HONOLULU – Face masks made with the same colorful prints used for aloha shirts — known as “Hawaiian shirts” elsewhere in the United States — are the latest fashion trend in Hawaii as islanders try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Disposable surgical masks are in short supply, and people want to preserve what’s available for nurses and doctors working with COVID-19 patients.
So those who know how to sew are digging fabric scraps out of their closets or cutting up old aloha shirts to make masks at home.
Local designers are offering some for sale online, but are struggling to keep up with a surge in demand as people scramble to adhere to new public health guidelines to cover their mouth and nose.