This story is from July 9, 2020

Unlocking Diaries: Apparel shops ensure safety measures in post-lockdown world

Unlocking Diaries: Apparel shops ensure safety measures in post-lockdown world
(BCCL/ Picture for representational purposes only)
As the country gets used to the new normal most apparel brands in Varanasi are resuming operations following stringent guidelines of social distancing and regular sanitization.
Mandatory masks and thermal screening
Abhishek Mishra, Store Manager, Planet Fashion, says, “We are allowing only five people in our store and only those wearing masks can walk in. We do not allow people to touch apparels .Only after the customer has finalized the product, we allow them to try on garments.
In case after billing ,the customer has a change of mind, then we put the tried garment for four days quarantine.” Stores are also carrying out thermal checks at the entrance.
Digital mode of payments
Najmuddin Kazmi, Store Manager of United Colours of Benetton says, “We advise our customers to use a digital mode of payment. In addition, clothes and common areas such as trial rooms and cash counters are being regularly disinfected.” "We are encouraging contact less payment mode. There is a considerable increase in people using the QR code for payment,” says Dhawal Prakash, owner The Raymond Shop.
(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam; Location courtesy: Uniqlo, CyberHub, Delhi)
(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam; Location courtesy: Uniqlo, CyberHub, Delhi)

Protective gear for staff
For luxury brands, having personal attendants for their clientele is a must. So, they are ensuring the staff is wearing protective gear.
Shivaji Mishra, Store Manager of Spiker, says, “The brand has distributed protective gear among our employees, and are conducting regular sanitisation and temperature checks.”
Disinfecting trial rooms
Though using trial rooms is not allowed as per government guidelines, stores are preparing for the time when these will be allowed. Najmuddin Kazmi, Store Manager of United Colours of Benetton says, “We are insisting that customers don’t use trial rooms. However, the exchanged clothes are kept in a ‘quarantine cloth box’ for about 24 hours before being steam ironed and put back on the shelves.”
Clothes sanitized-ironed after trial
Maintaining necessary safety protocols, Dhawal Prakash, says, “After every trail we keep a register of clothes tried by the customer. Then we keep them in a quarantine box for 72 hours after which we pass them though a steam test that completely disinfects the clothes. Only then we put the articles on display again.”
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