Fashionably Clean

Among the many "pivots" that happened during this ECQ, one of the most interesting ones for me is how local fast fashion and lifestyle brands were quick to find ways to stay relevant in this precarious time.

One such brand is Bench.

As early as March, they've shown that they're not all frills and frivolity by producing more of their signature product - Bench Alcogel! Yes, for those who are not aware, Bench actually pioneered this Alcogel industry in the Philippines. Back in the 2000s, almost everyone had a bottle of it in their bags and it was a must-have for those who want to keep their hands clean and safe.

So, they produced more of that product and distributed it to hospitals and frontliners. They also made it more available for people looking for alcohol in the market, at that time when alcohol was gold and you couldn't find it in supermarket shelves anymore.

Aside from alcohol, another thing that quickly disappeared from shelves is Lysol. The last time I was able to buy it was early March, and after that, it was so difficult to find Lysol anywhere. In supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores - the product was snapped up so easily that it was almost impossible to find it.

At that point, I was hoping that a manufacturer or a cleaning brand would come up with their own version of a disinfectant spray as an alternative to Lysol. Thankfully, some brands did.

One such brand is Bench.

While looking for a disinfecting spray on-line, this product popped up on google.

Yes, their Alcogel formulation was now available in an aerosol spray! Like Lysol, it was designed to eliminate viruses and germs, it has 75% alcohol, and it has a nice, powdery scent. Needless to say, I was sold on it. And bought it.

Now, we keep our surfaces germ and virus free the fashionable way - with Bench!

(And oh, just when our stocks for this product arrived, so did Lysol. It was suddenly back in supermarkets in different variants and sizes again! Of course, I had to buy those, too.)