DopeKicks offers cannabis masks in Portugal

A DopeKicks, a Portuguese footwear company that uses hemp fabric in its products, is producing waterproof masks with fibers extracted from the plant Cannabis sativa L., to offer to institutions that need it, such as the Fire Department, nursing homes or people who fall into risk groups who have not been able to acquire masks on the market.
While Portugal is witnessing an almost complete stoppage, after a state of emergency was declared, several companies decided to focus their efforts on helping the local population with whatever means possible. Also DopeKicks, a Portuguese footwear start-up made with hemp fabric, is now producing masks made with hemp fabric for the local community of Leiria, Alcanena, Mira de Aire, Minde and Porto de Mós.

Speaking to CannaReporter, Bernardo Carreira, CEO of DopeKicks, said that DopeKicks is making masks for those who need it most, not for those who ask. “However, when there are older people asking for it, we usually offer it.” About six company employees are currently working and producing masks at home, as factories are closed. “We spoke to a nursing home that needed 30 masks and we are also giving them to the Fire Department”, explains Bernardo Carreira.

Production in Portugal stopped by Covid-19
after the first through crowdfunding successful on the KickStarter platform, where projects are financially supported by several people interested in them, DopeKicks has accumulated orders for more than two thousand pairs of sneakers. Today it is possible to order sneakers made in Portugal via the DopeKicks website.

However, footwear production had to temporarily close due to measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. “Unfortunately, our production has been stopped for almost three weeks and we still have the addition of having some raw materials that come from China, which makes importing them difficult”, said the CEO of DopeKicks, who also guaranteed that the fabrics and fibers business extracted from cannabis is to last.