Sew Together™

In response to the global scarcity of essential medical supplies, we’ve been donating medical-grade face masks and distributing lower-grade masks to hospitals in the Los Angeles area facing extreme shortages. Even though the Covid-19 situation has improved, we have learned that the need remains in many parts of the healthcare system, and that our efforts can and should continue.

Lower-grade or homemade masks are being used at many hospitals in non-COVID-19 cases to free up medical-grade masks for doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients. Homemade masks can also be used in conjunction with other masks to prolong the life of medical-grade masks, and can be washed for reuse. Some hospital staff are even sewing their own masks. By providing homemade masks to hospitals in dire need, we can help extend the current supply of medical-grade protective gear where it is needed most until additional resources become available.

We’ve seen the power of our Tieks community in action many times before, and know that if we #SewTOGETHER, we can and will save lives together. Please share this page and offer with all your friends who sew.

Separated Together™ Gift Card Program

To show our gratitude for your individual acts of fostering togetherness, please follow the steps below to make and donate.

As a nurse, I cannot thank you enough for your support. I love Tieks! LoLo RN
As an Emergency Room RN, I think this is amazing support! Thank you so much from all of us on the front line. Tina C. Martin
As a front line RN in California, I want to thank you for promoting this and supporting all of us on the front lines. Andrea Mullin
Thank you Tieks and everyone that has been donating masks, this nurse appreciates it greatly. Laura Flores
I’m an RN and this is amazing! Thank you for supporting the healthcare community. I will forever support this company. Ann Ordoñez Phillips
As an ICU nurse facing this crisis every day, I literally cannot thank you enough!!! Just another reason I love this amazing company. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Kelli Barto
Thank you Tieks! I was already a loyal customer before, but this means so much to those of us working the front lines in the hospital! This RN is so grateful! Kaitlyn Huff
I will continue to support Tieks for this! Signed, a nurse without a mask. Sheri Leek
As a healthcare worker using homemade masks, thank you! Jen Slauter
Thank you! I am an RN and we have been told to reuse our contaminated masks. Thank you for helping us with this! Fallon Leilani
As an outpatient solo Pediatrician and lover of Tieks, THANK YOU! Melissa Crowe Garcia
As a Nurse Anesthetist, I am overwhelmed by the act of love, care, and kindness from my fellow Tieksters and Tieks by Gavrieli for thinking about all of us who are on the front line to care for our COVID patients! Lorraine Hu
I’m a Tieks lover and Registered Nurse and I am pretty emotional right now seeing all the love here. Thank you! I love the masks! Jessica Barrios Arguello
Thank you from all of us who work in healthcare! This makes me love your company even more than I already do. Melissa O'Donal
The masks you're making made me emotional out of gratitude for the loving and dedicated efforts of those who are wholeheartedly doing this. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! Jessica Barrios Arguello
I love your shoes and love your company even more now! Thank you from an RN whose been wearing the same mask since last week! Emily Moira

STEP 1: MAKE YOUR MASKS

There is currently a need for simple masks that can be worn by non-COVID-19 patients and providers, larger masks to fit over N95 and other medical-grade equipment, and masks with pockets to hold removable filters. Homemade masks can be sewn by hand or machine, but should be double-layered and made with prewashed cotton. There are many resources available online that provide a list of materials to use, patterns, and instructions on how to make DIY masks. We’ve included a few helpful resources here, but please feel free to share ideas, tips, and tricks in the comment section below. Please contact you local facility to see which type of homemade masks they are currently accepting.

Once you’ve completed your masks, please take a photo of all the masks laid out next to a piece of paper that includes your full name, the date, and the number of masks you made. We will use this photo to verify your donation. Please note that we must be able to clearly see both your name and the number of masks in your picture.

Example Mask Submission Image

STEP 2: DONATE YOUR MASKS

To donate your masks, you can either send them to our distribution center or donate directly to a hospital or other approved facility that is accepting DIY fabric masks. The majority of hospitals we’ve reached out to are in need of homemade masks, but be sure to check with any hospitals or clinics before taking your masks there.

