Tailors, customers clash over mask prices

ILENI NANDJATOONDANGWALocal tailors and customers are clashing over the price of face masks. Customers have accused tailors of increasing their prices when government announced that the wearing of face masks is now compulsory in public.The tailors however counter that the change in pricing is due to material suppliers increasing their prices. This is despite the industrialisation ministry sponsoring textiles to ensure affordable face masks. The ministry said masks must be sold for between N$15 and N$25.Heimo Lukas said last week he obtained quotations for face masks, and tailors were charging between N$5 and N$15 per mask. This week, the tailors changed their prices.“Colleagues at my school requested me to get quotations for the masks that we will be wearing at school. When I came last week, they gave me quotations, they were charging N$15 per mask. “When I came back to do the payment this week, they are charging N$25 and they are not entertaining my quotation at all,” Lukas said.“These people are trying to make use of the coronavirus situation to maximise their profits, which is not fair,” he added.Another customer, Helena Eino, said now that masks are in demand, tailors are telling customers to either take the masks or go.“Tailors know that everybody needs masks and they are charging a lot of money, because they know that people will be forced to buy.”Fashion designer Annelly Luaanda, who is one of the ministry's textile recipients, said the donated material is not of a good quality.She said after business resumed on Tuesday, their suppliers increased their prices.“The ministry would like us to ensure that the masks we are producing are in accordance with the recommended specifications and guidelines by the Namibia Standards Institution. “The material we received from the ministry is not of a good quality for masks. We are therefore forced to get better material on our own,” Luaanda said.

Tailors, customers clash over mask prices

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-17

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Tailors, customers clash over mask prices

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-17

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