Bright Eyes in a Pandemic
One year into the pandemic, we are mourning unfathomable losses of human life while breathing a small sigh of relief as vaccination efforts have begun worldwide. Masks are still very much a necessity. Two of our founders Tava Lloyd and Joie King sat down to talk about the catalyst for our Bright Eyes Mask Co, and how those values of sustainability and community represent Harbour Public.
Joie King: Bright Eyes Mask Co is our inaugural product line. I’m so proud of what you’ve created and I’m glad it is the launching point for Harbour Public. How did all this get started? Why did you start making masks?
Tava Lloyd: In the early days of the pandemic, like many of us, I felt helpless and was looking for ways to contribute my skills, volunteer, or do something to help. There was a mass shortage of masks in hospitals so I teamed up with Portland Garment Factory, a local woman-owned company, and contributed to the construction of tens of thousands of masks that were delivered to local hospitals.
JK: We’ve talked about this idea of a collective struggle. It’s not something our generation has dealt with on this scale. It reminds me of the home front volunteers during World War II.
TL: Yeah, it was amazing to watch the world collectively dust off their sewing machines and heed this call to action.
JK: So how did your work with the Portland Garment Factory transition into starting Bright Eyes?
TL: While the world was trying to understand this virus concurrently it didn’t take long for me to realize that we should all be wearing masks. This is what led me to start Bright Eyes. I knew that I wanted to promote reusable mask wearing. I felt that with my garment design and construction expertise I could design something with superior fit and excellent construction that was also nice to look at.
JK: As civilians, we were strongly discouraged by the CDC from buying up medical grade PPE. Bright Eyes was essentially a response to that problem. I think responding to the needs of the community is an important foundation for this business. As we expand, how do you feel the Bright Eyes Mask Collection relates to the values of Harbour Public?
TL: Bright Eyes’ values perfectly parallel Harbour's dedication to beauty, utility and sustainability. It’s all about caring and community.
