Entrepreneurs Propose To Produce Masks
The coronavirus is a fierce adversary, yet there are surprisingly easy ways to defeat it. Two of the most important items one needs to provide oneself with some fundamental protection against the virus are some ordinary soap and water and a humble mask. Unfortunately, there is a critical shortage of the basic mask right now, with even medical experts suffering from it.
To stop the spread of the virus, the government has mandated that everyone going outdoors during the lockdown wear a regular cotton mask (not a N95 mask, which should only be worn by medical personnel). Unfortunately, there aren’t nearly enough masks available on the market. Fortunately, a number of concerned people from many walks of life have decided to create masks for the general public as well as for distribution to healthcare and sanitation employees. Some of them were available for conversation.
Ritu Kumar
Following approval from the government, designer Ritu Kumar has begun production in an effort to combat the nation’s mask scarcity. Over 1,500 of these non-surgical face masks have already been sent to NGOs from her workshop in Gurugram, which employs a staff of 20 people.
Initially committing to 20,000 masks, the designer has since ramped up to 50,000. By the end of this month, she wants to have them finished. “The brand plans to make 2,000 pieces every day in order to reach 50,000. The most impacted local communities would benefit from these personal protective face masks. To keep the inhabitants of the Haryana slums safe, they are being dispersed. According to the company spokesperson, a committed team has been working in the production and distribution process while making sure all necessary safeguards are followed to assist flatten the curve. These protective masks are made of cotton, are washable and reusable, and are being given out gratis.
For the masks, designer Nitya Bajaj used leftover fabric and remnants from her Daisy Spring/Summer 2020 collection. These washable and reusable masks, which are made from exquisitely quilted, silk-lined textiles decorated with handcrafted lace and Bajaj’s iconic Daisy print, have been given out to street children, staff members, and the less fortunate.
“We discovered that masks were pricey and in scarce supply. We made the decision to recycle the scraps at our manufacturing at that point, according to Bajaj. “We quilted together the shreds, cut and stitched them together, and lined them with silk. The packaging and disinfecting teams were divided into various groups. Following sterilisation and packaging, all masks underwent quality checks for finish and elasticity (including the softness of the elastic used). Bajaj produced and distributed approximately 800 masks prior to lockdown in the first lot and roughly 500 by the following dispatch. “The staff put in extra hours to make as many using the leftovers as we could. They succeeded in producing a few for their loved ones, kids, and coworkers at adjacent factories. Our masks arrived in time to fulfil the majority of the requests thanks to the logistics team’s persistent efforts. Due to a size or availability issue, we still have a lot of pending requests, particularly for children, according to Bajaj.
Sonal Jindal
Since the WHO director-general declared the novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV) outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, Delhi-based entrepreneur Sonal Jindal has been producing 3-ply surgical face masks since February 2020. Sonal Jindal is the founder and director of Medusa by Sonal Jindal, a B2C exhibition and event management platform. “Since then, we have been receiving inquiries from European nations about the supply of masks. Speaking with our partners in Switzerland encouraged us to seriously consider the production of masks. The investment in the machinery and obtaining all necessary approvals and certifications from the Government of India allowed for a timely start to the manufacture of the masks. The factories are running properly and making three-ply surgical masks (standardized FDA-approved designs). We currently have a production capacity of 2 lakh pieces per day and are working on both government and private contracts. These aren’t free and are being sold at manufacturer's costs, according to Jindal.
