Under Armour Producing 'Innovative' New Surgical Mask to Help COVID-19 Relief

Under Armour is now producing surgical masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, per Elizabeth Segran of Fast Company. 

Per Segran, the masks are made of a single piece of fabric, enabling the mass production of 100,000 per week.

Segran also noted that Under Armour's innovation lab, which is known as the UA Lighthouse, is now home to a factory that makes the masks, among other medical items.

Companies around the world have shifted gears as the COVID-19 pandemic continues its rapid spread. The World Health Organization reported on Friday that at least 976,249 people have been sickened by COVID-19 worldwide and that at least 50,489 people have died.

Companies that are making masks to combat the shortage include Ikea, Eddie Bauer and HanesBrands.

As far as other sports apparel corporations go, Nike, Fanatics and New Balance are among those joining the cause alongside Under Armour.

Per Daniel Roberts of Yahoo Finance, Fanatics converted a factory designed to make baseball jerseys into one that produces masks and gowns. Nike is working on face shields, and New Balance is producing face mask prototypes.

Under Armour was already at work before news of its single-fabric medical mask broke, with the company saying it would produce "upwards of 500,000 masks, 1,000 face shields and thousands of hospital gowns" for the local Baltimore hospital system, per Roberts.