Taiwanese-owned furniture firm pivots to become regional brand

When the pandemic struck in early 2020, many businesses went into crisis mode as closures hit, restrictions went up and revenue dropped. In Hong Kong, one Taiwanese-owned furniture company decided to reinvent itself as a maker of boutique face masks. Its concept of colorful, quality PPE took off, and today it''s a regional brand that''s recently launched a base in Taiwan. Our very own Stephany Yang has the story.

It''s pandemic protection. It''s also a fashion statement. This colorful 3D KF Korean-style respirator mask promises a more snug fit and a look that turns heads. It''s a creation by MaskLab, a PPE startup that got its start in March 2020.

Albert Chen
MaskLab co-founder
We started in Hong Kong, but our family''s background, we are originally from Taiwan. A year ago, when we first started, materials were extremly difficult to come by. Even the machines. Luckily we had some connections in Taiwan. Our initial machines were all from Taiwan.

MaskLab cofounder Albert Chen, his father, and brother began making masks in Hong Kong, using machines imported from Taiwan.

Albert Chen
MaskLab co-founder
We have been making outdoor furniture for about 20 years now. Outdoor cushions use a lot of non-woven fabric and that''s the same kind of fabric that we use on masks. That gave us an advantage when we started the business. I''ve been in e-commerce and internet marketing for about 10 years or so. That allowed me to quickly transform the mask business into a consumer internet business.

The new mask business was a hit. It made a name in boutique patterns rendered with state-of-the-art printing technology. MaskLab cooperated with Hong Kong, French, and Taiwanese designers to launch eye-catching prints. They began getting so many orders from Taiwan that they set up a factory in Changhua to supply the domestic market. Albert Chen says there''s still plenty of room for the Taiwan business to expand.

Albert Chen
MaskLab co-founder
Moving forward in the future, reusable is probably the way to go. There''s a lot of environmental concerns with using disposable mask. Since coming to Taiwan, we have been partnering with Taiwanese artists and Taiwanese celebrities here to create their own designer series.

With the pandemic still raging, PPE is a thriving market, and many companies are riding the wave. Taiwan Paiho, a shoelace and elastic tape manufacturer, now makes a "mask necklace" that can be worn around the neck. Meanwhile Makalot Industrial, which makes yoga leggings and polo shirts, is working with five other textile manufacturers to make isolation gowns and other protective equipment.