear is being produced in a plant in Brittany, northern France, which normally makes high-end baby clothes. Chanel also said on Sunday that it would launch production of face masks to bolster supplies in France. "Today we are mobilising our workforce and our partners ... to produce protective masks and blouses," the brand said in a statement. With additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom / Ikea

Ikea begins production of face masks

The Swedish furniture giant has joined a slew of big-name brands lending their efforts to the fight against Covid-19