face masks

FACE MASKS ARE THE SUBJECT

I received the masks and they are lovely. I have placed many orders online these days. Your orders are exceptional in that they arrive quickly and in good condition. Also, the company has some very polite and courteous ways. It is a pleasure to work with you. Stay safe, stay well, take care. G

. Peter and Gail

Gail thank you.

The following article is being reprinted as it turns out from two online textile magazines.

FENC’s new microfibre offers solution for shortage

30/04/2020

Far Eastern New Century Corporation (FENC) has developed a new microfibre for medical masks which addresses a shortage in meltblown non-wovens.

The Taiwanese group, a major supplier to global sportswear brands, says it can surpass the daily demand of 13 million facemasks by making up to 20 million per day.

The nonwoven material used for the middle filtration layer of medical masks is commonly made from PP fibres with meltblown technology and then charged with static electricity.

However, due to the wide spread of the coronavirus, meltblown nonwoven supply is far below its demand, says FENC, so it has developed a new kind of microfibre which can be used as the filtration layer of masks to replace meltblown nonwoven. The nonwoven made by this kind of material has a multilayer structure based on close to nanoscale fibers. This structure gives the nonwoven the ability to capture every small particle and allows these facemasks to be washed in water and reused.

“Tests have shown that the filtration ability of these masks is much better than the normal type of medical masks, with a similar standard to that of N95 masks, and excellent filtration result for PM2.5. FENC is now actively supporting facemask manufacturers for the testing and development of this new product,” said the company.

MICROFIBER MATERIALS

Yesterday I saw this article in a Textile materials online publication. What caught my eye was the comments about developing a microfiber fabric for use in the manufacture of face masks now being worn by people the world over due to the coronavirus.

Most of the masks made are molded such as the 3-M masks that have been around for close to 100 years or maybe more. The mask we produce at Wiggy’s is a sewn product. The lining fabric is a “microfiber” fabric.

I had the fabric in the factory for about 8 years and had no idea what to do with it. When Kok and I decided to make masks for all of our family of workers this was the fabric we chose as the lining because it was soft and dense enough to hold out any germs, and was launderable, which we told them to do to keep them clean. The laundering is done by some daily, Kok told me he does that with his. I do not do it as much since I do not wear mine as long as he does daily.

So, when we decided to make a mask for sale it had to be better than what was on the market. My philosophy is and always has been; IF I CAN’T MAKE A PRODUCT BETTER THAN WHAT WAS ALREADY ON THE MARKET, I WOULDN’T MAKE IT.

Since no other company was to the best of my knowledge making a washable face mask that meant Wiggy’s was making a face mask better than what was on the market immediately.

What I have learned from this article is the filtration quality of the microfiber, being better than the N95 mask is certainly another step up over what is used. And of course, their stating that the masks that someone would make with their microfiber fabric is wash able.

What this company will be facing when they start offering the material is how to use it in manufacturing. Will the companies making face masks sew it as we are doing? Or, will they attempt to mold them. If so, the heat used in the molding process will cause the microfibers to fuse ending the permeability of the material. The reason a company that already makers molded face masks would not want to make a sewn product is because the probably do not have the capability. To introduce the fabric to a sewing factory would mean they couldn’t make them cheap enough to consider making them in the first place.

I do not think I will have any competition, however if others were to make masks such as mine that would mean more people would be able to get them since I couldn’t possibly make all that were needed.

At this time mask sales are very robust.