If you’d like to send your masks to us to be distributed to facilities in desperate need across the country, please submit your donation under Step 3 below and then mail the masks to:

Tieks by Gavrieli
Shipping and Receiving
5731 Buckingham Parkway
Culver City, CA 90230

If you’d like to donate masks directly to a facility (in your area or elsewhere), please print, fill out, and include this form with your donation. Feel free to add a personal handwritten message on the form as well! If you’re looking for a facility to donate to, click here for our updated suggestions based on facilities that have expressed the most desperate need.

When donating the masks, please take a second photo that verifies your donation, whether that’s a selfie of you in front of the hospital where you’re dropping off, or a photo of the package that shows the shipping label clearly. If someone is dropping off your masks on your behalf, please submit a photo of them holding your masks in front of the facility OR a socially distant selfie of the hand off.

Example In-Person Donation Submission Images

STEP 3: RECEIVE YOUR GIFT CARD

Once you’ve made and donated your masks, please use the form below to submit your donation verification! You will need to include your name, email, the recipient facility, and the donation amount. We will also ask you to upload the photo of your laid out masks and the photo of your donation delivery. Once we verify your donation, we’ll email you a Tieks Gift Card Code in the correct denomination within 5 business days.

Submit Donation

Terms & Conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • +Is there a deadline for mask donations?

    • This promotion will run through September 30, 2020. All donation forms must be submitted before end of day on September 30, 2020 in order to be eligible.
  • +Can I request masks on behalf of a facility?

    • Our goal is to supply as many masks to as many facilities as possible! If you know of a hospital or facility in need of homemade masks, please share their information with us using the linked form below.
  • +Can I donate to more than one facility?

    • Yes! We encourage you to donate to any facility in need of homemade masks.
  • +Can I donate my masks to somewhere other than a hospital or medical clinic that is in need?

    • Yes. At this time, the only approved recipients for masks are hospitals, medical clinics, first responders, senior centers, nursing homes, and homeless shelters. If you know of another place that is essential to combating this pandemic and in need of homemade masks, please contact us at service@tieks.com.
  • +Can I request a mask for myself?

    • We are not currently donating or selling masks to individuals, but if you are associated with a hospital or other facility in need, please reach out to service@tieks.com with details, and we will do our best to help.
  • +Are you able to send me materials?

    • Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to distribute materials. However, in many cases you can use common household goods such as spare sheets! Just be sure the fabric you are repurposing is prewashed and 100% cotton.
  • +Can I enlist my sewing group to help?

    • Yes, we love to have sewing groups involved! However, gift cards are granted on an individual basis and are based on individual contributions.
  • +What if someone else is dropping off my masks on my behalf?

    • If someone else is dropping off your masks, please make sure you take a socially distant selfie of the hand off OR have the other person take a clear picture of YOUR masks in front of the donation facility.
  • +I already donated but don’t have a picture of my masks or my donation - can I still get a gift card?

    • Unfortunately, we require pictures to verify submissions. If you continue making masks, please submit your next batch!
  • +Are you taking monetary donations?

    • We are not taking monetary donations. Please direct monetary donations to one or more of the many organizations that are helping alleviate the effects of this pandemic.
  • +Can I donate store bought masks?

    • While we encourage you to donate however possible, this promotion is exclusively for homemade masks.
  • +Can I donate to my friends and neighbors?

    • We understand some states are requiring everyone to wear face coverings when outside their homes. While we absolutely encourage you to help out friends and neighbors if you’re able, we are only providing gift cards for donations to facilities in need.
  • +I don’t know how to sew, is there something else I can do to participate in the promotion?

    • At this time this promotion is exclusively focused on sewing the maximum amount of masks possible. If you’ve ever had an interest in learning how to sew, this is as good a time as ever!

#SEWTOGETHER On Social

Share your sewing journey photos on social media with #SewTOGETHER and #tieks, and see what others are sharing!

Share Insights

Share your mask tips and tricks in our Facebook group, Tieks Anonymous, and in the comment section below!