If you’re looking to keep your long, luxurious beard in tip-top shape in the mandatory mask era of COVID-19, Barrie's Beard Tarp has you covered.
Always Bearded has been selling beard-care products out of its Eccles Street shop for the last six years. Owner and founder Sven Hansen said that while their creams and lotions are important to a healthy beard, during these COVID times, so is how you cover it up.
“A lot of guys were wearing smaller masks and their beards were getting pushed up inside or there was a dent in the beard itself. Some have been trimming off their beard to make it fit in a smaller mask,” said Hansen. “None of those options appealed to me.”
The Beard Tarp drapes over the beard while still covering the mouth and nose with a filter as well.
The item has been on sale for a week and Hansen said it has quickly become their hottest seller.
“Right now our manufacturer has transferred to a line where we’re pumping out 500 masks a day,” said Hansen. “We have a good following in Barrie and sell quite a bit, but since word has gotten out, we have been shipping all over, particularly in North America.”
Hansen admits that he and his three-person operation were not ready for the high demand for the Beard Tarp. He said that as they scale upwards in sales, they are likely moving entirely to a fulfillment centre in the coming weeks to take over the large amount of orders.
Hansen founded Always Bearded when he was having issues with his own beard and couldn't find the right products to help.
“Six years ago I had an itchy beard and it was out of control. I started looking for products to help, and there weren't any so I had to bring them in from the U.S.,” said Hansen. “I started developing my own products and it spiralled from there.”
The company’s Beard Cream is one of the most popular items for sale and even won them a Best In Beard Care Award for the 2020 Clean Beauty Awards.
Before COVID, Always Bearded was in 400 retailers, but that has come down significantly and they rely on their online sales quite a bit now, he said.
“Our online sales have been very strong as guys try to take care of themselves. We’re all staying in a bit more, but I think with the popularity of Zoom calls, guys realize that they need to make themselves presentable,” said Hansen.
Made from 100 per cent cotton, the Beard Tarp is available on the company’s website for $25.
