Savi Customs Transitions Sublimation Shop to Produce Masks During COVID-19

Jeremy DeBoer (right), manager at Savi Customs, shows Roland DGA's Lily Hunter the antimicrobial, wicking fabric found on the inside of the masks the company is creating.

Over the past few weeks, many printing companies have pivoted normal production lines to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE) and other products desperately needed by health care providers and individuals during the coronavirus pandemic. One such company is San Diego, Calif.-based sublimated product manufacturer Savi Customs.

In a recent Roland DGA "10-Minute Shop Talk" video hosted on Facebook live, Lily Hunter, product manager, textiles and consumables at Roland DGA, spoke with Jeremy DeBoer, manager at Savi, about how the company has adapted during the COVID-19 situation. DeBoer explained that many of the company's customers are event based, such as shirt production for race car crews.

"Since all of the races are being canceled, we're starting to hold shirts here," he said.

In fact, he explained, one of the hardest things has been following up with customers to see if they're open and where product should be shipped.

Beyond finishing its customary work over the past several weeks, DeBoer said the company decided to begin producing masks. He explained that many masks available on the market are not high quality, and are not made to last. Savi wanted to create something that could be washed and worn repeatedly, by implementing some of the company's existing technology and material expertise.

The inside of the masks are made of an antimicrobial, wicking fabric, with a colorful, water-resistant fabric on the outside, all of which is washable. Although DeBoer did say that the masks are not medical grade, he explained that they are of better quality than many of the products on the market currently.

"We're trying to plan for longevity with this product," he said. "We're up to creating about 500 to 1,000 masks per day."

To watch this episode of "10-Minute Shop Talk," as well as other episodes, including an episode highlighting the five things every VersaWorks 6 user should know, and how to create cut contour paths in Adobe, head over to Roland DGA's Facebook page.