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Community Masks – from an Emergency Solution to an Innovation Booster for the Textile Industry

Journal Article (2022)
Author(s)

Till Batt (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa))

Gordon Herwig (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa))

Simon Annaheim (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa))

Pietro Clement (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa))

Lea Furer (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa))

Cordula Hirsch (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa))

Vincent Varanges (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Baris Caglar (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Véronique Michaud (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

undefined More Authors (External organisation)

Research Group
Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2022.249 Final published version
More Info
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Publication Year
2022
Language
English
Research Group
Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies
Issue number
3
Volume number
76
Pages (from-to)
249-254
Downloads counter
360
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Institutional Repository
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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shortages of personal protective equipment and medical devices in the initial phase. Agile small and medium-sized enterprises from regional textile industries reacted quickly. They delivered alternative products such as textile-based community masks in collaboration with industrial partners and research institutes from various sectors. The current mask materials and designs were further improved by integrating textiles with antiviral and antimicrobial properties and enhanced protection and comfort by novel textile/membrane combinations, key factors to increase the acceptance and compliance of mask wearing. The safety and sustainability of masks, as well as taking into account particular needs of vulnerable persons in our society, are new fields for textile-based innovations. These innovations developed for the next generation of facemasks have a high adaptability to other product segments, which make textiles an attractive material for hygienic applications and beyond.