Frost River to Pursue Making Masks to Aid COVID-19 Response

Normally Frost River makes softgoods such as bags, packs, and even outdoor equipment.

DULUTH, Minn. – Medical providers across the world are scrambling for much needed medical supplies and employees at Frost River Trading Company, a Duluth-based business, want to help.

Normally Frost River makes softgoods such as bags, packs, and even outdoor equipment.

This week their owner, Christian Benson, announced they have specific equipment that could potentially make medical masks.

Benson is inspired to help.

His wife is an anesthesiologist who is preparing to help COVID-19 patients.

Frost River owns an automated 48-foot-long fabric cutter.

The cutter could be programmed to make masks.

The only hitch is the company needs medical-grade fabric to create the masks with.

“It’s strange times and you say really a bag company in Duluth is going to make protective gear for someone who’s in harm’s way? Yeah, we’d love to do it,” said Christian Benson, owner Frost River.

Frost River is also set up to ship right from their store.

He says that this is also a great chance for company employees to have more work during the pandemic.

This week the Center for Disease Control and Prevention sent out a statement saying if medical staff does not have masks, a bandana would do as a last resort.

Benson says that he knows he can make something better than a bandana.

Benson is reaching out to the community and says if he can obtain the material, or even have it donated, the company can get to work on the masks.