Apparel specialist Kalas, along with Santini, is shifting its focus from manufacturing cycling apparel to producing protective clothing used in the fight against the coronavirus.

Kalas, based in southwest England, posted a message on its Instagram page announcing that it has already produced over 9,000 face masks. These will be supplied to key healthcare workers and first responders who are on the front lines dealing with the virus. [From cycle wear to face masks. Sleeves, braces, collars, zippers, and other parts of our garments have been temporarily set aside and Kalas production has been transformed into a face mask manufacturing plant," the Somerset brand posted Friday evening.

"Thanks to the high commitment of the Kalas production team, a total of 9,452 face masks have been produced and supplied to firefighters, paramedics, doctors, municipalities and nursing homes to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The move comes just days after Santini, an Italian-based brand based in Bergamo, one of the key epicenters of the pandemic, announced that it would provide face masks to the National Health System. According to the latest reports, the coronavirus has killed more than 11,000 people worldwide and infected more than 275,000.

Kalas, which manufactures clothing for many well-known teams, including the British, was commissioned to produce face masks late last week. The company apologized to its typical customer base for any inconvenience caused regarding the garment order.

You can visit the Kalas website and browse their range of sports here. You can also do the same for Santini.