Facemasks: Unmasking a New Trade

Face masks are temporarily turning gold for textile and apparel producers, bringing unexpected dividends. In collaboration with anti-microbial companies, businesses have created a variety of surgical and respiration masks. Designers are also jumping into the fray and making masks an essential fashion accessory.

Face masks are temporarily turning gold for textile and apparel producers, bringing unexpected dividends. In collaboration with anti-microbial companies, businesses have created a variety of surgical and respiration masks. Designers are also jumping into the fray and making masks an essential fashion accessory.

Face masks were the first thing that all countries affected by the coronavirus needed as soon as it began spreading outside of China’s borders early this year. This was true for both people and doctors as well as frontline healthcare workers. It was this demand that led several companies producing textiles and medical hygiene products to increase the production of masks. Face masks were also manufactured by companies that hadn’t previously made them. Apple, for example, created masks specifically for its employees. In August, LG announced the release of a rechargeable face mask. Masks have become a fashion accessory for many.

The pandemic has boosted sales of respiratory masks (N95 and KN95), surgical masks (3-ply or 4-ply), and even surgical masks for the first time. Arizton Advisory & Intelligence in the US estimates that between 2019 and 2025, there will be a growth of over $2.7 billion, or a CAGR of 11%, for the global face masks market. Face masks for personal use are in high demand. The market value is expected to reach $170 million by 2025.

According to Allied Market Research, the global face masks market was valued at 1,523,0 million dollars in 2019 and is expected to reach 2,455.4 million dollars by 2027, with a CAGR between 2021 and 2027 of 4.4 percent. Technavio’s latest N95 market research report states that the pandemic is expected to drive the global market for N95 respiratory products to grow by over $9 percent from 2020 to 2024.

A study conducted by Future Market Insights, an organization based in Dubai, found that even after the pandemic has been contained, many people will continue to wear masks, especially in cities and crowded areas where air pollution is high. Global surgical masks are expected to surpass $4.2 billion in valuation by 2030. The market share for basic surgical masks, fluid/splash-resistant surgical masks, and both will be close to 80 percent. Europe will capture the majority of market value with a little under two-fifths.

In recent years, surgical masks are increasingly being used by individuals. Although health authorities in many nations recommend that N95 masks be used only by healthcare professionals, the general public also buys these masks as a way to reduce the risk of infection. These factors are boosting sales.

According to Allied Market Research (AMR), counterfeit brands have been created in countries with high-priced customers. This hampers the sale of original brands. Counterfeit products are often of poor quality and can cause inconveniences and safety concerns. This leads to negative perceptions from customers. Online distribution channels are one of the main platforms that allow counterfeit brands to be easily hidden. The growth of the counterfeited market is expected to hinder the development of the face mask industry.

Grand View Research, with its headquarters in San Francisco, estimates that the global disposable mask market will grow by 53 percent between 2020 and 2027. The pandemic’s unprecedented spread fueled the demand for disposable masks. These are usually made of nonwoven fabrics and come in two- or three-layer forms. Asia Pacific was the biggest market for disposable masks in 2019, with a share of 33,7%.

China was the world’s largest producer and exporter of respirator masks for many years before the coronavirus appeared there. Since then, it has increased production by almost 12 times by increasing its output of respirators and surgical masks. According to the Chinese government, daily production increased from 10 million masks at the start of February to over 115 million at the end.

The US government ordered Honeywell International to increase its production of N95 face masks. 3M has committed to producing 50 million masks for the US medical authorities during the pandemic. Masks were also purchased by rich countries in the West, Middle East, and Asia from manufacturers of developing economies. Dony Garment Factory in Vietnam, for example, supplied face masks from around 30 US States, Japan, and many countries throughout Europe and the Gulf.

Many companies and startups around the globe claim that their face masks, or the technology they use in them, inactivate most coronaviruses in the shortest time possible. Face masks from US apparel company Renfro use DuPont Silvadur 930 technology.

InnoTier of Hong Kong, owned by Julius Group, manufactures InnoShield masks that are reusable using a material blended with US Ionic Technology. The mask uses 99.9% pure silver that is woven into the fabric. This reduces the viability and spread of microbes and viruses on soft surfaces. The pandemic’s production capacity has been unaffected by the outbreak and can produce 300,000 to 500,000 masks per month. As a relatively new brand, the company has focused on its domestic market. It is looking to open offices in Southeast Asian countries and the United States to serve these markets better. It claims that the mask can be used up to 200 times.

Partnering with mask manufacturers was a great opportunity for companies offering antiviral treatments. Canadian firm Stormtech, with a presence in the Americas and Europe, Asia Pacific, and Russia, as well as the Middle East, has launched face masks using the ViralOff Technology of Swedish firm Polygiene. Ulrika Bjrk, Polygiene’s chief executive, says that ViralOff reduces over 99 percent of microbes from the textile in just two hours.

Maloja Clothing, a German company, has used its expertise in functional sports clothing to produce face masks at its factories in Portugal and Bulgaria. Klaus Haus, founder and CEO of Maloja Clothing, said that the masks are made from breathable polyester fabric with a ViralOff finish. In March and April, the company faced problems and had to use fabric from stock to complete mask production. It usually sources fabrics from Italy, but due to the shutdowns, it was forced to move sourcing to Portugal. The supply chain problems are now over.

In October, Keller Trading SA (Switzerland) and KT Home SA (Switzerland) launched the reusable Testex Community Mask that adheres to new specifications set by the Swiss Government and the Swiss National Covid-19 Scientific Taskforce.

