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ROSEVILLE, Calif. (KCRA) — A Roseville skydiving business, grounded by the coronavirus outbreak, has had to get creative to stay busy and employed.
Justin Johnson, the founder of Bird Monkey Rigging, is a Federal Aviation Administration-certified parachute inspector and repairman.
He also designs and manufactures skydiving accessories such as clothing and bags.
“I’m a skydiver. One way or another, everything I do is kind of skydiving related,” said Johnson.
The business was flying high until the virus grounded his industry with stay-at-home orders.
“I came home and started to think, ‘How am I going to keep myself employed, keep myself productive and in a good state of mind? And this is what I came up with,” said Johnson.
Sewing machines that once made skydiving shorts and jerseys now stitch together custom masks to be worn under the new health mandates.
New rules requiring masks on trains and planes, in busy buildings and crowds has created demand for a mask beyond the basic style.
Using a special printer and heat press in a process called dye sublimation, the team can print any design on a mask.
They can print your company’s logo or the mug of your favorite family pet.
“With the website, we have a drag-and-drop box and you can put any artwork into it. We can size it up, do a little digital magic and get it onto the masks by request,” said Johnson.
He followed a mask design recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that uses three layers of fabric.
“It actually has a pocket built into the mask, which allows us to put filter inserts into it giving added protection,” said Johnson.
The masks can be ordered one at a time or in bulk for businesses looking to stand out as they reopen under the health guidelines.
“I’ve been approaching local businesses and explain what I am doing, both making masks for donation and keeping my sky family employed and seeing if the can use masks for their staff and employees,” said Johnson.
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