North Carolina Clothing Company Descalza Donates Face Masks to Farmworkers

Photo credit: Roberto Rosales/Tyson Family Farms

Born in El Salvador and raised in rural North Carolina, Lisbeth Carolina Arias was drawn to fashion design from a young age. Her mother, a skilled seamstress, taught her to sew, and Arias went on to study fashion and textile design at North Carolina State University. In 2017, she founded Descalza, a custom clothing company featuring designs made with handwoven fabric from Latin America.

When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Arias wanted to find a way to meet her customers’ demand for face masks while giving back to her community at the same time. Her past experiences in 4-H and other programs offered through NC State gave her the idea to design face masks and donate them to farmworkers across North Carolina. Arias partnered with NC State Extension’s Farmworker Health and Safety Education Program to help supply these essential workers with the masks they need to keep them safe while working.

For every face mask sold, Descalza donates another to a farmworker in North Carolina. Those who purchase the masks also receive information about farmworkers, while the farmworkers receive information about COVID-19 safety practices.

To learn more about Descalza or shop online, visit descalza.co.

See more: We’re in This Together: Finding New Ways to Connect During the Pandemic