Two Swiss textile companies, Schoeller Textil and Forster Rohner, have a developed a washable mask to meet the criteria of the Swiss National Covid-19 Science Task Force, establishing a short supply chain and improving on disposable masks from an ecological perspective. Schoeller is supplying the fabric, a two-layer weave of polyester that is hydrophilic on the inside and hydrophobic on the outside. It contains 60 percent recycled fibers and is itself recyclable. It was developed through wear2wear, a partnership of companies seeking to close the textile loop. Schoeller has refined the masks for comfort, using special cotton-like yarns for feel and permeability and have had its staff conduct field tests while at work. Forster Rohner is doing the manufacturing, with its embroidery machines and using various sewing techniques, in the city of St. Gallen. Through a subsidiary, Jakob Schlaepfer, Forster has also developed prints to expand the aesthetics beyond white and solid colors. The resulting masks can be worn for up to seven days in a row without washing and have passed the spray, filter and breathing activity tests of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa). The masks are available for purchase through Jakob Schlaepfer’s website.

Topics