Wise Protec, a European fabric expert, has also launched washable and reusable masks that are free of heavy metals such as zinc or silver. Positively-charged, long-lasting anti-microbial coat attracts bacteria and viruses with negative charges. The company claims that the membrane protecting the novel coronavirus ruptures when it comes into contact with the surface treated. This destroys the virus.

HeiQ, a Swiss company, manufactures two different models of facemasks for community use and one FFP2 mask (which removes 94% of particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns or greater). The FFP2 mask cannot be reused. The Vietnamese-made community masks use fabrics that are sourced locally. The Chinese subsidiary makes the FFP2 Masks.

According to Hoi Kwan Lam, HeiQ’s Chief Marketing Officer, Product Management, the production capacity of the masks was not the issue, but rather the logistics. The company chartered Swiss planes and repurposed them to bring masks from Asia into Switzerland.

Viroblock was in high demand, and the company had to work double shifts on weekends and holidays. It has sold enough chemistry since the pandemic began to treat more than a billion masks worldwide.

Cifra’s Italian Warpmask, which is a filtering and protective mask that can be reused, has been treated with HeiQ Viroblock. This treatment combines silver and vesicle-based technology to produce an antiviral, antibacterial result. Cifra CEO Cesare Citterio explained to Fibre2Fashion that the silver technology destroys the inner part of a virus in a matter of minutes. Cifra’s Warpmasks are made from polyamide and Lycra. At the same time, another variant is Eco Warpmask, which is made with Econyl and Roica Eco Smart elastomer and is also available in a variety of colors. It can produce up to 50,000 masks per day. As masks were initially scarce in Italy, the company used a portion of its production capacity to make protective masks. Citterio warned that there are many masks on the market today whose efficacy isn’t proven.

Indian Scenario

According to Allied Market Research, the Indian surgical mask market was valued at $71.73 million in 2019 and will reach $ 157.13 million by 2027. This represents a CAGR between 2020 and 2027 of 10.3 percent. Flipkart IndiaMart, Amazon 1mg.com, Smart Medical Buyer Pharmeasy, and other ecommerce platforms have repurposed their digital marketplaces to connect surgical mask manufacturers with domestic wholesalers and retailers. Thea-Tex Healthcare Pvt Ltd, for example, has partnered with Amazon to provide a full range of Filtra-branded products in the country.

In June, with India’s excess face mask capacity choking the production lines, the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry asked the government to lift its ban on the export of non-N95 masks in order to help manufacturers clear their unsold inventories and resume production at full capability. In March, the government banned all mask exports in order to prevent a shortage in India. The government allowed the export of non-medical masks and non-surgical ones made from cotton, silk, and wool but prohibited all other masks. The restrictions have been relaxed.

According to the association, India has a 1.5 billion mask production capacity. After accounting for the domestic demand, there is a surplus of 532.03 million. From a total manufacturing capacity of 59.5 million four-layer masks, 1.9 million are spares. The country also has a surplus of 5.05 million reusable/washable masks. It can produce 31.2 million N95 masks. Of this, 1.05 million are surplus.

Gayatri Khanna is Gaya’s creative director. Gaya manufactures stylish, embroidered antiviral masks made from cotton, denim, and silk. She said that because Gaya masks have intricate embroidery and embellishments, it’s a challenge to display them on a small piece of fabric and ensure the embroideries don’t feel heavy or scratchy. Milaaya Embroideries, a sister concern of Gaya Masks, exports the masks to the US and Europe.

Amazon is now selling facemasks from the Virus Shield Collection of fabric brand Tevero. The collection incorporates HeiQ Technology. Nandan Denim Ltd has launched its CareMask collection of fashion denim protective masks. The mask comes in double- or triple-layered versions. The fabric is made of pure cotton, which is antibacterial and antiviral.

Technical textile startup Thermaissance claimed its nanotechnology-imparted textiles could inactivate 99.99 percent of the coronavirus in less than an hour. Researchers from the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine in Stem in Bengaluru have developed a germicidal material called G-fab for face masks.

UniMask manufactures antiviral, cotton-blended two- or three-layered masks and customizes masks for businesses using the Healthguard Technology from Australia.

The antiviral masks are reusable 100 times. Kapil Bhatia, its CEO, said that due to an unprecedented rise in disposable mask production globally, these masks have been accumulating in landfills and are now washing up on beaches. This is a much greater threat than the one we currently face. He said that the only way to save the world from this global threat is to use cloth masks, which health organizations around the globe recommend.

Genes Lecoanet Hemant infuses its reusable masks, which adhere to US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control guidelines, with an artistic fervor. This ensures that the protective aspect of the mask is prioritized. The Ayurganic masks are made from Global Organic Textile Standard-certified cotton and hand-treated with Ayurvedic remedies. Hemant Sgar, co-founder of the company, said: “We must acknowledge that this was a result of an unfortunate circumstance.”

Evolution in the mask market

HeiQ believes that masks will become more comfortable and feature functional technologies. Gaya’s Khanna thinks that people will start buying more fashionable masks to enhance their looks. Masks are the next must-have accessory. Markets are flooded with a variety of masks, from pale to funky. They can be worn with any outfit or persona. UniMask’s Bhatia added that masks will become the next “must have” accessory.

InnoTier is of the opinion that the market for face masks will consolidate in the near term due to the growing concerns and knowledge among consumers regarding the environment and society. Only those brands that meet these sustainability and quality demands will win, InnoTier says. The path that the novel coronavirus will take will have a direct impact on the market’s trajectory.