Italian Makers and Ateliers Produce DIY Masks Amid COVID-19 Shortage

During the COVID-19 emergency in Italy, a severe shortage of protective masks has prompted creative grassroots initiatives. Small tailoring shops and textile factories have started producing cloth masks for free. In Rome, a workshop near Piazza Bologna closed its doors but seamstresses continue making fabric masks, donating over 300 in two days. In Naples, Massimiliano Sorvino of Sartoria Italiana produces masks for the municipalities of Afragola, Casoria, Cardito, and Villaricca. In Calatabiano, Sicily, Stiltex Group Tessuti supplies non-woven fabric to local pharmacies. Meanwhile, young makers use 3D printing to produce masks from recyclable PLA and TPU materials. Diego Bocelli, a student at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara, prints masks at home, producing 65 per day against 1,000 requests. He shares his design open-source on Thingiverse. His mother makes disposable masks from sterilized TNT and gauze. A spontaneous network of makers has formed online, coordinating distribution through local associations and administrations. These DIY masks are not certified medical devices but offer some protection for vulnerable individuals. The initiatives highlight solidarity and creativity in the face of institutional failures and public controversies over lockdown measures.