Six weeks ago, I couldn’t have imagined the above title ever being a reality. But since the CDC advised that all Americans wear masks, with Canadian health officials echoing similar recommendations, masks are now in big demand.

Canadian designers have moved quickly to fulfill the need, and Melanie Wong, the founder of Olive + Splash, isg the latest to cross our desk. We appreciate that she’s converted her warehouse into a ‘drive through experience’ to let customers safely pick up comfortable, bamboo cotton face masks. (This is not an episode of Black Mirror.) 

Olive + Splash is a collection of unisex athleisure clothing which typically sells jumpsuits, toques, hair scrunchies, joggers, etc. The brand started creating the masks to offer an alternative to the homemade bandana style masks it saw people wearing. “I was wearing a bandana around my face at the grocery store, it was too easy to breathe, the bottom was always opening and I overall felt unprotected,” says Wong. “I make bamboo apparel for a living and thought I would design a mask that would cover my lips and mouth while picking up groceries and times I absolutely needed to be in public. This mask turned out awesome and I feel much more protected and safe.”

A notice from Olive + Smash cites the many benefits of bamboo: “It’s an antibacterial fabric, it has built-in temperature controls (keeps you warm in the cold and cool in the heat), is hypoallergenic, UV resistant and avoids any harmful chemicals in the processing of fabric.”

Like it or not, masks are in. Olive + Splash masks come in two sizes – regular and mini (for kids). Sold individually or in packs of three.

The Olive + Splash drive-thru operates every day from 10am-2pm.