Chaco Crisis Response: ReChaco Operations Retrofitted for Mask Production

Incredibly proud to share this important and timely announcement out of Chaco and our parent company, Wolverine Worldwide.

Today we announced our move to retrofit our ReChaco factory operations for the production of protective masks. Hospitals and healthcare providers both local to Chaco in West Michigan and nationally have issued the call for anyone and everyone with a sewing machine to join in and assist in this crisis, and Chaco is moving quickly to do our part. On March 24, we made the shift from making and mending sandals to sewing protective gear, and our factory machinery and staff are actively prototyping and developing masks to be donated to our local providers through approved channels.

Meanwhile, our ReChaco Mobile Factory Bus, which we developed with Field Scout for our Summer “Fit For Adventure” Tour (currently on hold), is also being put to good use from its parked location in Portland, Oregon. There, we're working on using the on-board sewing machines to produce masks to support the Hood River, Oregon hospital system (who has asked us to help prototype their design), donations for local responders in the greater Portland area, and sew-at-home kits and instruction for our isolated tour staff and the maker community in the area.

This is an important moment for our Chaco brand. While the world and our industries struggle with the crisis at hand, it’s both empowering and reassuring to know we’re able to do whatever we can with whatever we have available to us. Our parent company, Wolverine Worldwide, is helping us source needed materials and internal support, while our sister brands – like Merrell and Bates – have offered to help supply us with materials for the required specifications. Many of us have family and loved ones on the front-lines of this crisis, whether in healthcare or critical business functions. They’re telling us they will run out of supply in days – and we’re responding.

We're not looking to land government contracts or to make a buck off this crisis - we just have machines and skills that can be put to work now when it's most needed, so we will. We hope our actions will inspire individuals, organizations, and companies to join in and do what they can to assist - no matter how small. In the meantime, we will be busy engaging our communities and industry via social media and PR outreach, celebrating our employees hard at work on this initiative, and the ReChaco factory itself. Our ReChaco factory has always been about fixing, mending, and creative problem solving on behalf of our consumers. Now we’re taking that mission and expanding it to those most in need.

A huge shout out goes to ReChaco Operations Director Lisa Kondrat and the entire ReChaco factory team (for being ineffable problem-solvers and rapid prototypers), the entire Chaco Marketing Team, and our leadership teams both at Chaco and Wolverine Worldwide. It is through their quick actions, creativity, problem solving, and support that this is made possible. This was never the pivot for marketing or product strategy we had planned this year, but when life hands you lemons, you make protective masks.

You can read the press release here and learn more at Chacos.com/ReChacoResponse. Please follow us on social media (IG: @ChacoFootwear) for updates.

We are not currently accepting outside supply donations due to required material specs (though that may change). If you have any questions about this initiative or how you can be helpful, please leave a comment or reach out to myself ([email protected]) and I will do my best to route you or your team members to the appropriate parties. For media inquiries, please forward them to our Backbone Media PR team at [email protected]. And outside of Chaco, please make a point of reaching out to healthcare professionals and workers on the front lines with an encouraging word and thank you. We're doing what we can at Chaco, but they're the real heroes.

Stay safe (and socially distanced if you can).