In a time when the sound of the slightest sniffle or smallest sneeze sends shivers down your spine, masks often feel as protective as Captain America’s vibranium shield. Northwood senior Jen Li and sophomore Joi Li founded a small business, Moggy Mask, to meet the pandemic-stricken world’s ever-growing demand for masks. The Howler conducted an interview with Jen Li and Joi Li to gain some insight on their brand:

The Howler: What inspired you to start your own business?

Joi Li: We wanted to encourage people our age to wear masks because we noticed that a lot of people were reluctant to do so. We are designing our masks to be cute and comfortable so that there is no excuse not to wear one.

TH: Moggy Mask is a unique name—what is its meaning?

Joi Li: Moggy is British slang for an unremarkable cat. We didn’t want our masks to seem ordinary, so we decided to look at it from a different perspective. Masks are also considered unremarkable, with the same boring designs and uncomfortable fit, but we’re hoping that with a Moggy Mask, we can reinvent how masks are viewed.

TH: Can you walk us through the process of making and sending your masks?

Jen Li: Joi and I discuss designs we want to make and ask other people what they want to see; then, we design them using CoreIDraw. Our dad owns a sportswear business, so he helps us with making them. Our designs are printed on fabric using dye sublimation and which are then sewn. When we receive the masks, they go through a quality check and are ready to send off!

TH: Have there been any challenges in your business endeavor?

Jen Li: Some challenges we’ve had are miscounting the stock on our release date, so we had a few items on backorder. I had to build the website from scratch which was very challenging as well. We’ve made many mistakes, but we’ve also learned so much from them.

TH: Are there instances that stand out to you as making those difficulties worthwhile?

Joi Li: Getting our first order from someone that wasn’t a friend was the most rewarding feeling. There is also no better feeling than when people send pictures of them wearing our masks, a design we created.

TH: We’ve noticed that your brand has been very successful! What do you think contributed to that?

Jen Li: Our recent success is 100% from TikTok. I’ve been making TikToks almost everyday since we launched, and they all gained some attention, but one day, one of them just blew up: we sold over 200 masks that day. It was insane and definitely made all the TikToks that flopped worth it. 

TH: Are there any lessons you’ve learned over the course of these few months?

Jen Li: For anyone starting a business, make sure to communicate with your customers, and persevere through the days that you get no orders. I remember the day before my TikTok blew up, I had zero orders and was feeling super discouraged, but then in a blink of an eye, everything changed. You have to keep promoting your business and have faith that the right people will see it at the right time. 

With the resolve and zeal of its creators, Moggy Mask has sprung up as the new “it” source for masks, especially among teenagers. The business has already donated $661 to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, making good on its promise to donate 10% of its profit, and it strives for continued success.