Fashion & Community Masks Total Quality Assurance

As more people return to work, there will be more movement outside people's immediate households. Under some circumstances this increased mobility will raise the risk of COVID-19 infection. With the shortage of surgical masks or respirators, a cloth face covering can serve as a community mask to protect your health.

Fashion or community masks are not the same as the surgical masks or respirators worn by healthcare and front line workers as part of their personal protective equipment (PPE), and which must continue to be reserved for those who need them.

Governments in countries and regions such as the UK, US and EU are now advising their citizens to wear a face covering while in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and they can come into contact with others, for example on public transport, in offices or in shops.

Intertek offers a wide array of capabilities in community mask testing to support manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, including:

• Restricted substances, such as azo dyes, lead, organotin, formaldehyde
• Labelling
• Fibre context
• Care label 
• Flammability 
• Performance tests such as strength properties at band area, tensile strength
• Packaging requirements
• Barrier test

There are several countries which have recently provided guideline specifications for community masks. They are products which would not be considered either as PPE or a medical mask. The various guidelines have a more limited scope than protective devices, but they do use some recognised test standards. The specifications set recommended requirements for tests on parameters such as bacterial filtration, particles penetration and “breathability”.

Intertek safeguards health, safety and well-being in every aspect of life. We offer guidance and advisory services in producing community masks qualifying for global market access.

That’s not all. The performance features of your community masks can also be highlighted by our High-Performance Mark: 

• How good is the breathability of your mask? 
• Does it help to reduce your face temperature with technological application?
• Does it facilitate the evaporation of the sweat on your face? 

You may affix the below common descriptors on your High-Performance trade dressing should test results have reached the minimum threshold set for the relevant claims.


 
Intertek can back up your marketing claims with quality assurance information through our High-Performance Mark directory. Consumers can simply scan a QR code unique to your products to check proven claims. This can ensure consumer trust and confidence.