Xander Paige

Meet Jonah & Kat

For Jonah Rodriguez and Kat Quito, co-owners of Xander Paige, creating fashionable face shields was a way to turn COVID-19 lemons into lemonade.

The idea came to light in July of 2020 after Kat posted a photo of herself to Instagram wearing a plain face shield.

“I’ve known Kat for years, she’s always dressed up and very fashionable,” Jonah said. “When I saw her wearing that blue face shield that everyone wears, it didn’t match her outfits, it didn’t match her style, but of course, it was for COVID-19 protection. But then I started thinking, if this is the new normal, maybe we could think of something better.”

The Birth of Xander Paige

From there, Kat and Jonah began researching and designing face shields that would not only help to protect against COVID-19, but also accessorize an outfit, and Xander Paige was born.

The business is named after two people near and dear to Jonah and Kat—their children.

“We wanted to name the company something that was not only catchy but something that means a lot to the both of us,” Kat said. “We’re both moms, Jonah’s son is Noah Alexander and my daughter is named Kaydence Paige. We each love our child’s middle name, but they’re never really mentioned. So, we thought this would be a great way to hear their middle names as much as their first names.”

Launched in September of 2020, Xander Paige sells both half and full-face shields in a variety of styles. Tinted face shields are also equipped with glare block technology and filters for UVA and UVB.

“It's a combination of protection and fashion,” Jonah said. “Even if you're wearing a simple surgical mask, when you put a face shield on top of that, you don’t have to sacrifice your sense of style.”

Protect Yourself With Xander Paige

Since the brand’s launch, Jonah and Kat said that their products have been well received by customers.

“One of our repeat customers happens to be a nurse,” Kat said. “She said she gets a lot of positive feedback when she wears our face shields at the hospital. She’s also been gifting our products to people in her life, which is definitely a big compliment.”

When it comes to future products, Jonah and Kat would eventually like to expand beyond face shields.

“Jonah and I have always thought of the face shields as a stepping stone,” Kat said. “Obviously, we're hoping and praying that COVID-19 will go away soon, and then maybe wearing a mask and face shield will become a thing of the past. We just don't know when that's going to be, but we would want to evolve our product line from face shields to something else at that point.”

By accessorizing with face shields, Jonah and Kat hope to help others find positivity even in today’s troubling times.

“It's always been my belief that in every adversity, every heartache, every catastrophe, there's always a small seed of something that's good,” Jonah said. “It can’t all be bad, and for me, this whole year is all about perspective.”

Click here to learn more about Xander Paige.