PHILIPSBURG — Despite its small population and remote location, Centre County has been responding to the coronavirus crisis in big ways.
Organic Climbing is one local company that’s found a way to use its skilled workers and resources to help the public.
“For the first few days of the closure, we were just kind of feeling helpless,” said Josh Helke, Organic Climbing founder and president. “We have all these skills, all these sewing machines; let’s try to do something.”
The company, located in Philipsburg’s Moshannon Valley Economic Development Business Park, has transitioned from manufacturing solar-sewn climbing equipment to face masks and is rolling out about 500 masks a day. The company’s business park neighbors, PMG Pennsylvania, made what Helke called “a significant donation” to help buy fabric to donate masks to those in need.
Organic Climbing obtained an exemption to resume its sewing work, has decontaminated all its equipment and materials and is following CDC guidelines for essential workplaces. Most striking now, Helke said, is the implementation of social distancing at the factory, which, with an open layout, is typically a very sociable space. Some employees even took their sewing machines home.
“Starting out many years ago, when Organic was based in a garage, we did that, but for the last 10 years, we’ve all been together, so it’s been weird,” Helke said.
Helke added that he and his staff listened to feedback from healthcare workers about what to do and not do in designing masks. Organic Climbing also wanted its mask to meet all the public health recommendations and be mass-producible while remaining affordable.
Organic Climbing’s version of the face mask involves a “utilitarian” design that uses a chord to synch and tighten the mask around the head. Because typical mask supplies, such as elastic, are hard to come by these days, Organic Climbing is repurposing cord it had in its warehouse intended for use as drawstrings for chalk bags and backpacks to use as chords for masks.
“You’ll have people who aren’t our regular customers, and it’s a little bit more technical,” Helke said. “For some people, it was a little confusing for them.”
The masks are meant to fit more snugly and stay in place better than typical, homemade masks with elastic bands that wrap around the ears.
“They’re not going to do anything if you have to keep adjusting them,” said Helke. “The whole point is not to touch your face.”
Helke said his company has been “adapting to customers from all different walks of life,” and is “learning as we go.” Organic Climbing has since created a video to show people how to use the masks and is mailing an instruction card out with each mask.
Organic Climbing masks are available at organicclimbing.com and nittanymountainworks.com.
